COPENHAGEN, Denmark— A.P. Moller-Maersk announced on Feb. 9 its intended acquisition of Pilot Freight Services from ATL Partners.
With the intended acquisition of Pilot, Maersk officials say their aim is to extend the company’s integrated logistics offering deeper into the supply chain of its customers, according to a news release.
“In Maersk we continue our path to develop truly integrated logistics offering for our customers, offering them better visibility, more control and resilience in their supply chains, Vincent Clerc, CEO of Ocean & Logistics at A.P. Moller-Maersk said. “Adding the capabilities of Pilot is especially important because it will allow us to create more exciting solutions for our customers and support them through the acceleration of the migration towards e-commerce. Furthermore, it will open significant cost synergy opportunities by leveraging the capabilities we have already developed in the network.”
Throughout the pandemic, macro trends in the supply chain accelerated, such as the increased shift towards e-commerce, especially for big and bulky items. This shift is expected to continue and necessitate the creation of new distribution networks and solutions to support companies adapting their supply chains to these new consumer demands.
“We are looking forward to joining Maersk,” Zach Pollock, Pilot Freight Services CEO, said. “This is the ideal outcome for our customers, company and employees who will be able to tap into the ambitious transformation of simplifying and integrating global supply chains which will enable us to perform on a larger stage.”
The transition goes for numerous B2C vertical segments, such as retail, home furnishings and consumer electronics, as well as B2B segments, such as aerospace, automotive and healthcare.
Pilot operates a North American facilities-based transportation network of 87 stations and hubs through which freight is transported and distributed to end customers.
The company uses mainly third party providers of trucking and has access to controlled capacity which facilitates a high-quality first, middle and last-mile service offering.
The scope encompasses full truckload and less-than-truckload for both B2C and B2B distribution including heavy and bulky shipments with white-glove service with a focus on expedited and time-definite services.
The combined Pilot and Maersk scale will offer customers approximately 150 facilities in the U.S., including distribution centers, hubs and stations.
“By investing in first mile, middle mile and last middle and integrating them we meet a clear customer demand, Narin Phol, regional managing director at Maersk North America, said. “This acquisition will add even more expertise and supply chain capacity to customers facing capacity constraints and multiple handoffs with providers in the B2C and B2B space. After completion of this transaction, we will be able to help them install stronger, more integrated supply chains with better visibility and better outcomes for consumers. We look forward to welcoming the Pilot team aboard the A. P. Moller-Maersk family.”
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