MIAMI — Ryder System Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement in the third quarter to acquire all the outstanding equity of IFS Holdings LLC, also known as Impact Fulfillment Services (IFS). IFS specializes in contract packaging, contract manufacturing and warehousing for some of the largest and best-known consumer brands in the U.S., primarily in the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and health care industries. As part of the transaction, Ryder will acquire 15 operations across Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and California.
The transaction is expected to add approximately $250 million in annual total revenue to Ryder’s supply chain solutions business segment and be accretive to shareholders. Ryder and IFS expect to complete the transaction in early November 2023, subject to the satisfaction of antitrust approvals and customary closing conditions.
“The acquisition of IFS supports our strategy to accelerate growth in our supply chain business, providing Ryder with new capabilities that are complementary to our existing suite of services,” said Steve Sensing, president of supply chain solutions for Ryder. “Initially, the co-packaging and co-manufacturing services will roll into our CPG vertical; however, we see considerable opportunity to leverage these new capabilities across other industry verticals.”
IFS has built a blue-chip customer base with its proven model for co-packing and co-manufacturing in both food and non-food products, including a specialty in blending and filling dry powder and viscous products.
“Ryder already serves the top 10 U.S. food and beverage companies, and this acquisition will expand and strengthen our relationships with those customers while also attracting new customers in additional verticals, especially in retail, health, and beauty,” said Darin Cooprider, senior vice president of CPG for Ryder. “And IFS’ customer base will benefit from access to Ryder’s capabilities as a fully integrated port-to-door logistics provider.”
Ryder will integrate the IFS facilities and operations into its supply chain solutions business, including nine multiclient and six dedicated customer operations, totaling just under 4 million square feet. To ensure a seamless experience for customers, Ryder plans to retain IFS’ workforce of approximately 1,000 full-time employees. IFS President Rob LeBaron will join Ryder as vice president of contract manufacturing and packaging.
“As we considered the next step in our growth strategy, it became clear that joining Ryder would open doors in just about every industry vertical while allowing our marquee customer base to leverage Ryder’s comprehensive suite of services,” LeBaron said.
Founded 25 years ago, IFS specializes in contract manufacturing, contract packaging and assembly, display engineering, product launches, multichannel programs and club store programs.
“IFS was built on trust, saying what we do and then doing what we say,” said IFS Founder Todd Porterfeld, who plans to retire. “It’s the people who come to work every day determined to deliver on the promises we make that have led to our success. Thinking about the future, I want to ensure our employees are in a place where they can continue to grow and our customers are in the best possible hands. I believe Ryder is that place.”
Blank Rome LLP is acting as Ryder’s legal counsel for the transaction. Wofford Advisors LLC and Paul Hastings LLP are representing IFS.
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