MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dunavant Transportation Group, a subsidiary of Dunavant Enterprises, today announced the acquisition of Sea Lane Express, a transportation company specializing in regional trucking and intermodal drayage operations.
Sea Lane Express has terminal operations in intermodal and port cities including Atlanta and Savannah, Ga.; Norfolk, Va.; Charleston, S.C.; Charlotte and Wilmington, N.C.; and Nashville, Tenn. The company also has administrative offices in Great Neck, N.Y.
This move is the second major acquisition for Dunavant in recent months. The company purchased a majority interest in Houston-based Trans Gulf Transportation in December 2010.
“As we continue to expand and grow our asset-light trucking operation to major intermodal and seaport locations, we felt it was essential to have a presence in the Southeast and along the East Coast,” said William B. Dunavant III, president and CEO of Dunavant Enterprises. “Sea Lane Express provides us with that opportunity and is well-known for developing strong relationships with ocean carriers and shippers. The Sea Lane and Trans Gulf acquisitions will position us to take advantage of the Panama Canal expansion in 2014, as well as to expand our range of services for our customers.”
The acquisition, which was finalized on Feb. 28, further broadens Dunavant Enterprises’ overall logistics service offerings. It will add approximately 175 drivers as owner-operators in order to support regional trucking and drayage operations in the Southeast and along the East Coast.
“We are looking forward to joining the Dunavant logistics family,” said Guy Mazarin, president of Sea Lane Express. “Strategically, this is a great chance to move ahead and participate in Dunavant’s vision for providing a sustainable global logistics platform for our clients. They have been a major player in global logistics for decades, and we are excited about this next chapter of the company.”
Integration of Sea Lane Express into the Dunavant Transportation Group will begin immediately and efficiently as both companies have been running their transportation operations using the same intermodal trucking software, Compcare Services’ VIntermodal Manager.
Sea Lane Express has more than 30 years of experience in transportation, shipping, container storage and drayage, port operations and logistics throughout the Southeast and along the East Coast.
About Dunavant Enterprises
Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Dunavant Enterprises Inc. began operations more than 50 years ago and became one of the largest cotton merchants in the world. Dunavant was the first U.S. company to deliver cotton to China in 1972 and has more than 50 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management. In 2010, Dunavant sold its global cotton operations and retained its logistics division as the primary focus of the company while retaining its real estate and investment divisions. Dunavant has been previously ranked by Forbes as one of best small companies in America and as one of largest private companies in Memphis. For more information, visit www.dunavant.com or contact us at 888-955-3547.