Schneider Logistics Set to Acquire American Overseas Air Freight

Aims to complete cycle of international to inland delivery; company's second acquisition in six months

Aims to complete cycle of international to inland delivery; company's second acquisition in six months

Green Bay, WI — February 16, 2006 — Lead logistics provider Schneider Logistics is set to acquire international freight forwarder American Overseas Air Freight in a stock purchase deal that Schneider said would make its parent company, Schneider National, the first truckload carrier to complete the cycle of international to inland delivery. The deal marks Schneider's second major acquisition in the past six months.

Founded in 1977, American Overseas Air Freight, a licensed United States customs broker, specializes in handling and shipping import and export products by air, ocean and truck.

"The freight forwarding and customs brokerage expertise of American Overseas will complement Schneider's existing transportation and logistics services offerings as we continue to expand globally," said Tom Escott, president of Schneider Logistics. "This acquisition is another key component in our strategy to build a comprehensive door-to-door global logistics operation that spans air, ocean, rail and truck transportation."

Adding to Schneider's Portfolio

Ron Barker, president of American Overseas, will continue to lead the El Segundo, Calif.-based organization once the acquisition is finalized. Closing of the purchase agreement is expected to occur within the next 45 days. Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

"Becoming part of a recognized industry leader like Schneider National is a special opportunity for American Overseas and its customers and business partners worldwide," said Barker, "Our knowledge and experience in handling and shipping both imports and exports will be a strong asset to Schneider's global logistics and transportation portfolio."

According to Escott, the company will retain the American Overseas name and will conduct business as a wholly owned subsidiary of Schneider Logistics.

American Overseas has operations in four locations in California: El Segundo, Carson, San Diego and San Francisco. The company is a member of the Hi-Tech Freight Forwarder Network, a worldwide network of independent forwarding agents that provides service and local expertise to a range of multinational clients.

Second Acquisition in Six Months

Schneider's latest acquisition is the company's second in the past six months. In August Schneider announced that it had completed the purchase of Savannah, Ga.-based American Port Services, a U.S. provider of port transloading/deconsolidation, warehousing and distribution services.

At the time of that acquisition, Schneider said that by linking its resources with American Port Services' transloading and port dray operation, Schneider would become the first national truckload provider to offer port-to-door import logistics service. Terms of that transaction were not disclosed.


Additional Articles of Interest

— Consumers spent nearly $28 billion on the "Black Friday" after Thanksgiving 2005, up 21.9 percent over 2004's results. Great news for retailers, but a potential nightmare for supply chain executives trying to get the right product on the right shelf at the right time. The lesson: Now is the time to plan for the next peak shipping season. Read more in the "Seasons' Peakings," the Executive Memo column in the December 2005/January 2006 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

— Read about the five phases of global sourcing that, if followed, allow an organization to implement a successful global sourcing strategy in the short-, medium- and long-term. See more in "Making Global Sourcing Work," only on SDCExec.com.


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