Done Deals - October 2009 - Inside Logistics

DART Supply Chain Solutions, Inc has acquired iWheels Dedicated Logistics, a provider of just-in-time logistics services specializing in the automotive sector. iWheels provides dedicated services to General Motors and Ford in Canada and the northern US. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SCI Group Inc has entered into a partnership with Shared Support Services Southeastern Ontario (3SO), a not-for-profit entity made up of six hospitals. As part of the deal, the company’s subsidiary, SCI Logistics Ltd, will manage the logistics portion of 3SO’s regional supply chain initiative through a centralized distribution centre in Kingston, Ontario. 3SO will manage procurement, while SCI will take ownership of the majority of the inventory and manage all fulfillment activities to each of the member hospitals.

Montreal, Quebec-based TransForce Inc has entered into an agreement to purchase the retail solutions division of ATS Andlauer Transportation Services Limited Partnership. ATS president and CEO Michael Andlauer will continue to be involved with the division as chair of a TransForce group focused on courier solutions. ATS’s healthcare division remains under its current ownership.

Materials handling equipment integrator Diamond Phoenix has merged with System Logistics, an Italian company specializing in integrated pallet and case picking operations. The new company will focus on developing new solutions, backed by a global engineering team.

MacKinnon Transport has acquired the St Thomas, Ontario-based Walker Group of Companies, which consists of LE Walker Transport Ltd and Mid America Freight Systems Ltd. The deal creates a combined company under the MacKinnon name with more than 1,300 pieces of dry van and flatbed transportation equipment. It will be run out of MacKinnon’s head office in Guelph, Ontario. Evan MacKinnon remains president and CEO, while Julie Tanguay, the former president of the Walker Group of Companies, has taken on the newly created role of executive vice-president, sales.