GLEN MILLS, PA – November 4, 2020 – Pilot Freight Services (Pilot), a worldwide transportation and logistics services provider backed by ATL Partners and British Columbia Investment Corporation (BCI), has acquired the Metro New York franchise and will be seamlessly integrated into Pilot’s corporate organization effective November 1, 2020 with no disruption in service offerings or senior management. The Metro New York franchise is a strategic asset due to the high concentration of deliveries for the Pilot system and the sustained sales growth across all service offerings.
The acquisition enhances Pilot’s operational control over the most unique inbound market in the company’s nationwide network. The leadership and employees of the franchise will join the Pilot organization as part of the transaction and will continue to play a role in the long-term growth of the company. Pilot has acquired 26 franchise locations over the last three years and completed the acquisition of last mile logistics provider, Manna Freight Systems, in 2018. As a result of these acquisitions, over 90% of Pilot’s locations are company-owned.
“Pilot’s expertise and our flexible solution model is our key differentiator. The Metro New York franchise has found success in delivering heavy bulky freight in one of the most challenging markets whether B2B or direct to consumers,” explains Gordon Branov, chief executive officer of Pilot Freight Services. “We welcome the franchise employees and leadership to the Pilot corporate team and know that they will continue to contribute to the long-term growth, success, and stability of our company.”
Over the last six months, Pilot has experienced a surge in e-commerce delivery volume as rising consumer demand for outdoor lifestyle products, appliances, and home furnishings have reached peak levels. Pilot’s expertise in the heavy and hard to handle (H3D) market has propelled the company to expand white glove service offerings under the branded Pilot Last Mile Home delivery service while attracting national retailers seeking an elevated customer experience. Domestic business-to-business volumes continue to recover while global freight movement remains at a high volume largely due to shipments of PPE equipment from Southeast Asia and production facilities resuming manufacturing at pre-pandemic levels.
ABOUT PILOT FREIGHT SERVICES
Pilot Freight Services is an award-winning full-service transportation and logistics provider with 90 locations throughout North America. Pilot also has several locations in Western Europe and a presence in the Asia-Pacific marketplace. The company’s freight forwarding services encompass every mode of transportation, including air, ground and ocean, serving all corners of the globe. Pilot’s full mile and final mile home delivery solutions for heavy and hard to handle goods include value-added service offerings such as white glove, assembly and installation. Pilot’s logistics programs offer a complete line of expedited and time-definite services, international shipping solutions, product warehousing and inventory management. In addition, Pilot’s online shipment navigator, CoPilot, makes online shipping fast, convenient and secure. In 2018, Pilot adopted Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation as their national philanthropy partner raising funds company-wide for treatments and cures for children battling cancer. Learn more about Pilot Freight Services at www.PilotDelivers.com.
ABOUT ATL PARTNERS
Founded in 2014, ATL Partners is a premier sector-focused private equity firm that invests in aerospace, transportation and logistics companies. ATL brings deep sector expertise to its investment approach with nine investment professionals and seven Executive Board members who have decades of combined operating experience in each of ATL’s core sectors. For more information about ATL Partners, visit www.atlpartners.com.
ABOUT BCI
With C$171.3 billion of managed assets as of March 31, 2020, British Columbia Investment Management Corporation is a leading provider of investment management services to British Columbia’s public sector and one of Canada’s largest asset managers. BCI generates investment returns that help their institutional clients build a financially secure future. With a global outlook, BCI seeks investment opportunities that convert savings into productive capital that meet their clients’ risk/return requirements over time. BCI invests across a range of asset classes: fixed income; mortgages; public and private equity; real estate; infrastructure; and renewable resources. BCI’s private equity program, valued at C$17.9 billion, is focused on direct investments in industrials, technology, consumer/retail, healthcare, as well as financial and business services. For more information about BCI, please visit www.bci.ca.
