Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

A&R Logistics rebrands as Quantix following acquisition spree

Private equity-backed 3PL serves plastic and chemical sectors with fleet of 800 trucks.

Quantix-Truck-3.jpg

The plastic and chemical sector logistics provider A&R Logistics Inc. today said it has rebranded to the name Quantix in a move to unite the Texas company’s various brands and logos under a single umbrella.

Located just north of Houston, the company operates a network of warehouses, 35 facilities, and a fleet of more than 800 trucks to offer transportation, warehousing, packaging, and third party logistics (3PL) services for the plastic, chemical, agricultural, and food industries.


Since being acquired in 2019 by the private equity firm Wind Point Partners, the company has grown quickly through a series of acquisitions that most recently included Luckey Trucking in April, L.T. Harnett Trucking Inc. in 2020, and Blue Water Plastic Transport in 2019. Other units include Plantgistix, First Choice Logistics, and RJ's Transportation.

Together with the A&R Logistics brand, all those names are now discontinued and will operate as a single corporation with annual revenue over $500 million, the company said in an online video press conference today.

According to Chris Ball, who was named as Quantix CEO in June, the maneuver combines some of the industry's most specialized and in-demand service offerings into one unified business and will simplify operations for Quantix’ customers.

"The rebrand to Quantix will continue to pay homage to A&R's 50-year history during which we became a leader in this industry," Ball said in a release. "It’s that very legacy that propels us forward as we look to continue growing our capabilities and our footprint in service to our customers.”

The Latest

More Stories

legal scales and gavel

FMCSA rule would require greater broker transparency

A move by federal regulators to reinforce requirements for broker transparency in freight transactions is stirring debate among transportation groups, after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a “notice of proposed rulemaking” this week.

According to FMCSA, its draft rule would strive to make broker transparency more common, requiring greater sharing of the material information necessary for transportation industry parties to make informed business decisions and to support the efficient resolution of disputes.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

pickle robot unloading truck

Pickle Robot lands $50 million in VC for truck-unloading robots

The truck unloading automation provider Pickle Robot Co. today said it has raised $50 million in venture capital and will use the money to accelerate the development of new feature sets and build out the company’s commercial teams to unlock new markets and geographies.

The “series B” funding round was financed by an unnamed “strategic customer” as well as Teradyne Robotics Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Ranpak, Third Kind Venture Capital, One Madison Group, Hyperplane, Catapult Ventures, and others.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of trucking conditions

FTR: Trucking sector outlook is bright for a two-year horizon

The trucking freight market is still on course to rebound from a two-year recession despite stumbling in September, according to the latest assessment by transportation industry analysis group FTR.

Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR said its Trucking Conditions Index declined in September to -2.47 from -1.39 in August as weakness in the principal freight dynamics – freight rates, utilization, and volume – offset lower fuel costs and slightly less unfavorable financing costs.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of robot use in factories by country

Global robot density in factories has doubled in 7 years

Global robot density in factories has doubled in seven years, according to the “World Robotics 2024 report,” presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

Specifically, the new global average robot density has reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, which is more than double the mark of 74 units measured seven years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less
person using AI at a laptop

Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

Keep ReadingShow less