AIT Worldwide Logistics to acquire Dutch transportation firm

Supply chain solutions provider AIT Worldwide Logistics today said it has agreed to acquire Lubbers Logistics Group, a Dutch logistics company specializing in high-value, complex, and time-sensitive transport services.

According to Illinois-based AIT, the purchase will serve as a significant milestone as the company continues to expand its global reach and enhance its offerings in road transportation, freight forwarding, and project cargo logistics, particularly in the energy sector.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Over the past century, Lubbers, headquartered in Schoonebeek, Netherlands, has established itself as a provider of transportation solutions for high-value segments, specializing in road transport, project cargo, and global freight forwarding services. With more than 377 employees working across nine road transport hubs and nine freight locations, Lubbers boasts a network of facilities throughout Europe.

Lubbers' network will add 18 new offices to AIT’s existing global network of more than 125 locations, while expanding AIT’s footprint to four new countries: Denmark, Norway, Romania and Turkey. Lubbers also has facilities in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Expected to be finalized before the end of 2023, AIT’s first major acquisition since 2021 will increase the company’s teammate count to more than 3,000 logistics experts around the world. Over the past two years, the company has emphasized organic expansion, opening seven new offices in India (Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai), Malaysia (Penang), Singapore, South Korea (Seoul), and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). 

“Lubbers' robust one-stop shop approach and their long-standing relationships with industry-leading customers make them an excellent fit for AIT,” AIT’s chief business officer, Greg Weigel, said in a release. “We see significant potential for their broad network by growing freight forwarding operations and energy sector expertise to further enhance AIT’s world-class customer experience. We’re also excited to boost our end-to-end solutions with middle mile service in Europe as a counterpart to our recently launched U.S. Middle Mile Network.”

Earlier this week, AIT launched a “middle mile network,” saying the service offers a faster, more secure, and cost-effective alternative to traditional expedited less-than-truckload (LTL) services on routes covering more than 90% of major U.S. metropolitan areas.

Targeted at customers importing goods to North America, the service is designed to be particularly effective for transporting heavy, dense freight across various sectors, including automotive parts, healthcare equipment, industrial machinery components, and technology hardware like server racks, the company said.