Fedex se renforce dans le groupage aux USA

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Fedex se renforce dans le groupage aux USA

FedEx preps to acquire Watkins Motor Lines, increase LTL services

Jeff Berman, Senior Editor -- 5/31/2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—FedEx announced last week it has made a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Watkins Motor Lines, a Lakeland, Fla.-based provider of three day or more long-haul, less-than-truckload (LTL) services, for $780 million. Watkins, according to FedEx, will be re-branded as FedEx National LTL and function as a separate entity within the FedEx Freight unit of FedEx. With the influx of acquisitions and consolidations occurring in the 3PL and related transportation and logistics sectors, this move may be viewed as a push by FedEx to step up its ground freight business and keep pace with UPS. UPS acquired Overnite Transportation in August 2005 and re-named the company UPS Freight in May. FedEx’ acquisition of Watkins marks the third time the company has acquired a ground freight transportation provider. In January of 1998, as part of its acquisition of Caliber System, Inc., FedEx acquired Viking Freight, a regional LTL freight carrier. And in November of 2000, it acquired American Freightways, a regional and interregional LTL motor carrier for shipment of general commodities. “This [acquisition] provides our customers with additional reliable long haul service, which they have been requesting,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, CEO and president, in a conference call with media and analysts. “Our customers now will have access to reliable, cost-effective, long-haul services.” Once the agreement becomes official during the first quarter of fiscal year 2007, FedEx will have full ownership of Watkins’ business assets, including 10,000 employees and owner-operators, 140 freight terminals in 42 states and Puerto Rico, 3,400 city and linehaul tractors, and more than 10,000 trailers. One of the main drivers for the deal, according to Doug Duncan, CEO of FedEx Freight, was that the addition of Watkins to the FedEx portfolio brings new benefits to its heavyweight freight customers and service offerings. Chief among these benefits, noted Duncan, is the hauling beyond next- and second-day fulfillment market, which he said is somewhat under-served. The FedEx executives added during the call that the two companies have complimentary service offerings, with Watkins’ three day or more long-haul services and FedEx’ next-day and second-day regional LTL capabilities. While this acquisition makes sense for FedEx in terms of gaining market share in the North American transportation market and providing customers with an integrated customer solution, benefits for shippers are not as clearly defined, said Evan Armstrong, president of consultancy Armstrong & Associates.   “Decreased competition is not really a good thing, because it gives shippers fewer options,” said Armstrong. “However is someone is currently using FedEx Freight and if FedEx decides to honor the [same] pricing [model] on a long haul basis it could make it easy for a shipper to maintain its routing  schedule and increase the number of lanes they are currently working with FedEx on. So, that is a positive for shippers.”