Canadian trucking giant Bison Transport acquired Maine-based trucking company Hartt Transportation Systems in a deal that will significantly expand its presence in the northeastern U.S.
The acquisition, effective Friday, adds a fleet of over 360 trucks and three terminals — in Bangor and Auburn, Maine, and Sumter, South Carolina. The price was not disclosed.
“There is a great energy in this business and the people have a strong desire to continue to grow and prosper in a responsible way,” Bison CEO Rob Penner said in a statement Monday. “We believe this acquisition to be foundational in strengthening our cross-border offerings and establishing Bison Transport USA as a Tier 1 US Domestic fleet, well-positioned to serve the growing needs of our customers.”
The deal marks the first acquisition by Bison since the Winnipeg, Manitoba-based company was acquired by Canadian agricultural and industrial conglomerate James Richardson & Sons in January.
Bison is one of Canada’s largest trucking and logistics companies, with a fleet of around 2,000 trucks. The company also has a significant presence from its acquisitions of Wisconsin-based H.O. Wolding and Britton Transport in North Dakota.
Penner hinted in January that additional acquisitions could be coming under its new owner, James Richardson & Sons.
“The benefit to our side is that we’re now part of a larger organization with access to a different level of resources available for future opportunities,” Penner said.