Growing intermodal and freight broker Mark-It Express Logistics has made its second acquisition this year, expanding its fleet to approximately 200 vehicles in the Chicagoland area.
Mark-It has acquired Maywood, Illinois-based Sava Transportation. Terms were not disclosed. Republic Partners, LLC and Horwood Marcus & Berk Chartered advised Mark-It on the deal.
“[This] acquisition allows us to offer more flexible and robust solutions to our customers. It also brings us continued diversification of our customer base, increased market share, and the potential for more growth,” Tony Apa, president and founder of Mark-It said.
Sava’s employees will transition into existing Mark-It terminals in Lemont, Illinois, and Chicago.
Sava has 20 trucks and has been in operation since 1998. Its intermodal operation focuses primarily on movement of international containers.
“Much has changed in the course of 22 and a half years in business and I felt it was the correct time to combine our years of experience and align ourselves with a progressive and well-capitalized company with great prospects for future growth,” Robert Kondic, president of Sava, said. “Tony and I share the common business principle that customer service is the foremost priority above all, and we will continue the practices that have allowed us to be successful. With aligned corporate ideology, it is with excitement and a bright outlook for the future that I look forward to working alongside Tony and the team at Mark-It Express Logistics.”
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In January, Mark-It announced the acquisition of Spirit Trucking Company in Chicago. Spirit added 78 trucks to Mark-It’s fleet, which at the time was approximately 100 trucks. Apa told FreightWaves the 12-year-old company was looking at expansion.
“We’re really looking to be a national-scale player in the intermodal drayage space. We have a few other key [possibilities] we are looking at,” Apa said at the time.
Jonathan Britva, principal of Republic, added that Mark-It’s expansion plans were being driven by strategic growth, rather than funding through private equity.
“This is the strategy that Tony and I and some of his other advisers are thinking through,” Britva said.
It is a strategy that is unaffected by the uncertain landscape created by COVID-19, Apa said.
“Even in these uncertain times, we are focused on our plans and goals previously set out and will continue to grow both organically and through future acquisitions,” he said.
Mark-It Express provides intermodal logistics solutions, including local and regional drayage and yard services with terminals in Lemont, Detroit and Kansas City. Its rolling stock includes specialized chassis, 53-foot dry vans and 53-foot refrigerated trailers. The company was recently named to Crain Chicago’s Fast 50 for the second time and Inc. 5000 for the fourth time. A sister company, Mark-It Express, offers freight brokerage.
Apa is a third-generation logistics professional in the Chicago area.
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