KJM buys two more refrigerated trucking lines

Private equity firm KJM Capital LLC is continuing to expand its network of refrigerated trucking lines. The company announced Thursday that it had acquired two additional carriers for its portfolio.

Orlando, Fla.-based KJM has bought the privately held, temperature-controlled carriers Interide Transport LLC of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Blue Sky Logistics LLC of Smithfield, Utah. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

The purchases come three weeks after KJM acquired Lakeland, Fla.-based Sunco, doing business as Watkins Refrigerated. KJM also bought Charles Gantt Trucking (now Gantt Trucking LLC) of Lexington, S.C., in April 2015.

The Sunco and Gantt lines cover the South, Midwest, and Northeast regions, so KJM's new purchases allow it to offer coverage in western states as well.

Interide Transport maintains a fleet of more than 100 tractors and 100 refrigerated trailers, used for specialty transport of refrigerated food products and other protected cargoes throughout the western U.S. Blue Sky Logistics owns more than 30 power units and 35 refrigerated trailers, dedicated to moving fresh and frozen food products. Following the deal, Blue Sky has been integrated into Interide Transport to support its growth, KJM said.

KJM intends to continue adding truckload temperature-controlled carriers to its collection, and is already planning several additional acquisitions for 2017, according to a statement by KJM Capital Founder Kenneth Meister. The company will integrate those carriers on a common transportation management software (TMS) platform to offer seamless services to its customers, Meister said.