Geodis strengthens Southeast transportation network with acquisition

Contract transportation and logistics provider Geodis this week acquired the drayage provider Southern Companies, saying the move significantly expands its domestic transportation capabilities in the U.S. South, Southwest, and Southeast regions.

Medley, Florida-based Southern Companies is a family-owned, asset-based company that was founded in 1965. The firm provides a range of import and export services, including warehousing and trucking, and runs operating terminals serving seven ports: Port of Miami, Port of Everglades, Port of Houston, Port of Jacksonville, Port of Tampa, Port of Savannah, and Port of Charleston. 

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the companies said that more than 80 employees spanning Southern Companies’ seven facilities throughout the Southeast will officially join Geodis.

That brings Brentwood, Tennessee-based Geodis in Americas up to more than 17,000 employees across North America, deployed to more than 150 U.S. warehouse facilities with over 50 million square feet of space.

In a statement, Geodis in Americas said the move adds to its existing transportation and warehousing capabilities, and grows its presence in the growing East Coast and Southern ports by complementing its 2022 acquisition of the last-mile and omnichannel provider Need It Now Delivers.

"The acquisition of Southern Companies represents an important addition to GEODIS as we continue to strengthen and grow our capabilities, our team and our client roster throughout the U.S.,” Mike Honious, Geodis in Americas president & CEO, said in a release. “Southern Companies has been a leader in drayage services, from warehousing to trucking, for nearly six decades and operates in ports that are critical to our clients. From their people and culture to their expertise and capabilities, Southern Companies is an ideal fit for GEODIS and aligns perfectly with our Americas growth strategy.”