Canada Cartage Expands Into U.S. Market with Strategic Acquisition of The GTI Group

(Toronto, Ontario) Canada Cartage Corporation, one of Canada’s largest transportation and logistics providers, is pleased to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire The GTI Group (“GTI”).  Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, GTI provides customers in Canada and the United States with a range of supply chain service offerings including brokerage, transportation management, freight forwarding, drayage, intermodal, warehousing, and specialty trucking services for oversize and heavy haul freight.  Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

With the acquisition, Canada Cartage is expected to generate over C$1 billion of annual revenue on a combined basis and significantly increase its scale in services such as freight management, freight brokerage, and specialized freight hauling.  The company is also entering the U.S. market for the first time in its 110-year history.  With main offices in Houston, Texas, Des Moines, Iowa, and Franklin, Tennessee, GTI has a significant customer base and market presence in the United States. 

“We are extremely excited to be joining forces with The GTI Group,” said Canada Cartage President and CEO Jeff Lindsay.  “Like us, GTI has grown significantly over the past few years and has a portfolio of complementary service offerings that build upon Canada Cartage’s solution line-up, and also adds some new, complementary services to ours.”   He added “…we have been looking for an opportunity to enter the U.S. market for several years but have been waiting for the right acquisition to do so.  The management team at GTI have built a service offering and platform that prioritizes the customer the same way we do at Canada Cartage, and we are confident this is the right team for us to partner with to build and expand our North American presence.”

Richard Lafreniere, President & CEO of The GTI Group added, “This is an exciting new chapter for GTI.  We share many of the same values as Canada Cartage and have been on a similar path of growing our business and expanding our supply chain services.  We see tremendous opportunities with this transaction for our people, our customers, and the future growth of our business.”

As part of the acquisition, GTI will continue to operate under its existing brand and management structure, ensuring a smooth transition for employees, customers, and business partners. This approach aligns with Canada Cartage’s commitment to preserving the strengths and values that have contributed to GTI’s success.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and is expected to close by December 31, 2023.

National Bank Financial Inc. and BMO Capital Markets acted as financial advisors to Canada Cartage.

About Canada Cartage

Founded in 1914, Canada Cartage is one of Canada’s largest transportation and logistics providers. Under the brand names of Canada Cartage, CCLS, Mackie Group, Stalco, Kore Logistics, Laurentien Transport, Seaway Express, Cam-Scott Transport, and Speedee Transportation, the company provides dedicated contract transportation, general freight, managed transportation services, fulfillment and distribution, and home delivery services. The company has a workforce of over 4,000 at locations across Canada.  For more information, visit www.canadacartage.com

About The GTI Group

Since 1992, GTI has offered its clients end-to-end logistics solutions with a focus on specialized, complex freight movements.  Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, GTI has seen rapid expansion in both geography and solution offerings with the growth of GTI USA and acquisitions in recent years of Precision Specialized, Jetco, Nomade Transport, and Foxconn Logistics.  The company offers freight management, freight brokerage, expedited freight services, specialty services for oversize/overweight industrial freight, intermodal freight moves, freight forwarding, and drayage services throughout Canada and the U.S.  For more information, visit www.thegtigroup.com