ContainerPort Group’s parent company, World Group, Wednesday acquired Sumner, Washington-based Pacific Cascade, a company comprised of Pacific Cascade Distribution and Pacific Cascade Trucking.
An asset-light provider of 3PL services including drayage, warehousing, transloading, fulfillment and more, Pacific Cascade was founded in 2005 by Jeff Roulst and currently operates 50-plus trucks and has a 267,000 sq. ft. distribution facility just east of Tacoma. In 2015, it became the first drayage provider servicing the ports of Tacoma and Seattle to be fully compliant with updated clean air regulations.
“This agreement really made sense for both organizations," Roulst said. "World Group’s operating companies have a robust presence across the Southeast, Midwest and East Coast, and their recent significant investments in the Pacific Northwest, including a new distribution facility and an express ocean service, demonstrate a commitment to long-term growth in this region. Our leadership teams share a similar vision, and we are excited to see where this journey takes us together.”
CPG (CCJ Top 250, No. 81) President Joey Palmer added that while his company is known for its owner operator model and its drayage presence east of the Rockies, he sees the need for his company's services across the nation.
"Under the leadership of Frank Wolf, who has been with Pacific Cascade Trucking since its inception, those customers moving freight in and out of the PNW will now have access to Pacific Cascade’s long-tenured, dedicated fleet of company drivers, owner operators, and talented operational teams," he said.
This transaction is part of World Group’s strategy to invest in the PNW as a transportation corridor and builds on investments the organization has made in the region over the past 12 months. CPG's sister company, World Distribution Services, recently opened a 303,000 sq ft distribution facility in Tacoma, offering customers 3PL services in the region. Additionally, another World Group company, UWL, in collaboration with Swire Shipping, launched Sun Chief, a premium express service between Southeast Asia and the U.S. that calls the Port of Seattle, and adding Pacific Cascade to the roster of World Group companies in the PNW provides additional capacity and flexibility for Sun Chief customers.
There have been at least 30 deals among CCJ's Top 250 for-hire carriers since the beginning of June, and 34 Top 250 fleets have struck 39 deals this year.
