TFI Eyes a ‘Brother’ for TForce Freight; Not a Merger

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The timeline for TFI Worldwide increasing its U.S. less-than-truckload operations by shopping for a rival is changing into hazier, however CEO Alain Bédard is clearer than ever that the Montreal-based provider might want to make a splash when it does so.

Throughout TFI’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings name with analysts Feb. 20, the corporate’s prime govt mentioned he didn’t count on any main acquisitions in 2025, after beforehand promising substantial truckload and LTL acquisitions in 2025.

Nevertheless, later within the name, Bédard rowed again that assertion, repeatedly telling analysts TFI needed to be daring and offers could undergo as the corporate struggles to show round TForce Freight, which it purchased in 2021 from UPS, and construct sufficient measurement to spin off its truckload unit.

A part of the uncertainty pertains to the continuing rut the North American freight business finds itself in, but additionally the quandary Bédard finds himself in after espousing a “purchase when the market is down” technique lately throughout which TFI has inked extra acquisitions than every other main provider.

All that dealmaking sees TFI sit at No. 4 on the Transport Matters High 100 record of the biggest for-hire carriers in North America and No. 8 on TT’s record of the highest LTL carriers, however Bédard mentioned in the course of the name that 20,000 shipments per day within the U.S. meant it was too small a participant with not sufficient cargo density to attain the efficiency metrics the manager aspires to.

The corporate additionally introduced plans to redomicile its headquarters from Montreal to the U.S., although it didn’t specify a timeline or location for the transfer.

“It’s a must to be daring,” he mentioned, earlier than shortly hedging by including: “It’s all the time about attempting to have stability.”

Bédard mentioned conversations with board members about substantial purchases had the potential to revolve round not lacking a possibility in a down market, how a lot debt the corporate is carrying and what the TFI workforce already had on its plate.

Firm executives are already attempting to show round TForce; minimize prices at TFI’s truckload unit whereas integrating No. 1-ranked flatbed provider Daseke, which was purchased in December 2023; and making ready to spin off the truckload division — the timeline for which might additionally appear to be slipping.

TFI desires to discover a “brother” for TForce, mentioned Bédard, including: “The issue with U.S. LTL is you need to do one thing with measurement.”

The corporate could have to purchase a nonunion, asset-based provider to run alongside TForce, he mentioned.

“If we’ve a possibility to purchase an asset-light [LTL] operation, we’ll soar on that entrance. If that’s not accessible, as a result of there are just a few of these, then we’ll go down the asset-heavy route,” he mentioned.

Any new a part of the U.S. LTL operations won’t be merged with TForce, Bédard mentioned.

“By no means say TFI desires to purchase an organization and merge it with A or B or C,” he mentioned. “We hate mergers. We hold the businesses separate.” Doing so is healthier for the businesses’ tradition, he added.

TFI already added two U.S. LTL carriers in 2024 to beef up the unit.

In March, TFI purchased Hercules Forwarding. Hercules focuses on intra-U.S. and U.S.-to-Canada cross-border transportation. The corporate operates 31 terminals and has 210 vehicles, near 600 trailers and about 75 containers.

Then, in November, TFI acquired a smaller provider, executing one other instance of what has develop into a daily function of its playbook: the tuck-in buy.

Truckload and LTL provider Keystone Western makes a speciality of dry van, flatbed and heavy-haul carriage. The corporate has fewer than 100 tractors, in keeping with Federal Motor Service Security Administration data.

Grande Pointe, Manitoba-based Keystone Western operates terminals in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Waterloo, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Dimension issues within the top-heavy LTL area as terminals are required for a profitable enterprise.

High-ranked LTL provider FedEx Freight averaged 91,000 shipments per day in its second fiscal quarter of 2025, which ended Dec. 31.

However terminals require a large amount of land and value some huge cash to construct, and the land could be very arduous to return by close to main metropolitan areas.

TFI paid $700,000 for an ex-Yellow Corp. terminal in Fayetteville, N.C., in February in a non-public deal executed outdoors of an ongoing public sale of the onetime No. 3-ranked LTL provider’s remaining actual property, in keeping with court docket paperwork.

Nevertheless, TFI’s rivals among the many largest LTL carriers are additionally snapping up terminals.

Knight-Swift Transportation, ArcBest and A. Duie Pyle purchased terminals in February. ArcBest’s ABF Freight unit and Pyle rank No. 7 and No. 16 amongst LTL carriers, respectively.

Estes Categorical Strains, an affiliate of R+L Carriers and Central Transport Worldwide jumped the queue within the public sale beforehand.

Estes moved up a spot to No. 4 amongst LTL carriers because of selecting up ex-Yellow terminals; R+L Carriers ranks No. 5 on the LTL record, up from No. 8 a 12 months earlier; and Warren, Mich.-based Central Transport ranks No. 10.