NEWSWORTHY
J.B. Hunt expands last-mile and
bulky-item network with latest
acquisition
Truckload, logistics, and intermodal services company J.B.
Hunt Transport Services Inc. has taken another step to
broaden its last-mile delivery network, acquiring bulky-item home-delivery specialist RDI Last Mile Co. for an
undisclosed amount.
Based in South Easton, Massachusetts, RDI Last Mile
provides home delivery of big and bulky products in the
U.S. Northeast. The company says it uses contract carriers
to perform primarily furniture deliveries and generates
annual revenue of $35 million.
According to Lowell, Arkansas-based J.B. Hunt, RDI is
the company’s third acquisition in as many years, following the purchases of Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery in
2019 and Special Logistics Dedicated in 2017. With the
RDI acquisition, J.B. Hunt’s Final Mile Services group will
expand its home-delivery capabilities and grow to include
more than 104 locations and 3. 2 million square feet of
warehouse and facility space.
Final Mile Services is a division of J.B. Hunt’s Dedicated
Contract Services business unit and operates one of the
nation’s largest commingled cross-dock operations with
the ability to serve 100% of the contiguous U.S., the com-
pany said. “Growing our final-mile delivery capabilities is
a priority, and the acquisition of RDI further extends our
expertise in furniture delivery,” John Roberts, president
and CEO of J.B. Hunt, said in a release.
The latest move could better position J.B. Hunt to compete with other fleets that have been expanding their last-mile delivery networks as consumers increasingly order
bulky items through e-commerce channels. XPO Logistics
Inc. and Ryder System Inc. both invested millions in their
last-mile operations in 2018. n
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