DC Velocity - January 2016

Descartes, located in Waterloo, Ont., has been on an acquisition tear in recent months, building its portfolio of logistics-oriented software platforms by purchasing “denied-party screening” service firm MK Data Services LLC for $83.5 million and inventory replenishment collaboration software provider BearWare Inc. for $11.25 million.

The latest acquisition will help Descartes expand its customer base beyond its traditional national-retailer clientele by offering tools for smaller companies to manage e-commerce growth and consumer expectations of next-day delivery, according to the company. Small to mid-sized retailers typically don’t have fleets and instead rely on third-party service providers for last-mile deliveries.

In addition, Dearborn Mid-West Co. has acquired the material handling systems integrator W&H Systems Inc. of Carlstadt, N.J., forming a combined organization called DMW&H that will focus on serving the industrial, food and beverage, wine and spirits, and retail industries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Existing clients of both firms will gain increased expertise in material handling solutions, the companies said, as the combined organization delivers solutions to midlevel retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. Dearborn offers material handling design, integration, and installation services for the automotive, industrial, unit material handling, and construction industries.

W&H Systems will complement that portfolio with its experience selling a wide range of warehouse automation platforms, such as automated storage and retrieval systems, conveyors, and sortation systems, as well as warehouse control system (WCS) software and consulting services, according to the companies.

The move is the latest step in a series of corporate maneuvers for Dearborn Mid-West, which began operating in its current form when Dearborn Automotive Conveyors merged with Mid-West Conveyor in 1995. The combined Dearborn Mid-West was then acquired by Knox Lawrence International and Falcon Investment Advisors in 2007.

Intelligrated has appointed Jon Tutuncu senior director of commercial operations and strategy at the company’s Cincinnati office and Danny Liang general director for its Shanghai-based Chinese operation. … Forte, a Swisslog company, has added Patrick Murray and Kevin Roberts to its team as senior consultants, and Jim McNerney as a principal sales executive for its warehouse automation and warehouse execution software sales team. … Banneker Industries, a supply chain management solutions provider, has promoted

Junior Jabbie to executive manager of operations
for the company, Meagan Pontbriand to contract
and compliance manager, and Darrell Drake to qual-
ity manager. … Bell and Howell, which makes mail
sorting and insertion technology, has hired Mark
Durrett as its new vice president of marketing. …

Transplace has appointed Doug Punzel president of Celtic International, the company’s intermodal business unit. … Avnet Inc., a global technology distributor, has named Kevin Sellers to the newly created role of vice president of corporate marketing and communications.