AIT Worldwide acquires Global Transport Solutions in “most significant acquisition to date”

The freight forwarder AIT Worldwide Logistics has acquired Global Transport Solutions Group, a European-based marine spare parts logistics specialist, calling the deal its “most significant acquisition to date.”

The Netherlands-based Global Transport Solutions (GTS) has more than 600 employees across 16 locations in 11 countries. It serves over 2,000 ports around the world, using nine consolidation hubs totaling more than 485,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal bears the fingerprints of private equity firm TJC (formerly known as The Jordan Company), which in 2023 acquired GTS and in 2021 had bought an ownership stake in AIT.

GTS itself had been expanding through acquisition in recent months, when its Norwegian subsidiary Marinetrans in 2023 bought the Greek-regional Door to Deck Global Marine Logistics (D2D). GTS’ second sub-brand is Best Global Logistics, which provides time-critical solutions and general forwarding for other industries, including life sciences shippers.

“I’d like to welcome our new GTS teammates to the global AIT network. This is the largest acquisition in our company’s history and GTS’ marine spare parts business is an excellent complement to AIT’s time-critical supply chain solutions,” AIT Chairman and CEO, Vaughn Moore, said in a release.

According to AIT’s Chief Business Officer, Greg Weigel, the acquisition provides the company with new geographic presence in Greece, Japan and the Nordic region while adding significant capacity and subject matter expertise to existing AIT networks in China, the Netherlands and Singapore. The deal also provides a strong foundation to expand GTS’ world-class marine spare parts solutions via AIT’s expansive global freight network. 

“The acquisition of GTS creates an incredible portfolio of solutions serving the maritime industry with delivery of time-critical spare parts across all geographies. This is a perfect complement to AIT’s vertical strategies focused on expedited mission-critical services like our Critical Solutions Group, government and AOG team, and Life Sciences Division,” Weigel said. “We plan to rapidly invest and expand GTS’ North American operations by capitalizing on AIT’s robust salesforce in the United States and offering maritime customers a world-class spare parts logistics solution in every port.” 

AIT also has been investing heavily in expansion lately, building a new office site in Chicago, acquiring the British pharmaceutical freight forwarder Mach II Shipping Ltd., and buying the Dutch firm Lubbers Logistics Group, all since 2023.