Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Omni Logistics sues Forward Air to make it follow through on $3.2 billion takeover offer

Deal would combine companies’ expedited LTL freight offerings, but Forward Air is exploring ways to back out of merger offer

forward air Screen Shot 2023-11-01 at 12.36.38 PM.png
Ben Ames
By Ben AmesNov 01, 2023
Ben Ames
Ben Ames is Editor at Large and a Senior Editor at Supply Chain Xchange's sister publication, DC Velocity.
See Full Bio

Logistics service provider (LSP) Omni Logistics is suing Forward Air Corp. to enforce its $3.2 billion takeover offer after Forward Air said last week that it was looking into ways to terminate the acquisition deal that would have combined the two companies’ expedited less than truckload (LTL) freight businesses. 

Dallas-based Omni filed its lawsuit yesterday in the Delaware Court of Chancery, seeking to require Forward Air to complete the transaction it had originally announced in an August 10 merger announcement. Omni also asked for a judicial declaration confirming that it has complied with all required provisions of that merger agreement. The company has requested a trial and a ruling before February 10, 2024, when the merger agreement expires.

The lawsuit comes after Tennessee-based Forward Air said October 26 that it was exploring ways to terminate that merger offer, following another lawsuit by a group of Forward Air’s own investors that sought to block the acquisition. In that announcement, Forward Air executives said that Omni had not complied with certain of obligations in the merger agreement.

Forward Air declined to comment on the new lawsuit, pointing to its October 26 statement to describe its position.

In addition to filing the lawsuit, Omni CEO J.J. Schickel shared a public letter to the shareholders of Forward Air, saying that the company strongly believes the merger will create significant value for Forward Air, Omni, and their collective stakeholders.

“The industry has been evolving towards a more integrated service model for customers, accelerated by the supply chain disruptions and heightened customer focus on cost and efficiencies that have marked the past few years,” Schickel said in the letter. “That evolution underlies the fundamental strategic logic at the core of our transaction: combining Forward Air and Omni enables our two companies to meet the evolving needs of customers by creating an all-in-one expedited LTL partner that removes a meaningful layer of cost and complexity, without sacrificing service and with the experience and expertise of our highly seasoned, proven commercial team.”

Editor's note: This article was revised on November 2 to clarify that Forward Air's total acquisition bid for Omni is worth $3.2 billion, counting both cash and stock payments.

 

 

ArticleTransportationTrucking
forward air corp.omni logistics
ArticleTransportationTrucking
forward air corp.omni logistics

Recent

An image of the cover page for the white paper "The threat of resiliency and sustainability in global supply chain management: Expectations for 2025."
Plan

CSCMP releases new white paper looking at potential supply chain impact of incoming Trump administration

minority woman with charts of business progress
Procure

Study: Inclusive procurement can fuel economic growth

More Stories

image of laptop against an orange background

Companies need to plan for top five supply chain risks of 2025

The five most likely supply chain events that will impact business operations this year include climate change/weather, geopolitical instability, cybercrime, rare metals/minerals, and the crackdown on forced labor, according to a report from supply chain risk analytics provider Everstream Analytics.

“The past year has been unprecedented, with extreme weather events, heightened geopolitical tension and cybercrime destabilizing supply chains throughout the world. Navigating this year’s looming risks to build a secure supply network has never been more critical,” Corey Rhodes, CEO of Everstream Analytics, said in the firm’s “2025 Annual Risk Report.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

aerial photo of port of Miami
Move

East and Gulf coast strike averted with 11th-hour agreement

cargo ships at port

Strike threat lingers at ports as January 15 deadline nears

Retailers and manufacturers across the country are keeping a watchful eye on negotiations starting tomorrow to draft a new contract for dockworkers at East coast and Gulf coast ports, as the clock ticks down to a potential strike beginning at midnight on January 15.

Representatives from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) last spoke in October, when they agreed to end a three-day strike by striking a tentative deal on a wage hike for workers, and delayed debate over the thornier issue of port operators’ desire to add increased automation to port operations.

Keep ReadingShow less
image of earth from space

Maersk offers 5 steps to make your supply chain “antifragile”

Companies worldwide faced waves of business disruptions throughout the past year, but as 2025 is predicted to be just as complex as 2024, global cargo carrier Maersk has listed five steps for making supply chains “antifragile.”

Maersk’s overall view of the coming year is that the global economy is expected to grow modestly, with the possibility of higher inflation caused by lingering supply chain issues, continued geopolitical tensions, and fiscal policies such as new tariffs. Geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions could threaten global stability, climate change action will continue to shape international cooperation, and the ongoing security issue in the Red Sea is expected to continue into 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
U.S. and China flags with a photo overlay of Ashray Lavsi

What happens to global supply chains if China attacks Taiwan?

For an island measuring a little less than 14,000 square miles (or about the size of Belgium), Taiwan plays a crucial role in global supply chains, making geopolitical concerns associated with it of keen interest to most major corporations.

Taiwan has essentially acted as an independent nation since 1949, when the nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek retreated to the island following the communist takeover of mainland China. Yet China has made no secret of the fact that it wants to bring Taiwan back under its authority—ambitions that were brought to the fore in October when China launched military drills that simulated an attack on the island.

Keep ReadingShow less

Six logistics trends to watch

As we look toward 2025, the logistics and transportation industry stands on the cusp of transformation. At the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), we’re committed to helping industry leaders navigate these changes with insight and strategy. Here are six trends that we believe will form the competitive landscape of tomorrow.

1. Digital transformation and data integration: Technology continues to reshape every facet of logistics. Advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are becoming increasingly integrated into supply chain operations, driving efficiency, reducing costs, and enabling proactive decision-making.

Keep ReadingShow less
Copyright ©2025.