Purolator Buys Livingston to Boost International Operations

Purolator, which specializes in package delivery and is majority owned by Canada Post, sees the deal as an international growth play. (Purolator)

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Purolator bought Livingston International from Platinum Equity for an undisclosed sum to bolster the Mississauga, Ontario-based carrier’s cross-border and overseas operations, the company said.

Livingston specializes in customs brokerage, global freight forwarding and trade consulting. The Chicago-based company employs more than 2,900 staff at over 100 border crossings, airports and seaports around the globe.

Purolator, which specializes in package delivery and is majority owned by Canada Post, sees the deal as an international growth play, particularly as the threat of trade wars between industrialized nations grows, the company said Feb. 4.

President Donald Trump is threatening to impose 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from both Canada and Mexico. The U.S. Postal Service also halted parcel service from China briefly after revoked a “de minimis” rule for China, which previously allowed small packages under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free.

Purolator ranks No. 3 on the Transport Topics list of the largest package carriers and couriers in North America, behind only FedEx Corp. and UPS Inc.

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Ferguson 

“Strategically, this transaction represents a generational opportunity to acquire a highly complementary and growing international business with a proven track record of success,” said Purolator CEO John Ferguson. “With these broader capabilities and increased breadth, we can offer more choice and greater flexibility to current and future customers.

“By combining our shared expertise, we are uniquely positioned to support our customers in navigating the complexities of global trade. Together, we will deliver even greater value to the marketplace, reinforcing our commitment to driving success for our clients across North America and beyond,” added Ferguson.

The top three U.S.-Canada border crossings by truck in 2023 were Detroit, Port Huron, Mich., and Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data.

Livingston will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Purolator and will continue to be led by its existing management team headed by CEO Robert Smith, Purolator said.

Purolator, which ranks No. 19 on the TT100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America, last made an acquisition in December 2023, buying Montreal-based Williams PharmaLogistics.

Williams runs a temperature-controlled, door-to-door network serving the pharmaceutical and health care industry.

But expanding beyond Canadian shores has long been part of Purolator’s strategy. The latest initiative saw Purolator begin offering increased import solutions for Chinese, European, Indian, U.K. and Mexican shipping lanes in July 2024.

Major players in various segments of the Canadian freight market often eye expansions south of the 49th parallel.

TFI International bought less-than-truckload carrier Hercules Forwarding Inc. for an undisclosed sum in March 2024.

That acquisition followed its blockbuster $1 billion purchase of flatbed specialist Daseke Inc. in December 2023.

An LTL carrier with an emphasis on intra-U.S. and U.S.-to-Canada cross-border transportation, Hercules was targeted as part of the process of turning around TFI’s U.S. LTL operations, TForce Freight.

TFI ranks No. 4 on the for-hire TT100.

And 2025 kicked off with Trimac Transportation buying flatbed and specialized haulage carrier Watt & Stewart for an undisclosed sum.

The company said the deal would expand its mining, forestry and heavy equipment transportation operations. Watt & Stewart operates 124 tractors and 205 trailers.

Trimac said acquiring Watt & Stewart, which has operations in Alberta, South Carolina and Texas, will allow the combined company to serve key mining and manufacturing hubs across North America.

Calgary, Alberta-based Trimac ranks No. 67 on the for-hire TT100 and No. 3 in the tank truck/bulk carriers sector.

Previous purchases by the company focused on the bulk segment of the market, including in 2023, when Trimac bought four carriers.