Comcar Combines Units to Cover Eastern States

Comcar Industries of Auburndale, Fla., announced the consolidation of Roseway Transportation, a dry van truckload carrier acquired in January, and Clay Hyder Trucking Lines, a refrigerated fleet that has been owned by Commercial Carrier Corp., a truckload and bulk carrier operating unit of Comcar, since 1964.

The consolidated carrier will operate under the Clay Hyder name and will be based in Hickory, N.C., with additional terminals in Gainesville and Valdosta, Ga.; Tampa, Fla.; and Asheville and Greensboro, N.C.

Roseway and Clay Hyder each operate about 225 tractors but have little overlap in their operating areas or account base, company officials said.

“Basically, it is two pieces of a puzzle coming together,” said Toby Tate, president of the consolidated company.

Roseway primarily served markets in the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Midwest regions, whereas Clay Hyder hauled freight in southeastern and southwestern states.

The merged company will operate throughout the eastern two-thirds of the United States with a fleet of more than 450 tractors and 1,000 trailers.

Executive Vice President Paul Thompson said the merger “will position the company to be a major force in a market with ever-increasing demands for service, coverage and capacity.”

The change also returns Clay Hyder to its North Carolina roots. Founded in 1920 in Hendersonville, N.C., the company was moved to Auburndale after the sale in 1964.

Comcar also operates refrigerated and dry van truckload carriers Willis Shaw Express, Midwest Coast Transport and MD Transport Systems; flatbed carrier Coastal Transport; and tank carrier CTL Distribution. The company also is involved in warehousing, equipment leasing, and truck and trailer sales.

Comcar had revenue of $462.5 million in 1998.