April 10, 2000 8:50 AM, EDT

A.M. Executive Briefing - April 10

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This Morning's Headlines:

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Celarix Allies With Ernst & Young LLP

Purchase Makes TCT Third Biggest Trucker

Celarix Allies With Ernst & Young LLP

Online transport-matching services and logistics software provider Celarix has announced it will team with professional services leader Ernst & Young in both companies' hopes of providing an e-procurement and logistics solution that will improve the efficiency of their customers' supply chains.

Ernst & Young, one of the so-called Big Five consulting firms, should benefit from adding Celarix's experience in logistics management to its consulting and professional services capabilities. The firm's clients will now have access to several critical e-business components. Journal of Commerce Online (04/10/00); Atkinson, Helen

Purchase Makes TCT Third Biggest Trucker

TCT Logistics, a little-known specialty carrier and warehouser, will become the third-largest trucking company in Canada due to its $44-million acquisition of Tri-Line Expressways of Calgary, a Canada-wide unit of Tri-White Corp. that also owns the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. TCT will gain 500 truck tractors, more than 1,100 trailers, and facilities and staff in Houston, Montreal, Ottawa, and Dorval.

Tri-Line's operations, which are advanced in the use of global-positioning systems, will add to TCT's emphasis on technology-led efficiency in transportation and warehouse operations management as well as give the company an entrance into the quickly growing area of high-technology transportation, which is used by computer and electronics manufacturers, distributors, and buyers.

The acquisition of Tri-Line is just one of a string of purchases by TCT, which has also added the temperature-controlled and dry van assets of Kleysen Transport of Winnipeg for about $18 million in cash, stocks, and debt.

TCT's chief financial officer Dave Elder says more deals are in the works, but will only be announced after they are closed. The Kleysen deal included about 180 trucks, 375 trailers, and 160 staff. Elder says the acquisitions of Tri-Line and Kleysen are expected to more than triple TCT's annual revenue to between $360 million and $400 million. In addition, the deals will more than double TCT's fleet to 1,200 tractors and 2,500 trailers.

TCT was originally Kenbrent Holdings, a small family-owned Calgary-based carrier. Calgary Herald (04/08/00) P. D1; Scotton, Geoffrey