Leadership Changes Announced as UPS Freight Sale to TFI Inches Closer

UPS Freight
John Sommers II for Transport Topics

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With the pending sale later this year of UPS Freight to TFI International, leadership changes are taking place in anticipation of the new ownership.

UPS Inc. announced on April 29 that UPS Freight President Rich McArdle will retire from the Atlanta-based company in June after more than 39 years of service. In the next several weeks he will continue to work on the transition of the company to TFI International until his retirement becomes official.

McArdle has led UPS Freight for five years, managing more than 14,000 employees while, the company said, achieving record profits for the division. McArdle began his career in 1982 in Kentucky as a part-time pre-loader and worked his way up the ranks and by 1990 he was promoted to run the international air hub in Louisville. Then he relocated to run air and ground operations in Colorado and Southern California.



Outside of UPS, McArdle serves on several nonprofit and industry boards, including the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg. He also serves on boards of Truckers Against Trafficking, American Trucking Associations, the American Transportation Research Institute, the Trucking Cares Foundation, the Virginia Business Council and Venture Richmond.

McArdle

McArdle

Meanwhile, TFI International has announced Paul Hoelting, who is currently the senior vice president of sales and marketing for UPS Freight, will lead the new TForce Freight unit beginning May 1.

TForce Freight is the rebranded name of the former UPS unit.

Hoelting has more than three decades of experience in transportation, beginning in 1990 when he joined the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1993 he accepted an assignment with less-than-truckload carrier Overnite Transportation, which at the time was owned by Union Pacific.

Hoelting has held various positions throughout UPS, including his most recent assignment.

 

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On Jan. 25, UPS announced it had reached an agreement to sell UPS Freight to TFI International for $800 million. As part of the agreement, UPS and TFI are entering into a five-year contract where TFI will continue to use UPS’ domestic network to move packages.

The deal is to close during the second quarter of 2021.

The sale of UPS Freight to TFI International may not be the last purchase for the Montreal-based truckload and logistics company.

 

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CEO Alain Bédard said in a Feb. 8 conference call with industry analysts that TFI will put any more large acquisitions on pause while it integrates UPS Freight, but noted that the company is constantly looking at small, strategic deals that add to its business.

Earlier in February, TFI announced a deal to purchase Fleetway Transport Inc. of Brantford, Ontario, a truckload and heavy-haul motor carrier.

TFI International ranks No. 11 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.

UPS Inc. ranks No. 1 on the TT 100 list.

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