Sunbelt Furniture Xpress to acquire Anderson

Sunbelt Furniture Xpress to acquire Anderson

Deal will add four states, D.C. to service area

Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, August 7, 2009

HICKORY, N.C. — Specialized furniture carrier Sunbelt Furniture Xpress has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Anderson Truck Line, a 77-year-old trucking company based in Lenoir, N.C.

The deal will add four states (Florida, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia) and the District of Columbia to Sunbelt's service area, and allow the company to provide direct service to 65% of the U.S. population from its service centers in Hickory, Dallas and Fontana, Calif.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"Our goal is to provide a seamless transition so that Anderson's customers can continue to enjoy a superior level of service with the knowledge that they will have a long-term, financially sound and dedicated provider in Sunbelt," said Stan Froneberger, Sunbelt vice president of sales and marketing.

Dan Anderson, CEO of Anderson Truck Line, will remain with Sunbelt as director of business development.

The deal is Sunbelt's second acquisition in two months. In June, the company acquired Hudson, N.C.-based Newton Transportation.

Sunbelt now serves 25 states stretching from the East Coast to Southern California.