Weber completes acquisition of TaB Warehouse & Transportation

Weber completes acquisition of TaB Warehouse & Transportation    Weber Distribution, a West Coast logistics and supply chain management provider, said Wednesday it has acquired TaB Warehouse & Transportation Co., a West Coast food-confectionary distributor, in a move that will doubles Weber’s size in terms of employees and revenue.
   Through the purchase of TaB, privately held Weber will add nearly 700,000 square feet of warehousing space to its West Coast distribution network, including facilities in Tolleson, Ariz.; Wilsonville, Ore.; and two in Fontana, Calif.
   The acquisition also provides Weber with expanded pool distribution capabilities on the West Coast and a substantial increase in freight volumes with such top name food and confectionary customers as The Hershey Co., Nestle, The W.M. Wrigley Co., Cadbury Adams, Tootsie Roll Industries, Brach’ s, Mott’s, and General Mills, to supplement current Weber Distribution customers such as Ocean Spray, Welch’s, and Star Fine Foods, the company said in a release.
   “The combined traffic will provide a much higher level of tonnage density into our core markets that will, in turn, help us provide an even higher level of efficiency and price competitiveness to our customers,” said Bill Butler, Weber senior vice president, in a statement. “Weber’s top priority right now is to integrate the two companies quickly and efficiently while focusing on the special needs of both our employees and customers.”
   Bob Lilja, Weber vice president of transportation, said the acquisition presented a tremendous opportunity for Weber to enter a vertical market with a dominant position.
   “TaB has brought us instant expertise and strong customer relationships in the confectionary industry,” he said in a statement. “Most dramatically, our transportation efficiencies have been increased as Weber’s LTL
(less-than-truckload) network has now doubled in size with more direct service points, a 135 percent growth in drivers and equipment, and four new strategically located terminals.”