Standard Forwarding Freight Buys Midwest LTL Carrier From DHL

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Standard Forwarding Freight bought the assets of Midwest less-than-truckload carrier Standard Forwarding from DHL Freight for an undisclosed sum.

Tucker, Ga.-headquartered Standard is bankrolled by Sakaem Holdings, which also owns auto haulers Sakaem Logistics and Sherpa Auto Transport.

Sakaem Holdings is owned by Mike Riggs, longtime CEO of recently closed auto hauler Jack Cooper, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Like Jack Cooper, Standard’s workforce is unionized, with a high percentage of Teamsters members.

DHL confirmed the deal had gone through but declined to provide details on the price it received.

“Following a strategic evaluation of our Standard Forwarding business headquartered in Illinois, we have decided to divest our less-than-truckload and brokerage business. We are pleased to have found an experienced partner who has taken over the business, and we are particularly appreciative that employees have been offered the opportunity to join Standard Forwarding Freight,” a spokeswoman said.

DHL’s parent, DHL Group, ranks No. 5 on the Transport Topics Top 50 list of the largest global freight carriers.

Formed in 1934, Standard has around 375 employees, 300 tractors and 600 trailers, and serves customers in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Standard currently focuses on next-day and second-day freight services.

“We know that customers want simplicity. Speed and reliability are table stakes in the Midwest regional footprint. Our goal is to make shipping easy for our customers — through every step of the customer experience,” company President Tim McKinstry said.

The leadership team is stacked with Yellow Corp. veterans, including McKinstry, Chief Commercial Officer Tim Haitz, Vice President of Operations & Strategy Michael Conley and Vice President-LTL Technology Jeff Wright.

With the new owner and leadership team, customers can expect an expanded footprint and services in the near future, Haitz told Transport Topics in an interview Feb. 19.

“It’s more valuable to customers if you can offer more states,” he said. “It will be premature to say more, but we have big plans for the future.”

Ahead of the 2026 expansion, Haitz expects some kind of U.S. economic recovery, particularly in the second half of 2025, he said, adding that there will be a tightening of capacity as a result. This could lead to an increase in driver shortages.

An improved economic environment in the back half of this year is a position many observers of the freight market have expressed confidence in recently, likely powered by an upturn in industrial production.

Also over the coming months, the LTL sector’s largest player, FedEx Freight, is set to reposition itself; more former Yellow terminals will reopen and the National Motor Freight Classification system for LTL freight will be revised.

Yellow’s demise in August 2023 was the last seismic shift in the LTL arena. Before the Nashville, Tenn.-based company folded, it was ranked No. 3 among LTL carriers in North America, according to TT data.

Even before Yellow’s demise, the company faced tough times, with Haitz saying the understanding and esprit de corps engendered would serve Standard and its current and future customers well.

“We battled together for many, many years,” he said. “We stayed and fought when others didn’t. I don’t think that there’s any challenge that we can’t overcome. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s revamp of the NMFC system will be another seismic shift, according to some industry observers.

The change is intended to minimize incorrect classifications of freight, and Haitz warned against underestimating the impact.

“I’m not sure shippers are ready for it, and I’m not sure all carriers are ready for it. It could be something of a disruptor,” the executive said.

“A lot of discussions and negotiations need to take place. Those need to take place today,” he said. Of the 7,000 NMFC commodities, nearly one-third of the listings have changed.