Pilot Freight Services acquires DSI Logistics, expand last-mile profile

Glen Mills, Penn.-based 3PL services provider Pilot Freight Services said this week it has acquired Brea, Calif.-based DSI Logistics, a provider of last-mile home delivery and installation for heavy and hard to handle goods.

A purchase price was not made available. Pilot officials said that this transaction, which it called a strategic purchase, was completed on March 31. And they added that it also expands Pilot Last Mile, its national final mile home delivery service offering, as well as set it up to be the nation’s second-largest last-mile delivery services provider for big and bulky goods.

“Pilot serves as a key partner to many shippers who are experiencing the rapid growth and increasing transportation requirements associated with e-commerce,” said Zach Pollock, CEO of Pilot Freight Services, in a statement. “The acquisition of DSI was a natural fit and another successful step in Pilot’s e-commerce strategy.” 

As for what drove the need for Pilot to acquire DSI, a company spokesperson told LM that Pilot was looking for a partner that would allow it to build on its final mile capabilities as e-commerce demand grows.

“Pilot began evaluating DSI two years ago because we wanted to be sure they were the right fit for us, and us for them as this truly is a merger of two great companies,” the spokesperson said. “There is some overlap between Pilot and DSI customers. By joining forces we are now able to provide a bundled offering across the various Pilot services such as global air & ocean, customs brokerage and our course full mile e-commerce fulfillment.

While DSI is a final mile provider, the spokesperson said that Pilot also provides that service in a growing segment of the business, but was not built on that service alone.

“By adding DSI, Pilot now has an incredible amount of expertise in final mile and e-commerce deliveries, which will now make B2C account for more than 50% of the company's total revenue,” the spokesperson said.