AIT Worldwide Acquires Australian Forwarder to Expand Oceania Freight Capacity

AIT Worldwide Logistics has acquired Connor Anderson International, an Australian forwarder with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, giving the Chicago-based company a direct operating presence in a region where customers are seeking more freight support for technology projects. The deal adds air, ocean and road transport, customs clearance and project cargo services, with technology companies among Connor Anderson’s customers.

The transaction builds on a working relationship that has lasted 15 years: Connor Anderson has helped AIT move freight into and out of Australia. AIT says high-tech customers had asked it to expand its Australian capabilities. The company also sees potential business from aerospace and automotive customers in the country.

Capacity for complex technology freight

For customers assembling data centers and other computing infrastructure, the practical value of a local forwarder is the ability to coordinate several parts of a shipment. AIT says the acquisition will support deliveries of cloud computing components and other sophisticated equipment used by artificial intelligence companies. Connor Anderson’s existing mix of transport, clearance and project cargo services gives the combined operation tools for shipments that can require more coordination than standard freight.

AIT Chief Development Officer Ray Fennelly said the company plans to integrate Connor Anderson quickly and sees the business as a starting point for broader expansion in Oceania. He said the addition is intended to help customers scale projects in the region and manage complex moves. The companies did not disclose the purchase price or other financial terms.

The operational question for customers will be how the two businesses connect their networks and services after the deal. AIT has described integration as a rapid process, but did not provide a timetable or detail specific changes to staffing, systems or facilities. For shippers, those details will shape how easily they can book and manage freight across the acquired operation and AIT’s wider network.

AIT’s acquisition strategy

Connor Anderson is AIT’s 15th acquisition in five years, extending a growth strategy built partly through purchases of freight and logistics businesses. In 2025, AIT bought GSDMIA Inc., a forwarder based in Miami, and Krupp Trucking, a small St. Louis-based forwarder specializing in high-value goods. The Australian deal adds a regional presence and capabilities tied to project freight, rather than simply adding another U.S. location.

AIT ranked 43rd among the world’s largest logistics providers and 22nd in the United States by gross revenue, according to Armstrong & Associates. The company projects gross revenue of about $4.5 billion in 2026, compared with $3.56 billion last year. Those figures include money collected for purchased transportation costs, so they reflect more than revenue retained for AIT’s own services.

Founded in 1979 as a domestic air freight forwarder, AIT now arranges air, ocean and road shipments, provides customs clearance and warehousing, and operates 158 offices worldwide. In February, Greenbrier Equity Group purchased a majority stake in the company from The Jordan Company and AIT management, providing a new ownership base as AIT pursues expansion in global markets.

More competition for freight tied to data centers

The purchase comes amid acquisitions elsewhere in third-party logistics. Last week, Denmark-based Scan Global Logistics agreed to buy Portland, Oregon-based OIA Global. The broader activity reflects logistics providers’ efforts to serve the freight needs of large technology companies building out artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure. That work can involve expensive equipment and project cargo, making dependable coordination across transport modes and border clearance central to execution.

AIT’s Australian footprint gives it a closer operating link to customers and freight moving through the country. The source does not specify which routes, shipment volumes or customer contracts will transfer under the deal, nor does it describe changes to Connor Anderson’s facilities. For shippers, the clearest immediate change is that AIT can offer local operations in Sydney and Melbourne alongside the services Connor Anderson already provides. The next useful measure will be whether integration translates into a broader, easier-to-coordinate service across Australia and New Zealand.

Scan Global Logistics in Denmark agreed to buy Portland, Oregon-based OIA Global.

Greenbrier Equity Group purchased a majority stake in AIT from The Jordan Company and AIT management.

Connor Anderson’s acquisition brings AIT a local platform in Australia and strengthens its offer for customers moving technology and project freight. How much capacity that adds in practice will depend on how the businesses combine their services and support customers’ regional requirements.

More FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Contact Eric Kulisch at [email protected].

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