Phoenix, AZ, September 5, 2011— Keeping their strong momentum while entering the final quarter of 2011, Ahern and Associates, Ltd. shows once again why they are the leading trucking and logistics acquisition firm by announcing consulting engagements by nine additional clients who are looking to expand operations. Andy Ahern, CEO of Ahern and Associates, who is well known for his ability to create markets within the transportation industry, makes this proclamation on the heels of their recent announcement of their second annual Transportation Conference to be held September 23^rd in Chicago.

 Analysts at Ahern and Associates are seeking assistance for the following open assignments:

Client #1: is a privately held transportation company with revenues exceeding 1 billion dollars

 The company is looking to acquire:

• Flatbed companies that are predominately independent contractor driven.
• Minimum revenue - $80MM.
• Maximum revenue - $400MM
• Company is willing to pay cash.
• Company is willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA.
• Company is looking for profitable carriers that have a strong management team and will want to stay on after acquisition.

Client #2: is a publically traded company looking to acquire freight brokers and logistics providers whose revenues generate $25MM - $80MM of annual revenue.

• Must have a strong management team.
• Management must be willing to commit 3-5yrs on running the company going forward, and;
• Company is willing to pay multiple of EBITDA.

Client #3: is a private equity firm looking to acquire a van carrier or van carriers in two specific categories.

• Carriers that generate $25MM of annual revenue and run primarily in the southeast/southwest.
• Carriers that generate $200MM and over of annual revenue running primarily to southeast/southwest. 

Client #4: is looking to acquire LTL carriers whose revenues exceed $150MM annually.

• Company can be marginally profitable.
• It has to have a long history in the business, and;
• The client is willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA.

Client #5: is a trucking and logistics company that is currently in the dedicated contract arena.

• They are looking to acquire companies that have 3-5yr dedicated contracts that pay all miles.
• They are willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA.
• They are not interested in automotive contracts within the auto industry, and;
• They are looking for companies that historically are looking for an exit strategy and want to stay on for some time period.

Client #6: is a privately held company well recognized in the industry and is looking to acquire a $100MM - $500MM refrigerated carrier. Currently, the client does not haul this type of freight.

• The company must have a very strong management team.
• The management team must be willing to stay and move the company forward, and;
• The client is willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA.

Client #7: is a small Midwestern, well capitalized family operation, looking for bulk pneumatic (dry) carriers in the IL, IN, MI, WI area.

• Is looking to acquire companies from $5MM - $30MM of annual revenue.
• Is also looking to acquire freight brokers that deal in the bulk commodity business, and;
• The company is willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA.

Client #8: is a well-established manufacturing company looking to acquire companies to utilize the strengths of their business and develop new products in the category of powered equipment and tools, which will be sold in commercial and industrial markets,  including new truck mounted applications. The client is looking for companies that offer;

• Multiple and virtual unrestricted channels of distribution.
• They are probably involved in manufacturing chipper units, log splitters, stump grinders, truck or trailer mounted vacuum systems, refrigeration units for trucks and trailer, under hood air compressors, turf products, air spades and air vacuums, portable winches used by arborists.
• Minimum revenue size is $20MM.
• Maximum revenue size cannot exceed $300MM of annual revenue.
• Company is very well known in the industry.
• They are willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA 

Client #9: is a well-known family owned flatbed company that is in the top 5% in the industry.

• Company is looking to acquire flatbed companies that utilize independent contractors.
• Will look at companies that have a minimum of 30 trucks.
• Will look at companies that operate 300 trucks.
• Client is willing to move quickly.
• They are willing to pay a multiple of EBITDA, and;
• They are specifically interested in specific geographic areas such as; TX, OK, GA, TN, AR, IL and IN.

Ahern’s unique approach to aiding companies seeking to acquire specific assets in transportation is entrenched in their ability to provide the most accurate company valuations in the industry while working with the broadest network of professionals and contacts in the country.  “We’ve seen a real spike in transportation acquisitions in 2011 and expect that trend to continue for quite some time.  Our analysts are constantly talking to companies who may be a match for our outstanding acquisition needs.”

If your company is a potential match to any of the above prerequisites, you are urged to contact Andy Ahern direct at 602-242-1030.

About Ahern & Associates, Ltd.:

Ahern and Associates is North America’s leading trucking and transportation management consulting firm.  The skilled consultants at Ahern and Associates specialize in mergers and acquisitions of trucking and logistics companies as well as the restructuring and evaluation of existing carriers that seek to increase operating efficiency and improve profitability.  Since 1987, Ahern and Associates has aided hundreds of buyers in the acquisition of trucking and logistics companies throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as assisting many transportation and logistics companies in reducing their overall operating costs and increasing their profitability.  For more information, please call 602-242-1030 or visit http://www.Ahern-Ltd.com

Transportation is set to increase over the next several years

Transport Topics recently published, in their business and finance section on August 8^th, 2011 about consolidation in the trucking industry. On page #13, they quoted Andy Ahern, CEO of Trucking and Transportation Management Consulting Company Ahern and Associates LTD, indicating that;

1.       The number of mergers and acquisitions in trucking is up from 2010.

2.       Smaller carriers are having a hard time surviving the economic turmoil, and;

3.       Since 60% of fleets are 1-99 trucks this segment is finding reluctance for banks to lend them money for expansion and operating capital.

Federal Appeals Court on Friday, August 26 vacated the federal motor carrier safety administrations Electronic On board Recorder Regulation for not addressing how the world could prevent the device from being used to harass drivers.  A 3 judge panel for the US court of Appeals for the 7^th circuit concluded that “the ruling cannot stand because the agency failed to consider an issue that is/was statutorily required to address.”

The Safety and Regulatory Reform Act of 1988, requires the agency to ensure that any such devices are not used to “harass vehicle operators”.

Navastar Sales and Marketing Vice President, James Hebe said that the industry needs to adapt to the changes in the economy. “The conditions since 2006 have changed our industry forever”.  Hebe told trucking executives gathered for the Commercial Vehicle Outlook conference, prior to the start of the Great American Trucking show in Dallas. “The next 10yrs will change the industry faster than any time in the history of heavy duty trucking”

Challenges the industry must respond to include; carrier consolidation, longer running trucks, decrease on demand for class “A” trucks, increase production of medium duty trucks, increase intermodal freight, the rise of engines powered by natural gas and diesel and more regulation on diesel emissions.

Owner/operators will take more competition from technology.

Client 13: Well established intermodal carrier. Seeking to acquire independent contractor companies within the markets of Los Angeles, CA, St. Louis, MO, and Charlotte, NC. Ideal candidates will have 30+ trucks in operation with annual revenues of $5MM to $40MM; independent owner operators only.

Client 12: Large transportation/logistics company based in the Southwest. Company would like to acquire a dedicated freight contract carrier with 3-5 year dedicated contracts in place. Client would also consider a large logistics company or freight brokerage. Annual revenue requirements for potential acquisition are between $50MM to $200MM. Buyer is prepared to offer 4 to 4.5X EBITDA for an asset based company or 4 to 6X EBITDA for a non-asset based company. Financing is in place, buyer would like to complete transaction by year’s end.

Slow moving government spurs trucking executive into forming Block by Block to raise private and public funding to help Cedar Rapids recover from the Iowa floods of 2008—Ahern to aid in fundraising.

Phoenix, AZ—For nearly a month during the summer of 2008, the rivers flowing through eastern Iowa rose above their banks and flooded several Iowa towns; dubbing it as many would call it, “Iowa’s Katrina.” Hit hardest was the working community of Cedar Rapids, IA whose infrastructure and residential areas were all but destroyed.

Fast forward two years and not much has changed, homes still lay in shambles and are uninhabitable– leaving once thriving neighborhoods empty and on the verge of ghost town status.

On a recent business trip to Cedar Rapids, Andy Ahern, CEO of Ahern & Associates, LLC witnessed first-hand, the lingering devastation still plaguing the local residents and toured the area with John M. Smith, Chairman and owner of CRST International, Inc.

Unhappy with the subsidized rebuilding efforts, Smith helped form Block by Block, which takes a solutions based approach to identifying and aiding neighborhoods that wish to come back to life. Block by Block successfully reached its 2009 goal of rehabilitating eight residential blocks, with plans for sixteen additional blocks by the end of 2010.

Ahern has recently joined forces with Smith and Block by Block through personal contributions and by undertaking his own fund raising campaign targeting his extensive network of contacts within the trucking and logistics industries.

Ahern comments on Smiths efforts, “John has really taken a proactive approach to rebuilding his local community and I’m calling upon all of my colleagues within the transportation industry to join me in supporting Block by Block’s efforts.”

For additional information, please visit http://www.BlockbyBlockCR.org or send contributions directly to:

Block By Block
c/o Affordable Housing Network, Inc.
5400 Kirkwood Blvd.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

About Ahern & Associates, Ltd.:
Ahern and Associates is North America’s leading trucking and transportation management consulting firm. The skilled consultants at Ahern and Associates specialize in mergers and acquisitions of trucking and logistics companies as well as the restructuring and evaluation of existing carriers that seek to increase operating efficiency and improve profitability. Since 1987, Ahern and Associates has aided hundreds of buyers in the acquisition of trucking and logistics companies throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as assisting many transportation and logistics companies in reducing their overall operating costs and increasing their profitability. For more information, please call 602-242-1030 or visit http://www.Ahern-Ltd.com

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Business contact:
A.W. Ahern
602-242-1030

Media contact:
Jason W. Jantzen
Phoenix Marketing Associates
http://www.PhoenixMarketingAssociates.com
602-282-0202