Southern Towing Co. (STC) announced Tuesday that it has acquired Devall Towing.
Founded in 1952, Sulphur, La.-based barge operator Devall moves specialty chemicals along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Lower Mississippi River.
Memphis, Tenn.-based Southern Towing, an affiliate of CC Industries, Chicago, operates a fleet of 27 towboats and 72 tank barges. STC specializes in transporting bulk liquid fertilizer products throughout the Mississippi River System and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and operates the largest fleet of anhydrous ammonia barges in the U.S. STC also provide towing services for several other commodities including refined petroleum, chemicals, coal, grain and aggregates.
The acquisition expands STC’s operations into specialty chemical products. The combination of Devall and STC will provide integrated marine transportation solutions across the Gulf Intracoastal and U.S. inland waterways, the companies say.
“The acquisition significantly enhances Southern Towing’s Gulf Coast capabilities," said STC’s CEO Ed Grimm. "We look forward to growing our transportation capabilities, while continuing to provide superior service to the customers we are privileged to serve.”
Devall operates a fleet of 36 towboats and 125 liquid tank barges. The company will continue to operate under the Devall brand as a new division of STC. The management team will continue in their current roles.
“The Devall family and team are excited to partner with both Southern Towing and CCI," said Kenny Devall, COO of Devall, who will continue to lead the company. "We believe that the cross-selling opportunities with Southern Towing are extremely compelling, and that CCI’s extensive experience and resources positions Devall for future growth."
