Resin distributor PolyQuest buys Baker Transportation

Plastics distributor PolyQuest hit on a unique solution to possible supply chain problems: it bought regional carrier, and customer, Baker Transportation Inc. (BTI).

The financial terms of the deal, which closed on Oct. 1, have not been disclosed.

Based in Lake City, S.C., BTI offers what PolyQuest officials called “seamless access” to domestic U.S. distribution routes, as well as the ports of Wilmington, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga.

“Although PolyQuest will continue buying freight services from existing freight vendors, the Baker acquisition promotes extreme flexibility in tailoring freight and logistics solutions for both PolyQuest’s and BTI’s current business partners,” PolyQuest CEO John Marinelli said in a Sept. 20 news release.

The company name has now been changed to Baker Transportation LLC.

“Over the past 20 years, PolyQuest has been a loyal customer of ours,” BTI vice president of operations Michael Baker said. “We are excited about what the future holds for our customers and employees and our continued growth in the transportation industry. Our primary focus over the last four decades has been to provide safe, dependable, and quality service. These core competencies will remain unchanged.”

Headquartered in Wilmington, N.C., PolyQuest distributes PET, recycled PET, polypropylene, polyethylene, and HIPS.