AIT Worldwide Logistics acquires industrial-focused customs broker Multimodal International, Ltd.

Published on: Jun 03, 2021

Purchase expands AIT’s customs clearance expertise across automotive, chemical commodities, trade lanes

ITASCA, ILLINOIS (June 3, 2021) – Supply chain solutions leader AIT Worldwide Logistics today announced the acquisition of Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Multimodal International, Ltd., a licensed U.S. Customs broker with four decades of experience in the automotive, machine tools, metals, electronics and chemical industries.  

AIT’s latest acquisition not only boosts the freight forwarder’s annual clearance entries by more than 10 percent—to nearly 50,000 a year—but also injects the company’s in-house customs brokerage team with more than 40 more years of intellectual capital, increasing the organization’s number of licensed customs brokers to 14.

“I’m excited to welcome Multimodal to the AIT team,” said Chief Information Officer, Ray Fennelly.  “They’re known for their deep industrial vertical knowledge, particularly in the automotive and chemical markets—two sectors where AIT is strategically expanding. Bringing these experts into the AIT customs brokerage team adds immediate value for our customers in those industries, and many others.”

AIT’s Director Import Operations and Customs House Brokerage, Emily Faulkner, said her team is looking forward to sharing best practices with their seasoned new teammates.

“Multimodal has provided customs clearance support for clients around the world since 1982, and they have earned a long-time reputation for delivering a premium customer service,” she said. “We’re looking forward to tapping into their relationship-building expertise, which fits perfectly with AIT’s mission to earn our customers’ trust by delivering exceptional worldwide logistics solutions.”

Faulkner added that AIT’s in-house, licensed customs brokerage team works to cut risk for its customers by collaborating with customs agents and partners to reduce clearance delays, navigate trade standards and regulations, and even submit documentation on customers’ behalf. Faulkner pointed to the company’s “Wheels Up” clearance program as an example. The service can speed up transit times by as much as 24 hours by enabling U.S. Customs to clear air freight while it's still en route.

This purchase follows AIT’s 2020 acquisitions of Europe-based Panther Logistics and Fiege Forwarding, its 2019 purchase of Los Angeles-based Unitrans International Corporation, and the 2018 acquisitions of WorldFresh Express and U.K.-based ConneXion World Cargo.

Terms of AIT Worldwide Logistics’ deal to acquire Multimodal have not been disclosed.