LRT Group has acquired Xpress Global Systems (XGS), the Chattanooga-based less-than-truckload specialist focused on floor coverings. Industry outlets confirmed the deal Friday, with XGS telling customers the new ownership is aimed at strengthening service breadth while preserving the carrier’s high-touch model. The buyer is based in Fort Payne, Alabama.
In messages shared with trade media, XGS framed the transaction as a springboard to “expand service offerings” and “enhance capabilities,” while maintaining the personalized service shippers expect from the brand. That emphasis suggests near‑term continuity for consignees that depend on carpet and hard-surface rolls to arrive damage‑free and appointment‑tight—hallmarks of the flooring LTL niche.
Why it matters: Specialized LTL is a different animal. Rolled goods don’t mix well with palletized freight, require dedicated racks, and call for drivers and dock teams trained to avoid crush damage and end‑roll deformation. Any capital or network support that accelerates equipment refreshes, dock process discipline, and claim‑avoidance tech can move the needle quickly on service and cost—especially in a segment where a small rise in claims can wipe out margins.
For shippers, the immediate questions are practical: Will transit maps or cut‑times change? Will appointment density improve in secondary markets? Does the deal unlock more flexible accessorials (residential, jobsite, inside) or tighter delivery windows for installers? The language from XGS points to investment and scale rather than retrenchment, which—if executed without eroding damage performance—could translate into more consistent capacity through seasonal flooring surges.
For rival carriers and 3PLs, the signal is clearer still: niche LTL remains a buyer’s market for operators that can pair network density with exacting handling standards. A well-capitalized owner backing a flooring‑dedicated network tends to stabilize pricing and reduce opportunistic churn, while putting pressure on general LTLs that dabble in rolled freight without the right gear or SOPs. The Fort Payne headquarters of the buyer also hints at potential Southeast network synergies—close to the carpet mills and distribution flows that define this vertical.
What to watch next: communication on service continuity (PRO numbers, portals, claims pipelines), any terminal or cross‑dock reconfiguration near Northwest Georgia’s flooring cluster, and whether the XGS brand stays front‑and‑center during integration. Customers should also monitor appointment availability and claim rates in the first 90 days—leading indicators of how well the integration protects the damage profile that sets flooring LTL apart.
Sources: FreightWaves, Floor Covering News, Floor Focus
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