Logistics sector specialist Metafora launches M&A offering

Metafora, a Chicago-based management and technology consultancy specializing in the transportation and logistics sector, has launched a new mergers and acquisitions (M&A) offering.

With the M&A market in transportation remaining hot because of the pandemic context and a cash-flush private equity sector, Metafora has launched an offering to help buyers and owners maximize value throughout the deal lifecycle.

Transportation and logistics firms are growing increasingly technical and digitally enhanced, so Metafora contends that companies more than ever need an informed strategic process for effectively valuing, acquiring, and integrating targets. In particular, valuing a target firm’s technology assets requires a high level of diligence that some VC firms may not have the capability to execute, the consultancy notes. 

"In the world of private equity and strategic acquisition, taking this one step further toward understanding integration and synergy potential can be a material value-driver post-transaction,” said John Engstrom, Metafora's VP of corporate development and strategy. “Key aspects that should play into the valuation of any deal involving technology are: Build versus buy decision-making elements combined with realistic speed-to-market expectations and the need for maintaining strategic assets versus using commercial opportunities to subsidize development.”

Metafora’s new offering covers the breadth of the deal lifecycle, from strategy definition to building a target pipeline, conducting due diligence, and executing integration activities.

The firm (formerly known as CarrierDirect) provides business consulting and software development services to carriers, shippers, and freight tech vendors. The company's notable clients include GE Transportation, FedEx Freight, and Ascent Global Logistics.

Metafora’s offerings span consulting for transportation firms (strategy, organizational design, sales, process improvement, and training); supply chain consulting (assessments, transportation and distro strategy, sales and operations planning, and resiliency); technology strategy (evaluation and implementation of logistics platforms); and software development (solutions for shippers, capacity providers, and tech providers).

Founded in 2011, Metafora has more than 50 employees, according to LinkedIn.