2019

Industry: Transportation

Location: Kansas City, MO

Seller: Tomken Transportation

Buyer: Midwest and Bluegrass Rail (MBR)

The DVS Group’s Role: Sellside Advisory

The Deal:
The Smith family, owners of Tomken Transportation and its affiliated entities, engaged The DVS Group to divest the business in order to refocus on another rapidly growing family-owned venture. Tomken, along with Reload Central and Lawrence Traffic Bureau, operated a specialized transloading platform serving the Kansas City region. Midwest and Bluegrass Rail (MBR), a strategic acquirer focused on building a network of short line rail and logistics assets, identified Tomken as an attractive opportunity, particularly due to its rail-served real estate and operational capabilities. The transaction involved several complexities, including environmental considerations tied to the property, intricate tax planning, and multiple iterations of financing to meet buyer requirements. Despite these challenges, The DVS Group successfully guided the process to preserve strong valuation and favorable payment terms, resulting in a successful transaction that positions MBR for continued growth while enabling the Smith family to pursue its next chapter.

About The DVS Group:
The DVS Group is a professional lower middle market M&A services firm based in Kansas City. We represent both buy-side and sell-side clients domestically and internationally, focusing primarily on businesses with $10M-$250M in revenue. As industry generalists, we specialize in a highly customized approach to owners exiting their business, and proprietary (off-market) deal-flow for our buyers. With over two decades refining our process, the DVS Group is your key to achieving unparalleled growth through acquisition, or a smooth transition through the sale of your business.