26.05.2008

TNT and Kuhn merge

TNT Crane & Rigging of Houston, Texas, has purchased the assets of Kuhn Crane Service of Corpus Christi, Texas. Terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

The merged business will have 78 cranes servicing Texas from branches located in Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Edinburg. TNT and Kuhn are now one of the largest crane service providers in South Texas. This includes full service capabilities ranging from boom trucks to 800 ton Demag telescopic crane.

Kuhn, is owned by brothers Ron and Mike Kuhn and operates from two locations in Corpus Christi and Edinburg. The company was founded in 1979 by the Kuhn's father and has a strong presence in the oilfield service and commercial markets of South Texas.

TNT, founded in 1985, was acquired by private equity firm Mezzanine Management in November 2007 and operates from Houston, Corpus Christi and El Paso. It is strong in the industrial plant and shipyard markets.
See TNT acquired
The combined company will service a broad swath of industries ranging from refinery, petro-chemical, power, oilfield service, road and bridge repair, shipyard and commercial repair and construction.

The Kuhns will remain on board the merged company as consultants for six months after which they will consider their options.

Michael Appling Jr., president and chief executive of TNT said: “The acquisition of Kuhn is a strong strategic fit for TNT and accelerates our growth plans. Kuhn has an extremely new and diversified fleet of cranes. Its long term customer relationships combined with the large crane fleet of TNT will provide additional growth opportunities and enhanced service for our customers."

"Kuhn further diversifies our revenue base and enhances the energy side of our infrastructure offering. We are now well positioned to serve clients in the oilfields, through the pipelines and compressor stations and into the refineries and other process industries.”

Ron Kuhn added: “This merger positions TNT as one of the predominant crane rental service companies in Texas. It will give our employees opportunities that we would never have been able to offer them and it gives TNT the opportunity to diversify its customer base. There is no doubt that by combining these two great companies they will now be able to offer an almost limitless supply of lifting and rigging services to all the cliental in the region.”