James Brown Contracting, a dedicated short-haul truckload carrier based just east of Atlanta, has acquired Schrader Trucking Company.
The Tennessee-based dry van truckload carrier will become a fully integrated part of Brown Trucking.

"The Schrader name has a strong reputation in the marketplace for high service quality, making it an excellent fit with Brown Trucking," said John Richardson, board director of Brown Trucking and managing partner of Navigation Capital Partners.

Schrader, with 95 trucks and 201 trailers, operates across the Southeast as well as in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Texas and Canada. The company's primary commodities are plastics, vinyl films, retail, building materials and industrial machinery parts. Current President Phil Schrader will exit the business, while Co-Owner and Vice President Tom Hodge will remain and act as director of business development for Brown Trucking.

"Identifying the right strategic acquisition opportunities is a key part of our growth strategy for Brown Trucking," said David Panton, board chairman of Brown Trucking and NCP partner. "Schrader is a well-respected company, and there's a synergy with Brown on multiple levels. We are confident this move will make Brown Trucking a much stronger player in our target markets."

Brown Trucking was acquired by NCP in 2008. Navigation Capital Partners (NCP) is an Atlanta-based private equity firm.