Southern Towing Co. (STC), Chicago, an affiliate of CC Industries, announced on Feb. 2 that it has acquired Devall Towing, Sulphur, La., from the Devall family. Founded in 1952, Devall is a towboat and barge operator for specialty chemicals along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Lower Mississippi River. It operates a fleet of 36 towboats and 125 liquid tank barges.
STC said the acquisition expands its operations into specialty chemical products, adding that the combination of Devall’s long-standing customer relationships with STC’s upriver capabilities allows Devall and STC to provide integrated marine transportation solutions across the Gulf Intracoastal and U.S. inland waterways.
“The acquisition significantly enhances Southern Towing’s Gulf Coast capabilities,” said STC CEO Ed Grimm. “We look forward to growing our transportation capabilities, while continuing to provide superior service to the customers we are privileged to serve.”
Devall will continue to operate under the Devall brand as a new division of STC. The members of the management team will continue in their current roles.
“The Devall family and team are excited to partner with both Southern Towing and CCI,” said Kenny Devall, Devall Chief Operating Officer, who will continue to lead the company. “We believe that the cross-selling opportunities with Southern Towing are extremely compelling, and that CCI’s extensive experience and resources positions Devall for future growth.”
“Devall shares the same core values and vision that we have at STC and CCI,” said Bill Crown, CCI President and CEO. “We look forward to building on those shared values to further invest in and grow Devall and STC.”
Founded in 1958, STC is a major inland tank barge operator specializing in the transportation of anhydrous ammonia and bulk liquid fertilizer products, including UAN, throughout the Mississippi River System and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. It operates the largest fleet of anhydrous ammonia barges in the United States. It also provides towing services for other commodities, including refined petroleum, chemicals, coal, grain, and aggregates.
STC was acquired by CCI in 2019 (GM June 14, 2019) from investment firm Trive Capital, Dallas, and McComb Partners, the investment division of the San Antonio-based McCombs family.
CCI, Chicago, operates within Henry Crown and Co. as a holding company for the Crown family’s privately-held companies, which include Gillig Corp., Great Dane Trailers, J.L. Clark, Miracapo Pizza Co., Provisur Technologies, Riverside Rail, Selig Sealing Products Inc., and Trail King Industries.