ATLANTA — MHS Global, a provider of material handling and integration systems, and Fortna, a provider of distribution solutions, have merged to create a company called FORTNA. The new company will offer parcel, warehouse, distribution and lifecycle services, as well as optimization software.
MHS Global and Fortna originally announced their merger in April 2022, creating a multi-billion-dollar and multi-national supplier. In creating FORTNA, the companies combined decades of experience in the development, design and delivery of omnichannel and parcel distribution, providing customers with an end-to-end solution to optimize distribution.
“MHS has built its reputation over the past 20 years by being a reliable and committed partner while expanding our capabilities and taking a progressive, tech-forward stance to deliver new products and solutions,” said Scott McReynolds, former chief executive officer of MHS Global. “Combining with Fortna will allow us to accelerate our collective efforts on all fronts, to the benefit of our customers, employees and suppliers.”
McReynolds and Rob McKeel, Fortna’s chief executive officer, have joined the new company as president and chief executive officer, respectively.
“Fortna has been a trusted advisor driving competitive advantage for our clients as they build direct-to-consumer models, increase service levels and enable a lower cost to serve,” McKeel said. “The combination with MHS will enable the model to scale with our clients globally and allow the combined company to drive further innovation in operating models, software and automation.
“The decision to retain the legacy Fortna name was the result of careful consideration,” McKeel added. “We chose the name FORTNA not only for the great reputation the name already has in the market, but because of the strength and resilience embedded within it: the notion of fortitude, of resilience and strength. It speaks to what our customers need in today’s climate and what they can expect from our partnership — the ability to weather the ever-changing market conditions and come out thriving.”
Over the next few months, the new FORTNA brand will be rolled out worldwide. Alongside the new brand name, customers will now have access to the combined capabilities of MHS Global and Fortna.
Owned by private equities Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, FORTNA offers case and pallet picking, e-commerce and micro-fulfillment, returns and shipping services and robotics, automation, conveyor and sortation technology for use in the CPG, food and beverage, grocery, life sciences, retail and other industries.
“At the end of the day, our customers need to know they are ready for anything,” McKeel said. “That means operations that run at the speed of change — and the intelligence to anticipate what is next. We are thrilled to be able to provide the ability for our customers to create scalable, cost-efficient operations through automation.”
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