Equity Group Investments Partners with East Coast Warehouse

Equity Group Investments Recapitalizes East Coast Warehouse & Distribution; Seacoast Capital Exits

February 3, 2022

Logistics & Distribution

Equity Group Investments has recapitalized East Coast Warehouse & Distribution (ECW), a temperature-controlled 3PL headquartered in Elizabeth, New Jersey, enabling Seacoast Capital to exit its non-control growth investment. Seacoast originally invested in 2018 (co-investing with Everside Capital Partners); terms of the recapitalization were not disclosed. ECW operates extensive refrigerated and ambient warehouse capacity and provides drayage, trucking, brokerage and customs exam services at major East Coast ports.

Equity Group Investments Makes Growth Investment in Paper Transport

July 20, 2021

Transportation

Sam Zell’s private investment firm Equity Group Investments (EGI) has invested in Paper Transport, a Wisconsin-based for-hire truckload carrier. The partnership provides growth capital and strategic support while Paper Transport’s senior management remain in place and retain an ownership stake; proceeds will be used to pursue add-on acquisitions, expand brokerage and intermodal capabilities, and accelerate geographic growth.

Equity Group Investments Leads Growth Investment in Lanter Delivery Systems

July 10, 2019

Logistics & Distribution

Equity Group Investments (EGI), the private investment firm of Sam Zell, invested in and led a capital raise for Lanter Delivery Systems, a provider of overnight unattended delivery services for OEMs and industrial distributors. EGI partners Mark Sotir and Evan Harwood will join Lanter’s board as the company looks to pursue new growth opportunities across its network of nearly 100 cross-dock facilities in the U.S.; terms were not disclosed.

Equity Group Investments Makes Growth Investment in CraneWorks

November 1, 2023

Industrial Services

Equity Group Investments (EGI) has made an investment in CraneWorks, a Houston-based dealer and rental provider of truck-mounted and mobile cranes. The founders and senior management will remain as owners and leaders while EGI will join the board and provide capital and strategic support to fund greenfield expansion, acquisitions, and growth of equipment sales, rental, and parts & service operations.

Equity Group Investments Acquires Majority Stake in Able Freight

October 11, 2020

Logistics & Distribution

Equity Group Investments, the private investment vehicle of Sam Zell, purchased a majority stake in Able Freight, a Los Angeles-based international airfreight forwarder specializing in temperature-controlled shipments of perishables. The deal, which includes management participation from CEO Orlando Wong, positions EGI to expand its cold‑chain logistics footprint and support Able Freight’s growth across product verticals and geographies.

Equity Group Investments Invests in CIT Trucks

December 12, 2025

Trucking & Fleet

Equity Group Investments (EGI) has made an investment in CIT Trucks, a commercial truck dealer headquartered in Normal, Illinois. EGI will partner with CIT's senior management (who retain an ownership stake) to support growth and expansion across the Midwest as the current CEO retires and the president assumes the CEO role.