Thoma Bravo is to acquire US-based third-party logistics provider WWEX Group and combine it with its existing portfolio company Auctane. Financial terms of the deal have not been confirmed, although reports suggest the combined logistics and shipping technology platform will have a value of up to $12bn.
Thoma Bravo is acquiring WWEX Group from a consortium led by CVC Capital Partners, alongside Providence Equity Partners, Ridgemont Equity Partners and PSG. As part of the transaction, CVC and certain existing investors will roll over a portion of their equity and retain a significant minority stake in the combined business.
WWEX Group operates a multi-brand platform spanning parcel and freight brokerage services, including Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz, Unishippers, JEAR Logistics and BLX Logistics. Auctane, which Thoma Bravo acquired in 2021, provides cloud-based shipping and fulfilment software through products such as ShipStation, Stamps.com, Metapack and Packlink.
The merger will bring together Auctane’s shipping software capabilities with WWEX Group’s physical freight brokerage and commercial network, creating an integrated, AI-enabled logistics offering across parcel, less-than-truckload (LTL), full truckload and international shipping. The combined company is expected to provide end-to-end connectivity from ecommerce checkout to final delivery, with unified data, expanded carrier access and automation tools designed to help customers manage costs and improve operational efficiency.
Brian Jaffee, partner at Thoma Bravo, said the transaction reflects increasing demand for integrated, technology-driven logistics solutions. “Auctane’s category-defining shipping software and WWEX Group’s scaled parcel and freight services create an integrated solution with the data, distribution and volume necessary to help customers drive smarter decision-making and execution across the logistics lifecycle,” he said.
Tom Madine, chief executive of WWEX Group, described the deal as a “significant milestone” for the business, adding that customers would benefit from enhanced technology capabilities and greater scale.
The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Thoma Bravo, which has more than $181bn in assets under management and over 75 portfolio companies, took Stamps.com private in a $6.6bn deal in 2021 and has since repositioned the business as Auctane, expanding its portfolio of shipping and fulfilment software solutions.
Advisers on the deal include Kirkland & Ellis as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo and Auctane. JPMorgan Securities and Morgan Stanley are serving as joint lead financial advisers to WWEX Group, with Goldman Sachs and UBS Investment Bank also acting as financial advisers. Latham & Watkins is serving as legal adviser to CVC and WWEX Group.
