MOULTRIE — Two South Georgia trucking companies officially announced their merger this week, saying a larger company was needed to compete economically.

Broadleaf Trucking of Moultrie and Sexton Farms of Camilla actually went through the merger process in May, but have spent the intervening time reworking web sites and social media presences, said Brett Phillips, president and CEO of the new 1975 Transportation Group.

“We held a launch party in August, but we’re actually rolling it out now,” he said.

The new company has a workforce of about 120 people, which Phillips said he sees remaining stable for the foreseeable future.

1975 Transportation Group has 107 company-owned trucks and 12 owner-operators, a company statement said.

The firms merged so the new company could enjoy “economies of scale” in purchasing, Phillips said. The two smaller predecessor companies were a good fit because Sexton was more heavily into refrigerated transportation with some agricultural business, while Broadleaf was the reverse of that, he said.

“By merging, the new company could diversify into a more even split” between the two markets, Phillips said.

The former Broadleaf facility in Moultrie and the once-Sexton location in Camilla remain open, though the top management moved from Camilla to Moultrie, he said.

Future plans include possibly bringing a third trucking firm of about 40-50 trucks into the fold, Phillips said.