INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Million-Dollar Acquisition: Dean Worldwide Inc., a transportation company in Huntington Beach, said Friday that it has acquired a Houston transportation company and its three subsidiaries for about $1 million.

Charles Strait, Dean Worldwide’s president, said the companies, RAM-Management Inc. and its units--RAM-Forwarding Inc., RAM-PAK Inc. and Express-Line Inc.--will retain their names and will operate as an arm of Maxxim International, a Dean Worldwide subsidiary in Houston.

“The acquisition will add a number of shipping routes and help us serve a larger customer base in more locations worldwide,” Strait said.

He said the company hopes to boost its business in West Africa, China and Indonesia by getting contracts to transport oil-drilling equipment to those places.

Strait said Ken Laningham, vice president of Maxxim, will oversee operations of the RAM companies.