Scan Global Logistics
Scan Global Logistics is a Danish-headquartered international freight forwarder operating 200+ offices across 61 countries, providing end-to-end air, ocean, rail, and road freight forwarding, contract logistics, and low-carbon logistics services to enterprise clients in pharma, automotive, government/defense, energy, and industrial sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersKastrup, Denmark
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Scan Global Logistics does
Scan Global Logistics A/S is a Danish-headquartered international freight forwarder and contract logistics provider founded in 1975, operating 200+ offices across 61 countries and employing approximately 5,100 specialists. The company delivers end-to-end supply chain solutions across all transport modes — airfreight (including charter and onboard courier), ocean freight (FCL, LCL, break bulk, ship charter), rail freight, road freight, contract logistics and warehousing, projects and heavy lift, and low-carbon logistics — through a sales-led enterprise go-to-market model anchored by long-term contracts with multinational shippers. Customer segments are diversified across pharma and healthcare (GDP-certified across 19 sites in 9 countries), automotive, government and defense (including CRAF designation for USTRANSCOM via Delta Cargo partnership), energy, food and additives, fashion and retail, industrial projects, and aid and relief.
The underlying technology stack combines a digital customer portal (MySGL), warehouse management systems (SCAN WMS, WMS Lite), express booking (SCAN EXPRESS), a Control Tower for end-to-end visibility, a CO2 Calculator and emissions reporting tools, and strategic integrations including Maritime AI through Windward for predictive ETAs and ocean milestone visibility. Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-fee freight forwarding (EUR 2,526m in FY2025, up 6% YoY), supplemented by recurring contract logistics, warehousing, fulfillment and distribution, value-added services (customs, dangerous goods, CBAM compliance, insurance), and an emerging low-carbon logistics stream encompassing biofuel book-and-claim solutions with Hapag-Lloyd and FincoEnergies plus electric cross-border trucking.
The company is privately held by CVC Capital Partners, which became majority shareholder in 2023 via a EUR 750m senior secured bond financing, succeeding AEA Investors (2016) and Odin Equity (2007) as the financial sponsor. FY2025 EBITDA before special items was EUR 219m (up 12%), though net result was a EUR 91m loss due to bond refinancing costs, the ITN Canada acquisition, and restructuring expenses. Recent M&A (Blu Logistics Brasil 2024, Foppiani Italy 2024, FLS Portugal 2023, Sand Road Denmark 2023, ITN Canada 2025) and greenfield expansion into Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Tanzania, Ireland, Argentina, and Colombia have established direct presence across all major emerging trade lanes, while sustainability credentials — EcoVadis Gold, double-A CDP rating, and SBTi-approved net-zero targets — have become an increasingly material differentiator in enterprise procurement.
Scan Global Logistics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Scan Global Logistics
- Legal name
- Scan Global Logistics A/S
- Website
- https://scangl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Scan Global Logistics is a Danish-headquartered international freight forwarder operating 200+ offices across 61 countries, providing end-to-end air, ocean, rail, and road freight forwarding, contract logistics, and low-carbon logistics services to enterprise clients in pharma, automotive, government/defense, energy, and industrial sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Scan Global Logistics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Breakbulk, Ro-Ro & Chartering (Heavy-Lift Vessels, Barges, Specialized Aircraft) (TLAIAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD)
Keywords
Where Scan Global Logistics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kastrup
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices12 records
Markets served
Scan Global Logistics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services: Core revenue from freight forwarding services including airfreight, ocean freight, rail freight, and road freight. Revenue of EUR 2,526m in 2025 with 6% increase year-on-year.
- Contract Logistics: Warehousing and contract logistics services generating recurring revenue
- Value-Added Services: Customs clearance, insurance, dangerous goods handling, control tower services, CBAM support
- Low Carbon Logistics: Sustainable logistics solutions including biofuel and EV transport options
- Fulfillment & Distribution: E-commerce fulfillment and distribution services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise freight forwarding with tailored solutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Scan Global Logistics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Scan Global Logistics is a global full-service freight forwarding and logistics company providing tailored, end-to-end supply chain solutions across air, ocean, rail, road, and warehousing. Operations span 200+ offices across 61 countries, supported by 5,100 experts, with specialized industry solutions for pharma, automotive, government & defense, energy, and retail.
Product overview
Scan Global Logistics is a global full-service logistics provider offering an integrated portfolio of freight forwarding and supply chain solutions. The company provides a unified platform of core transport services spanning airfreight (including charter and onboard courier), ocean freight (FCL, LCL, break bulk, ship charter), rail freight (Asia-Europe and intra-Europe), and road freight (LTL/FTL). Supporting the core transport services are value-added offerings including contract logistics, warehousing, fulfillment & distribution, customs clearance, dangerous goods handling, and specialized project/heavy lift logistics. The company has invested significantly in digital platforms including MySGL customer portal, SCAN WMS warehouse management system, SCAN EXPRESS, and WMS Lite for integrated shipment and warehouse management. Sustainability-focused services include Low Carbon Logistics with Ocean Biofuel, Biofuel Swap for road transport, and CO2 Calculator tools. The portfolio is complemented by industry-specific solutions for sectors including Pharma & Healthcare (GDP certified), Automotive, Government & Defence, Fashion & Retail, and Energy, with operations across 61 countries supported by approximately 5,100 experts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MySGL: Customer portal for shipment tracking and management
- SCAN WMS
- SCAN EXPRESS
- SGL Fulfillment & Distribution
- WMS LITE
- Con-X
- Ship Green
Products and services
- Airfreight
- Ocean Freight
- Rail Freight
- Road Freight
- Contract Logistics
- Projects & Heavy Lift
- Low Carbon Logistics
- Value-Added Services
- Parcel & Express
- Fulfillment & Distribution
- Electric Cross-Border Trucking
- Biofuel Swap
- Ocean Biofuel
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,500+ tonnes CO2e emissions avoidance through Hapag-Lloyd ocean biofuel partnership
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Scan Global Logistics
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments14 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Scan Global Logistics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
Scan Global Logistics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Hapag-LloydcoreDecarbonisation partnership expanding ocean biofuel collaboration. Enables avoidance of 8,500+ tonnes CO2e emissions globally using second-generation biofuels from waste and residues. Customers can reduce Scope 3 emissions through Book-and-Claim approach based on Mass Balance principle.
- FincoEnergiescoreBiofuel Swap partnership enabling verified CO2e emissions reductions for road transport without operational changes. Uses certified HVO100 biofuel in Netherlands trucks; customers worldwide claim emissions reductions through book-and-claim model. Builds on 2023 pilot project.
- Danfoss Climate SolutionscoreMulti-year partnership for cross-border EV trucking in Malaysia. Second electric truck dedicated to Danfoss supporting LEAP 2030 sustainability targets. Expected to cut 93.6 tonnes CO2 annually across two trucks.
- SwissportcoreThree-year partnership with Scan Global as first customer at Swissport's dedicated perishables centre at London Heathrow. 2,694 m² facility handles up to 30,000 tonnes of perishables per year, operating 24/7 with temperature-controlled areas.
- Delta CargocoreCivil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) partnership under teaming formation agreement. Scan Global designated as selected freight forwarder, strengthening defense and humanitarian supply chain solutions for USTRANSCOM.
- WindwardsupportingStrategic partnership for Maritime AI providing proactive exception alerts, precise ETAs, and enhanced ocean milestone visibility to improve supply chain fluidity and resilience.
- HTH CorporationsupportingZero-emissions partnership for first electric cross-border truck in Asia between Malaysia and Singapore. Marked market's first EV cross-border trucking solution.
- Alfa LavalcoreElectric truck partnership for cross-border transportation. First electric Scania truck launched as part of shared vision for sustainable logistics industry.
- Exponential Roadmap Initiativecore1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders member, committing to halving emissions before 2030 towards net-zero. Supports Race To Zero campaign and 1.5°C Business Playbook framework.
- Majid Al Futtaim LifestylesupportingPilot project using SAF to reduce carbon emissions for airfreight shipments of fashion products from Asia to UAE.
- NestecoreSustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) partnership providing low emission solution with potential for up to 80% airfreight emission reduction. Supports SGL target to halve emissions by 2030.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Scan Global Logistics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Yusen Logistics: Japanese-headquartered global logistics provider offering air, ocean, road, contract logistics, and supply chain solutions; comparable in breadth of services and global footprint, with particular strength in Asia-Pacific trade lanes relevant to SGL's emerging market expansion.
- Kerry Logistics Network: Asia-headquartered logistics provider with integrated freight forwarding, warehousing, and supply chain services; comparable to SGL in providing multi-modal logistics to enterprise customers, with complementary Asia strength.
- Maersk Logistics & Services: Integrated logistics arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk combining ocean container scale with end-to-end supply chain management; relevant peer given SGL's ocean freight focus and Danish origins, and as a competitor in contract logistics and end-to-end managed transport.
Emerging players
- Flexport: US-based digital freight forwarder offering ocean, air, and truck brokerage through a technology-led platform; represents the emerging digitally-native competitor category that SGL's Maritime AI and MySGL investments are partly designed to counter.
Direct peers
- Kuehne+Nagel International AG: Swiss-based global freight forwarder and the world's largest sea and air freight forwarder by volume; directly comparable to SGL in offering airfreight, ocean freight, road, and contract logistics to enterprise customers across similar verticals.
- DSV A/S: Danish-headquartered global freight forwarder with similar origins and trajectory to SGL, recently expanded through the EUR 14B Schenker acquisition; directly competes across air, ocean, road, and contract logistics with comparable enterprise customer base.
- DHL Global Forwarding: Freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group, one of the world's largest forwarders by air and ocean freight volumes; offers the same end-to-end logistics portfolio (air, ocean, road, rail, customs, contract logistics) targeting similar enterprise shippers.
- Expeditors International of Washington: US-based global freight forwarder with similar asset-light business model focused on air and ocean freight forwarding plus customs brokerage; competes head-to-head with SGL in transatlantic lanes and large enterprise accounts.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-headquartered mid-sized global freight forwarder offering air, ocean, road, and contract logistics with strong European roots — closely comparable to SGL in scale, customer mix, and service breadth.
- CEVA Logistics: Contract logistics and freight management business owned by CMA CGM, combining ocean container scale with end-to-end supply chain services; comparable to SGL across freight forwarding and contract logistics, particularly in ocean-related services.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Scan Global Logistics social profiles
Digital presenceScan Global Logistics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Scan Global Logistics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Scan Global Logistics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Scan Global Logistics subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Scan Global Logistics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Scan Global Logistics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Scan Global Logistics
What does Scan Global Logistics do?
Scan Global Logistics is a global full-service freight forwarding and logistics company providing tailored, end-to-end supply chain solutions across air, ocean, rail, road, and warehousing. Operations span 200+ offices across 61 countries, supported by 5,100 experts, with specialized industry solutions for pharma, automotive, government & defense, energy, and retail.
Is Scan Global Logistics a public or private company?
Scan Global Logistics is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Scan Global Logistics founded?
Scan Global Logistics was founded in 1975. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Scan Global Logistics based?
Scan Global Logistics is headquartered in Kastrup, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Scan Global Logistics make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services are the primary driver. The others are contract Logistics, value-Added Services, low Carbon Logistics and fulfillment & Distribution.
Who are Scan Global Logistics's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Yusen Logistics, Kerry Logistics Network and Maersk Logistics & Services. Flexport is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Kuehne+Nagel International AG, DSV A/S, DHL Global Forwarding, Expeditors International of Washington, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and CEVA Logistics.
Does Scan Global Logistics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Scan Global Logistics.
What industry is Scan Global Logistics in?
Scan Global Logistics's product category is Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAIAKAC, Breakbulk, Ro-Ro & Chartering (Heavy-Lift Vessels, Barges, Specialized Aircraft), with a secondary code of TLACAHAD, Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.