Alba Wheels Up
Alba Wheels Up is a U.S. licensed customs broker and freight forwarder serving importers and exporters across eight trade-sensitive verticals — including perishables, wine and spirits, semiconductors, and chemicals — through a national platform of 10 offices, proprietary Neo and Tradeverifyd technology, and PE-backed (Southfield Capital) roll-up acquisitions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersValley Stream, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Alba Wheels Up does
Alba Wheels Up International, LLC is a U.S. licensed customs broker and freight forwarder headquartered in Valley Stream, New York, serving importers and exporters across eight trade-sensitive verticals: meat/seafood/dairy, produce and perishables, wine and spirits, food and beverage, chemicals and EPA-regulated products, apparel and footwear, semiconductors and electronics, and lumber/paper/pulp. The company was formed in 1998 through the merger of Alba (founded 1949) and Wheels Up International (founded 1994), and operates today as a portfolio company of private equity sponsor Southfield Capital under co-chairmen Salvatore Stile II and Damien Stile, with CEO Luis Eraña (formerly of ProTrans/DHL) leading the platform. Alba holds CTPAT partnership status, TSA-approved Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) credentials, and FMC-licensed Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) status, enabling it to file customs entries, coordinate with FDA/USDA/TTB/EPA partner agencies, and procure multimodal freight across air, ocean, rail, and truck.
The company monetizes primarily through transaction-fee revenue on customs clearance and freight forwarding, complemented by professional-services fees for trade advisory (compliance audits, binding rulings, drawback), subscription-based access to its Neo Customer Portal and Tradeverifyd risk-assessment module, and warehouse-and-distribution revenue from its Cobalt Wine Logistics unit. Alba's technology stack centers on the Neo platform — a cloud-based supply chain management system with API integrations to major ERP and e-Commerce platforms — and the Tradeverifyd module, an AI/ML-driven forced-labor detection tool built in partnership with CBP under the Silicon Valley Innovation Program. Distribution is delivered through 10 U.S. offices at major ports of entry (Jersey City, Los Angeles, South San Francisco, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chesapeake, Miami, Napa, Bristol), an enterprise field sales team of licensed customs brokers, and a December 2025-launched direct Mexico-to-U.S. East Coast ocean service for perishables.
Alba has executed five disclosed acquisitions since 2022 — KSI Corp. (semiconductors, 2022), V.T. Mancusi (FDA-regulated, 2023), John A. Steer Co. (meat and dairy, 2024), The Perishable Specialist (produce, 2025), and North Coast Logistics (wine and spirits, 2025) — building a national roll-up platform that processes hundreds of thousands of customs entries annually worth billions of dollars across highly regulated commodities.
Alba Wheels Up firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alba Wheels Up
- Legal name
- Alba Wheels Up International, LLC
- Website
- https://albawheelsup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Alba Wheels Up is a U.S. licensed customs broker and freight forwarder serving importers and exporters across eight trade-sensitive verticals — including perishables, wine and spirits, semiconductors, and chemicals — through a national platform of 10 offices, proprietary Neo and Tradeverifyd technology, and PE-backed (Southfield Capital) roll-up acquisitions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alba Wheels Up industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Customs Brokerage & Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sanctions, Embargo & Export Controls (EAR/ITAR) Compliance Tools (TLAEAOAI), Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)
Keywords
Where Alba Wheels Up is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valley Stream
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Alba Wheels Up business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Customs Brokerage Services: Fees for customs clearance, tariff classification, entry preparation, and regulatory compliance services. Includes coordination with CBP and partner government agencies for expedited release.
- Freight Forwarding & Transportation: Logistics services including airfreight, ocean freight, rail freight, trucking, and intermodal solutions. Revenue based on shipment volume and service complexity.
- Trade Advisory Services: Compliance consulting including valuation determinations, binding ruling requests, ACE portal management, compliance programs (ISA, CTPAT, Green Trade), drawback services, and reconciliation.
- Technology Platform Services: Subscription-based access to Neo portal, Tradeverifyd risk assessments, and business intelligence reporting capabilities.
- Cargo Insurance: Insurance procurement services providing warehouse-to-warehouse coverage for multimodal cargo journeys with customized quotes.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Alba Wheels Up product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alba Wheels Up is a licensed U.S. customs broker and freight forwarder that provides end-to-end supply chain solutions for importers and exporters. The company's core offerings are organized around three service pillars—Customs Brokerage Services (tariff classification, CBP filing, special entries, FTZ support), Logistics & Freight Services (air, ocean, rail, trucking, cargo insurance), and Trade Advisory Services (compliance programs, binding rulings, drawback)—supported by the proprietary Neo Customer Portal for shipment visibility and the Tradeverifyd solution for AI-powered UFLPA forced labor risk assessment.
Product overview
Alba Wheels Up International is a licensed U.S. Customs broker and trade compliance firm offering a platform-plus-specialist architecture. The core Neo Customer Portal provides unified supply chain management with business intelligence, analytics, shipment tracking, and performance reporting. This platform integrates with specialized modules like Tradeverifyd for AI-powered supply chain risk assessment. Alba's service portfolio is organized around three core pillars: Customs Brokerage Services (tariff classification, CBP filing, special entries, FTZ support), Logistics & Freight Services (air, ocean, rail, trucking, cargo insurance), and Trade Advisory Services (compliance programs, binding rulings, drawback). The company has grown through strategic acquisitions into a national platform: KSI Corp. (2022) for semiconductors and electronics, John A. Steer Co. (2024) for meat and dairy, VT Mancusi (2023) for FDA-regulated goods, Cobalt Wine Logistics for beverage alcohol, Advanced Customs Brokers International for perishables, and The Perishable Specialist for fresh produce—all operating under one unified commercial framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cobalt Wine Logistics: Wine and spirits logistics subsidiary providing fully integrated supply chain solutions for the beverage alcohol industry.
- Advanced Customs Brokers International (ACB)
- John A. Steer Company
- The Perishable Specialist (PSI)
- Tradeverifyd
- Alba Neo Platform
Products and services
- Customs Brokerage Services Licensed U.S. customs brokerage services including tariff classification, CBP filing, special entry types (TIBs, carnets), FTZ support, in-bond transfers, and customs consulting for trade-sensitive products. Serves importers and exporters across all major U.S. ports of entry.
- Logistics & Freight Services End-to-end logistics solutions including airfreight, ocean freight, rail freight, trucking, and intermodal transportation. As a TSA-approved Indirect Air Carrier (IAC) and FMC-licensed Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI), the company partners with all major airlines, steamship lines, trucking firms, and rail carriers.
- Trade Advisory Services Trade compliance consulting including valuation and origin determinations, binding ruling requests, ACE portal management, compliance programs (ISA, CTPAT, Green Trade), drawback services, and reconciliation. Also includes supply chain mapping & risk assessment, business intelligence analytics, detention resolution, regulatory advisories, and compliance audits.
- Cargo Insurance Insurance procurement services providing warehouse-to-warehouse coverage for multimodal cargo journeys with customized quotes.
- Neo Customer Portal Cloud-based supply chain management platform providing tracking, real-time visibility, customized dashboards, shipment management, customs declarations, business intelligence reporting, and AI-powered analytics. Connects customers directly to shipments and the Alba team. Offers data feeds via API or file for integration with all major ERP and e-Commerce platforms.
- Tradeverifyd Supply Chain Risk Assessment AI-powered supply chain risk analysis solution developed in partnership with Tradeverifyd and CBP (via the Silicon Valley Innovation Program) to evaluate forced labor risks under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Uses satellite imagery, machine learning, and multi-source OSINT data to generate compliance scores from 0-1000 for supply chain transparency.
- Direct Mexico-U.S. East Coast Ocean Service New direct ocean container service from Mexico to the U.S. East Coast for meat and perishable goods. Offers weekly sailings and support for temperature-sensitive cargo, combining ocean transportation with Alba's trade expertise and regulatory compliance capabilities into an end-to-end supply chain solution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hundreds of thousands of customs entries processed annually worth billions of dollars
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Alba Wheels Up
Customer profileSegments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alba Wheels Up technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature5 records
Alba Wheels Up partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TradeverifydcorePartnership to provide supply chain risk assessment and forced labor detection. Tradeverifyd has been working with CBP since 2020 on identifying forced labor in supply chains. The solution uses AI, satellite imagery, and machine learning to evaluate UFLPA compliance risk and provide compliance scores from 0-1000.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)coreCBP partnered with Tradeverifyd (Alba's partner) through the Silicon Valley Innovation Program under DHS to develop global modernization strategy and interoperability standards. Alba's solution is described as 'CBP approved' for UFLPA risk assessment.
- Major Airlines (Airfreight Partners)coreAs a TSA-approved Indirect Air Carrier (IAC), Alba works with all major airlines to offer diverse selection of routes and capacity for time-sensitive airfreight shipments.
- Major Steamship Lines (Ocean Freight Partners)coreAs an FMC-licensed Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI), Alba works with all major steamship lines to secure competitive rates, regular and specialized equipment, and capacity for ocean freight.
- Trucking Service PartnersminorNationwide trucking resources including chassis at ports, reefer trucks, box trucks, tankers, and specialized equipment. Vetted and reliable service partners for FTL, LTL, and expedited shipping.
- Rail CarriersminorPartnership with rail network for transloading and intermodal rail cargo, providing cost-effective cross-country shipping options for clients electing to customs clear at first port.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alba Wheels Up competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GAC Group: Global logistics provider offering freight forwarding, customs clearance, and trade compliance across multiple regions. Comparable core offering in customs brokerage and trade advisory but at broader international scope.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Top-tier global forwarder with extensive customs brokerage, trade compliance, and industry-specific verticals (including perishables and healthcare). Comparable in vertical specialization but at much larger scale.
- Expeditors International: Major global freight forwarder with customs brokerage and trade compliance capabilities across air, ocean, and ground. Comparable services but operates at substantially larger scale and asset-light global model.
- DHL Global Forwarding: World's largest air and ocean freight forwarder with integrated customs brokerage and trade compliance services. Comparable end-to-end offering across trade-sensitive verticals but at significantly greater global scale.
- C.H. Robinson: One of the largest US-based 3PLs offering customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and trade compliance as part of a much broader logistics portfolio. Comparable customs offerings but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
Direct peers
- Fowler & Hunt / C.J. Kuehner & Co. US-focused customs brokerage and trade compliance specialist serving trade-sensitive importers. Closely comparable business model and customer base, though operating at smaller scale without Alba's PE-backed M&A platform.
- Livingston International: One of the largest North American-focused customs brokers and trade compliance specialists. Directly comparable to Alba in its customs brokerage core, vertical specialization, and trade advisory services, with similar exposure to US import regulatory complexity.
- PSA BDP (formerly BDP International): Global freight forwarder with deep customs brokerage and trade compliance practice. Closely comparable on multimodal forwarding, customs brokerage across verticals, and trade advisory services; a recent employer of Alba's EVP Commercial.
- Crane Worldwide Logistics: Mid-sized global forwarder with customs brokerage, trade consulting, and project/heavy lift capabilities. A former employer of Alba's EVP Commercial, and comparable in scale, customs focus, and trade-sensitive vertical exposure.
- AFEX (Associated Foreign Exchange): Trade compliance and customs-focused services provider addressing cross-border regulatory complexity for importers and exporters. Comparable trade advisory and compliance consulting scope though narrower logistics offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alba Wheels Up social profiles
Digital presenceAlba Wheels Up compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Alba Wheels Up financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alba Wheels Up leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Alba Wheels Up subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Alba Wheels Up funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alba Wheels Up M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alba Wheels Up
What does Alba Wheels Up do?
Alba Wheels Up is a licensed U.S. customs broker and freight forwarder that provides end-to-end supply chain solutions for importers and exporters. The company's core offerings are organized around three service pillars—Customs Brokerage Services (tariff classification, CBP filing, special entries, FTZ support), Logistics & Freight Services (air, ocean, rail, trucking, cargo insurance), and Trade Advisory Services (compliance programs, binding rulings, drawback)—supported by the proprietary Neo Customer Portal for shipment visibility and the Tradeverifyd solution for AI-powered UFLPA forced labor risk assessment.
Is Alba Wheels Up a public or private company?
Alba Wheels Up is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Alba Wheels Up founded?
Alba Wheels Up was founded in 1949. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Alba Wheels Up based?
Alba Wheels Up is headquartered in Valley Stream, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alba Wheels Up make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Customs Brokerage Services are the primary driver. The others are freight Forwarding & Transportation, trade Advisory Services, technology Platform Services and cargo Insurance.
Who are Alba Wheels Up's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GAC Group, Kuehne+Nagel, Expeditors International, DHL Global Forwarding and C.H. Robinson. Direct peers are Fowler & Hunt / C.J. Kuehner & Co., Livingston International, PSA BDP (formerly BDP International), Crane Worldwide Logistics and AFEX (Associated Foreign Exchange).
Does Alba Wheels Up have an API?
Yes. Alba's technology stack offers connectivity to all major ERP and e-Commerce platforms. Data feeds can be provided via API or by file. The Neo Supply Chain Management platform provides tracking and visibility, blending customs clearance data with API and geofenced messages from warehouses, ocean carriers, railroads, airlines, and truckers.
What industry is Alba Wheels Up in?
Alba Wheels Up's product category is Customs Brokerage & Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAG, Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance), with a secondary code of TLAEAOAI, Sanctions, Embargo & Export Controls (EAR/ITAR) Compliance Tools. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.