AFS Logistics

What AFS Logistics does

AFS Logistics, founded in 1982 in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a privately held third-party logistics (3PL) provider serving over 1,800 mid-market and enterprise B2B shippers across North America. The company organizes its offering around four service pillars — Freight Audit and Payment, Parcel Services, LTL Services, and Transportation Management — and operates from eight locations in the United States and Canada, with retained-brand subsidiaries including Berman Blake Associates (freight management), Software Solutions Unlimited/SSUI (technology solutions), and DTA Service (logistics services). AFS manages approximately $39 billion in annual transportation spend on behalf of its clients, with case-study outcomes citing savings of $1.2M (Rexel USA), 10%+ transportation spend reduction (Musco Family Olive Company), 16% LTL cost reduction (Cavender's), and 22% parcel cost reduction (Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply).

The company's technology stack includes a proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS), freight audit systems, API integrations for client and carrier data exchange, and an AI-powered network design capability for transportation network optimization. AFS also co-publishes the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index with TD Cowen — a quarterly predictive analytics product covering truckload, LTL, express parcel, and ground parcel derived from its $39 billion spend dataset. Differentiated sub-brands include VLTL Shield (volume LTL with embedded cargo coverage) and OptimaLTL (special-delivery LTL optimization). Leadership includes a Chief Analytics Officer (ex-FedEx parcel pricing), a CIO (ex-Werner Enterprises, Ports America), and a CEO (ex-XPO Logistics).

AFS generates revenue through three primary streams: managed services contracts for ongoing freight auditing, parcel optimization, and transportation management; transaction-based freight brokerage connecting shippers with a network of 100,000+ carriers; and professional services for transportation network design and consulting. Pricing is custom and quote-based, billed annually, with no public pricing tiers. Distribution is primarily direct, with enterprise field sales targeting major accounts and inside sales serving the mid-market segment, supported by content marketing, SEO, webinars, podcasts, industry events, and PR. AFS has expanded through 22 acquisitions over its 40+ year history and serves clients across distribution, food and beverage, retail, and agricultural supply verticals.

Name

AFS Logistics

Legal name

AFS Logistics, LLC

Website

https://afs.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

AFS Logistics is a privately held third-party logistics provider offering freight audit, parcel optimization, LTL, and managed transportation services to over 1,800 mid-market and enterprise B2B shippers, managing $39 billion in annual transportation spend across eight North American locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-Party Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated 3PL Contract Logistics (Multi-Service) (TLAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation Management & Managed Freight (Dedicated Transport, Brokerage-Managed) (TLAIAAAE), Transportation Management Services (TMS-as-a-Service / Managed Transportation) (TLAIANAB)

Keywords

• Freight audit services
• Parcel cost optimization
• Less-than-truckload shipping
• Managed transportation services
• Third-party logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Shreveport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Managed Services Contracts: Recurring managed services revenue from freight auditing, parcel optimization, and transportation management services. Clients pay for ongoing cost optimization and visibility services.
2. Freight Brokerage / Transaction Fees: Transaction-based revenue from freight brokerage services, connecting shippers with carriers. Fees earned on freight moved through the network.
3. Professional Services: Implementation and consulting services for transportation network optimization, carrier negotiations, and supply chain analysis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AFS Logistics is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that delivers four core service pillars: Freight Audit and Payment, Parcel Services, LTL Services, and Transportation Management. These offerings include invoice auditing, parcel cost management and negotiation, less-than-truckload shipping, managed transportation, freight brokerage, freight forwarding, and AI-powered network design, supported by a proprietary TMS and the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index analytics product.

Product overview

AFS Logistics operates as a 3PL provider offering a comprehensive suite of logistics services organized around four core pillars: Freight Audit and Payment, Parcel Services, LTL Services, and Transportation Management. The company provides these services through a combination of proprietary technology platforms (including the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index for market analytics) and managed service delivery. The service architecture includes multiple sub-modules for specific logistics functions such as VLTL Shield for volume LTL, OptimaLTL for special deliveries, and specialized audit services across parcel, LTL, freight, and ocean modes. AFS manages approximately $39 billion in transportation spend annually and delivers its services through a network of TMS integrations, automated processes, and logistics experts across eight global locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VLTL Shield: Smarter, risk-reduced volume LTL service combining dynamic spot-quote pricing with embedded cargo coverage.
• OptimaLTL

Products and services

• Freight Audit and Payment Core 3PL service providing data-driven audit and payment expertise to identify invoice inaccuracies and reclaim lost profits across parcel, LTL, freight, and ocean shipping modes for shippers.
• Parcel Services Suite of parcel shipping solutions including cost management, contract negotiation, G/L coding, and value management to align parcel charges and improve bottom-line profitability for B2B shippers.
• LTL Services Less-than-truckload freight services including cost management, volume LTL, OptimaLTL for special deliveries, freight audit, and overage/short/damaged claims handling for B2B shippers.
• Transportation Management Comprehensive transportation management including managed transportation, freight brokerage, freight forwarding, and network design services to optimize logistics operations for B2B shippers.
• TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index Quarterly freight rate index and predictive analytics report covering truckload, LTL, express parcel, and ground parcel sectors, derived from nearly $39 billion in transportation spend data and co-published with TD Cowen.

Quantifiable outcome

• $183 million in client savings achieved
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TD CowencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTD Cowen is a financial services firm that co-publishes the AFS Freight Index with AFS Logistics. This partnership positions AFS as an industry thought leader by providing comprehensive freight market data and insights to the industry. The AFS Freight Index provides benchmarking data on freight costs and trends that is distributed through TD Cowen's research channels.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• XPO Logistics: Public less-than-truckload carrier with a large brokerage and managed transportation arm. XPO competes with AFS in LTL and managed transportation and is also an alumni employer of AFS's CEO Andy Dyer.
• FedEx Logistics: Freight forwarding, supply chain, and customs brokerage arm of FedEx. Competes with AFS in ocean, air, and ground freight forwarding and in freight audit services for large shippers.
• UPS Supply Chain Solutions: Logistics arm of UPS offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and supply chain services globally. Competes with AFS in parcel and freight forwarding for enterprise shipper relationships.
• GXO Logistics: Public contract logistics provider offering warehousing, reverse logistics, and supply chain services at scale. A much larger incumbent than AFS but competes for the same enterprise transportation management RFPs.
• Coyote Logistics (UPS subsidiary): Asset-light freight brokerage owned by UPS. Highly comparable in business model to AFS's freight brokerage and managed transportation services but operates with substantially greater scale and carrier capacity.

Direct peers

• nVision Global: Global freight audit, payment, and managed transportation provider serving enterprise shippers. Overlaps with AFS in freight audit and payment, parcel optimization, and managed transportation services.
• Transportation Insight: Private non-asset 3PL providing managed transportation, freight brokerage, and parcel/LTL optimization to mid-market and enterprise shippers. Directly comparable to AFS in customer base, service mix, and emphasis on multi-modal cost reduction.
• Shipware: Parcel cost optimization and freight audit specialist focused on parcel contract negotiation and invoice auditing. Comparable to AFS's parcel audit and parcel cost management service modules.
• Echo Global Logistics: Tech-enabled 3PL offering managed transportation, freight brokerage, and truckload services to mid-market and enterprise shippers. Echo's managed transportation and TMS-led offering closely mirrors AFS's integrated 3PL service model.
• RXO: Public freight brokerage and managed transportation provider formed around the legacy Coyote Logistics business. RXO competes directly with AFS on truckload brokerage, managed transportation, and last-mile services for enterprise and mid-market shippers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afslogistics
• Xx.com/afs_shipping
• Facebookfacebook.com/afs.audit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AFS Logistics