time:matters Group
time:matters is a Germany-based time-critical logistics provider and Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary, delivering same-day air, rail, and road shipments across 100+ countries for enterprise customers in life sciences, semiconductor, automotive, and aviation sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersNeu Isenburg, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What time:matters Group does
time:matters Group is a specialist time-critical logistics provider headquartered in Neu-Isenburg, Germany, founded in 2002 and operating as a subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo within the Lufthansa Group. The company delivers same-day and emergency shipments via air, rail, and road modalities, with product lines spanning Sameday Air, Sameday Rail, Sameday Road, Next Flight Out (NFO), On-Board Courier (OBC), spare parts logistics, tailor-made solutions, charter services, and specialized services including Stem Cell OBC and Radiopharma Logistics. Its customer base is enterprise B2B, with stated case-study exposure across aviation MRO, semiconductor, automotive, and life sciences verticals.
The company operates a global service network of more than 12,000 couriers across 50+ countries, reaching 300 destinations in 100+ countries, and benefits from apron (airside) access at Lufthansa hubs Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). Its digital infrastructure includes the booking.time-matters.com shipment booking platform and the airmates.eu courier marketplace, supporting automated flight search, instant quotations, and shipment tracking. The business model is B2B transaction-based — pricing is quote-driven per shipment rather than subscription- or tier-based — with no public pricing tiers. Geographic footprint comprises offices in Germany (HQ plus FRA and MUC), Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore (APAC headquarters), Shanghai, and Miami (Americas headquarters).
Strategic positioning includes the 2018 acquisition of Customs Broker, ongoing Sustainable Aviation Fuel investment since 2022, a dedicated semiconductor logistics desk in Amsterdam, and specialized cell-and-gene therapy capabilities. Leadership comprises CEO Bernhard zur Strassen and COO Lars Krosch, with a stated headcount of 51–100 internal employees supplemented by the external courier network. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
time:matters Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- time:matters Group
- Legal name
- time:matters GmbH
- Website
- https://time-matters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- time:matters is a Germany-based time-critical logistics provider and Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary, delivering same-day air, rail, and road shipments across 100+ countries for enterprise customers in life sciences, semiconductor, automotive, and aviation sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
time:matters Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Time-Critical Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Couriers and Express Delivery Services (4921), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)
- SIC
- Air Courier Services (4513), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Airport & Intercity Same‑Day Hand‑Carry / Next‑Flight‑Out (NFO) (TLAAADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Time-Critical & AOG (Aircraft on Ground) Specialized Forwarding (TLACAJAI), AOG (Aircraft-on-Ground) & Critical Spares Logistics (TLADANAL), Aviation & Marine Spares / AOG Critical Parts Courier (TLAAAEAH)
Keywords
Where time:matters Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Neu Isenburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
time:matters Group 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
- On Board Courier (OBC) Services: Personally accompanied hand carry courier service for extremely urgent shipments using scheduled flights. Revenue generated from booking fees and transport charges based on urgency, distance, and complexity of shipment.
- Next Flight Out (NFO) Express Air Freight: Worldwide express air freight on passenger and cargo aircraft with priority loading. Revenue from freight charges based on weight, dimensions, and transit time requirements.
- Sameday Road Services: Direct transport by courier vehicle without size and weight limitations, door-to-door delivery. Revenue generated from distance-based transport fees.
- Tailor-Made Transport Solutions: Customized logistics solutions combining various transport modes (air, rail, road) and emergency logistics planning services.
- Charter Services: Aircraft charter services for particularly urgent or large shipments requiring dedicated transport.
- Specialized Medical Logistics (Cell & Gene, Radiopharma): Temperature-controlled transport for sensitive biological samples, cell therapies, and radiopharmaceuticals requiring specialized handling and compliance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | On Board Courier (OBC) - Quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
time:matters Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
time:matters Group is a global time-critical logistics provider offering same-day and emergency transport solutions including On Board Courier (OBC) hand-carry services, Next Flight Out (NFO) express air freight, Sameday Air/Rail/Road transport, charter services, and specialized logistics for life sciences (cell & gene therapy, radiopharma) and spare parts delivery. The company operates proprietary courier terminals at major European airports and a digital booking platform enabling instant quotes and online booking across 300+ destinations in 100+ countries.
Product overview
time:matters is a global high-performance logistics company offering time-critical transport solutions. The portfolio includes same-day delivery services (air, rail, road), express air freight via Next Flight Out (NFO), On Board Courier (OBC) hand-carry services, spare parts logistics, tailor-made transport solutions, charter services, and specialized offerings for cell therapy and radiopharma products. Operations are supported by owned courier terminals at major European airports and powered by digital platforms (booking.time-matters.com and airmates.eu) for online booking and courier management. The company serves diverse industries including automotive, aviation, high-tech/semiconductor, industrial machinery, life sciences, and medtech.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- airmates: On Board Courier network platform and service brand featuring over 12,000 couriers in more than 50 countries
Products and services
- On Board Couriers (OBC) Personally accompanied hand-carry courier service for extremely urgent shipments, using over 12,000 couriers in more than 50 countries to escort time-critical cargo on scheduled flights. Quotes generated within 1 minute via the airmates platform.
- Next Flight Out (NFO) Global express air freight on all passenger and cargo aircraft, connecting 300 destinations in over 100 countries with fast transit times from 40 minutes via tail-to-tail transfers at major hubs (FRA, MUC, BRU). Handles dangerous goods up to class 9.
- Sameday Air Same-day air freight service for urgent shipments transported via passenger and cargo aircraft with priority handling.
- Sameday Rail Same-day rail transport solution for time-critical shipments across rail networks.
- Sameday Road Direct door-to-door courier delivery by vehicle without size and weight limitations, available at any time.
- Spare Parts Logistics Specialized logistics for urgent spare parts delivery, particularly for automotive, industrial machinery, and aviation (AOG) applications.
- Tailor-Made Transport Customized logistics solutions individually adapted to customer needs, combining various transport modes (air, rail, road) and including emergency logistics plans for supply chain disruptions.
- Charter Air charter service for transporting cargo via specially chartered aircraft when scheduled services are insufficient for particularly urgent or large shipments.
- Stem Cell OBC Specialized onboard courier service for transporting stem cells and cell therapy products under strict temperature control (-190°C) in cryopreserved state.
- Radiopharma Logistics Specialized logistics for radioactive pharmaceutical products requiring specific handling protocols and regulatory compliance.
- Courier Terminals Owned and operated courier terminals at Frankfurt, Munich, and Brussels airports providing apron access, priority handling, and physical supervision for time-critical shipments.
Quantifiable outcome
- AOG spare part delivered from Hamburg to Manila in 29 hours including customs clearance
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use time:matters Group
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
time:matters Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature4 records
time:matters Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Lufthansa GroupcoreLufthansa Group is the parent company of time:matters, providing strategic oversight, brand credibility, and preferential access to airline cargo capacity across Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and other partner carriers.
- Lufthansa (including Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines)corePartnership with Lufthansa Group airlines enables priority cargo access, preferential rates, and coordinated handling for Next Flight Out express air freight services. time:matters leverages these relationships for shipments across 300+ destinations in 100+ countries.
- IDnow GmbHminorIdentity verification service provider used for onboarding and verifying onboard couriers (airmates) as part of compliance requirements.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
time:matters Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marken (UPS Healthcare): Marken, now part of UPS Healthcare, specializes in clinical trial and biopharma logistics with strong cell & gene therapy capabilities. It competes directly with time:matters' life sciences and radiopharma services for high-value, time-critical biological shipments.
- World Courier (Cencora): World Courier specializes in time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and biotech logistics, including cell and gene therapy transport. It competes directly with time:matters' Stem Cell OBC and Radiopharma Logistics services, particularly for clinical trial and ATMP shipments.
- FedEx Custom Critical: FedEx Custom Critical provides time-sensitive, specialized shipping including air charter, courier, and expedited ground services across North America and internationally. It is one of the closest direct competitors to time:matters' OBC and NFO services, with a comparable premium positioning.
- Cryoport (now CRYOPDP): Cryoport (including CRYOPDP and Cryogene) provides cryogenic logistics for cell therapies, reproductive medicine, and biological samples. It is a specialized competitor in the same cell & gene therapy logistics vertical where time:matters operates.
Broad incumbents
- CEVA Logistics: CEVA Logistics provides global air freight forwarding, contract logistics, and time-sensitive transport services. It overlaps with time:matters in automotive spare parts, aviation, and high-tech logistics, though primarily as part of broader 3PL contracts rather than specialty sameday.
- DB Schenker: DB Schenker offers global air freight forwarding, time-critical logistics, and contract logistics with European heritage similar to time:matters. It competes in cross-border spare parts and AOG logistics with comparable but much broader service scope.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel is a global freight forwarder with KN PharmaLogistics and time-critical air freight capabilities. It competes in adjacent AOG and pharma logistics segments with time:matters, though from a much broader forwarding portfolio rather than a specialized same-day focus.
- DHL Same Day / DHL Express: DHL Same Day and DHL Express offer international same-day, time-critical courier, and express air freight services globally. They directly compete with time:matters' OBC and NFO offerings but as part of a much broader integrated logistics portfolio with significantly larger scale.
- UPS Healthcare / UPS Express Critical: UPS Healthcare and UPS Express Critical provide time-critical shipping, temperature-controlled pharma logistics, and air freight forwarding globally. They overlap significantly with time:matters' spare parts, cell & gene, and same-day air offerings, though within UPS's broader integrated network.
Others
- Lufthansa Cargo: Lufthansa Cargo is the parent company of time:matters and provides scheduled air freight services globally. While not a direct competitor in OBC/sameday, it is the upstream capacity provider and strategic sponsor of time:matters' operations and Lufthansa-branded service offering.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
time:matters Group social profiles
Digital presencetime:matters Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
time:matters Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
time:matters Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
time:matters Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
time:matters Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
time:matters Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about time:matters Group
What does time:matters Group do?
time:matters Group is a global time-critical logistics provider offering same-day and emergency transport solutions including On Board Courier (OBC) hand-carry services, Next Flight Out (NFO) express air freight, Sameday Air/Rail/Road transport, charter services, and specialized logistics for life sciences (cell & gene therapy, radiopharma) and spare parts delivery. The company operates proprietary courier terminals at major European airports and a digital booking platform enabling instant quotes and online booking across 300+ destinations in 100+ countries.
Is time:matters Group a public or private company?
time:matters Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was time:matters Group founded?
time:matters Group was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is time:matters Group based?
time:matters Group is headquartered in Neu Isenburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does time:matters Group make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. On Board Courier (OBC) Services are the primary driver. The others are next Flight Out (NFO) Express Air Freight, sameday Road Services, tailor-Made Transport Solutions, charter Services and specialized Medical Logistics (Cell & Gene, Radiopharma).
Who are time:matters Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marken (UPS Healthcare), World Courier (Cencora), FedEx Custom Critical and Cryoport (now CRYOPDP). Broad incumbents are CEVA Logistics, DB Schenker, Kuehne+Nagel, DHL Same Day / DHL Express and UPS Healthcare / UPS Express Critical. Lufthansa Cargo is listed as an others.
Does time:matters Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for time:matters Group.
What industry is time:matters Group in?
time:matters Group's product category is Time-Critical Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAAADAL, Airport & Intercity Same‑Day Hand‑Carry / Next‑Flight‑Out (NFO), with a secondary code of TLACAJAI, Time-Critical & AOG (Aircraft on Ground) Specialized Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 4921 and its SIC code is 4513.