What Trans-Overseas does

Trans-Overseas Corporation is a privately held U.S. customs broker and international freight forwarder founded on September 1, 1978, headquartered in Romulus, Michigan near Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The company provides end-to-end import/export logistics services across four integrated lines: customs brokerage (the founding service, licensed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection), international freight forwarding via ocean (FMC-licensed OTI/NVOCC) and air (IATA-appointed), warehousing and distribution (150,000+ square feet across Romulus and Taylor, MI facilities, including Foreign Trade Zone, U.S. Customs Bonded Warehouse Class 3/8/11, and Container Freight Station operations), and third-party logistics (LTL, FTL, drayage, intermodal, expedites) enabled by a U.S. DOT Motor Carrier license obtained in 2013.

The company's technology stack is centered on enterprise information systems with server-based storage supporting EDI, real-time shipment visibility, and customer-facing portals (TOC Customer Tracking, Warehouse Client Portal, CFS Tracking, Vessel Tracking, and Flight Tracking integrated with FlightAware). No proprietary AI/ML, patents, or advanced data science assets are evident; technology differentiation is operational rather than algorithmic. The company operates four offices (Romulus HQ, Taylor warehouse, Grand Rapids, Doylestown OH) with a 10-acre Romulus campus built in 1985 and uses vetted partner carrier and warehouse networks to extend reach across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Trans-Overseas monetizes primarily through per-transaction service fees for customs entries, freight forwarding, and 3PL movements, plus recurring monthly charges (per-package/per-unit) for warehousing. Go-to-market is sales-led via dedicated departmental teams (Import, Export, Warehouse, Logistics, Sales), with demand generation driven by Detroit Intermodal Association membership, social media, and referral networks rather than paid marketing. Target segments are Midwest importers/exporters and the automotive industry supply chain, with manufacturing as a secondary vertical. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent entity, and no identified institutional investors; it has been continuously operating since 1978 with 51-100 employees.

Name

Trans-Overseas

Legal name

Trans-Overseas Corporation

Website

https://trans-overseas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Trans-Overseas Corporation is a privately held customs broker and international freight forwarder founded in 1978, serving Midwest importers/exporters and the automotive supply chain with customs brokerage, ocean/air forwarding, bonded warehousing, and 3PL services from facilities near Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customs Brokerage and International Freight Forwarding

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border Trucking & Border Transfer (Linehaul, Transloading) (TLACACAC), Cross-Border Freight Brokerage (USMCA/EU, etc.) (TLADAMAN), Customs Clearance & Import Documentation Services (HSAKACAC), Cross-Border LTL (US-MX/US-CA) (TLADAEAI)

Keywords

• Customs brokerage services
• International freight forwarding
• Warehouse distribution services
• Third-party logistics
• Foreign trade zone operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Romulus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Customs Brokerage Services: Licensed U.S. Customs Broker providing entry and release of goods, ISF filings, post-entry services, duty drawback, and compliance consulting at all US ports of entry.
2. Ocean Freight Forwarding: Licensed Ocean Transport Intermediary (OTI) and NVOCC providing ocean freight forwarding services including FCL, LCL, and consolidation worldwide.
3. Air Freight Forwarding: IATA-appointed air freight forwarding services with consolidation and charter capabilities for worldwide shipments.
4. Warehousing and Distribution: General warehousing, customs bonded storage, CFS, foreign trade zone operations, heavy lift services, and distribution services from Michigan facilities.
5. Third-Party Logistics (3PL): U.S. DOT Motor Carrier License enabled 3PL services including LTL, FTL, expedited shipments, container drayage, intermodal, and air freight recovery.
6. Transportation Services: Customs bonded carrier services including trucking, drayage, expedited shipments, and intermodal transportation across North America.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Trans-Overseas Corporation is a licensed U.S. Customs Broker providing 24/7 customs clearance at all U.S. ports of entry, supported by ocean and air freight forwarding as a licensed OTI/NVOCC and IATA agent. The company operates bonded warehousing facilities (U.S. Customs Bonded Warehouse Class 3, 8, 11), Foreign Trade Zone, Container Freight Station, heavy lift, inspection, packaging, and customs exam services from 150,000+ sq ft of Michigan facilities. Third-party logistics services (LTL, FTL, drayage, expedite, intermodal, airport recovery) extend domestic transportation coverage across North America via vetted partner carriers.

Product overview

Trans-Overseas is a logistics and customs brokerage company operating as a single integrated platform offering customs brokerage, international freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution, and third-party logistics services. The core offering centers on licensed U.S. Customs Brokerage (the company's founding service since 1978) providing clearance at all U.S. ports of entry. This core service is supported by import/export freight forwarding modules (Ocean Freight via licensed OTI/NVOCC, Air Freight via IATA appointment), and a comprehensive warehousing network (150,000+ sq ft across Romulus and Taylor MI facilities) featuring Foreign Trade Zone, U.S. Customs Bonded Warehouse (Classes 3, 8, 11), Container Freight Station, heavy lift, inspection, and packaging services. Third-party logistics services (LTL, FTL, expedite, drayage, intermodal) extend transportation capabilities across North America. Customer-facing tracking portals (CFS, vessel, flight, PAPS) and client portals provide visibility across all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Customs Brokerage Licensed U.S. Customs Broker providing 24/7 customs clearance, entry and release of goods, ISF filings, post-entry services, duty drawback, and compliance consulting at all U.S. ports of entry including Northern and Southern land borders. Targeted at importers requiring reliable, regulated customs processing.
• Ocean Freight Forwarding Licensed Ocean Transport Intermediary (OTI) and NVOCC providing ocean freight forwarding services for exporters and importers worldwide, including FCL, LCL, consolidation, marine insurance, and global door-to-door coverage through a vetted agent network.
• Air Freight Forwarding IATA-appointed air freight forwarding services for exporters and importers with direct airline connections, consolidation capabilities, and worldwide charter options for time-sensitive and oversized cargo.
• Warehousing and Distribution State-of-the-art logistics facilities totaling 150,000+ square feet plus 4 acres of secure outdoor storage across Romulus and Taylor, Michigan, providing inventory tracking, distribution, vendor managed inventory, cross-docking, and online client access.
• Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Operations U.S. Foreign Trade Zone services providing duty deferral, inverted customs duty savings, simplified import/export procedures, and bonded storage for importers seeking tariff optimization.
• Container Freight Station (CFS) Services Container Freight Station handling over 6 million pounds of freight per month from approximately 150 containers, providing deconsolidation, bonded freight forwarding, online tracking via the CMS-powered portal, and timely up-to-the-minute charge summaries.
• U.S. Customs Bonded Warehouse (Class 3, 8, and 11) Customs bonded storage facilities classified under Class 3, 8, and 11 for General Order cargo, enabling importers to defer duty payments, store regulated goods, and meet customs compliance requirements.
• Heavy Lift Services Specialized heavy cargo handling up to 40,000 lbs per single lift, including stamping dies, machinery, steel coils, and ocean containers for automotive and manufacturing customers requiring non-standard cargo solutions.
• Customs Exam Site (CES) Certified CBP exam facility operating since 1985 for intensive examinations by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, USDA, and FDA, including dedicated dock, secure handling, and exam coordination services.
• Less Than Truckload (LTL) Services Broad LTL network coverage enabling small-shipment freight forwarding to any point in the U.S., Canada, and most points in Mexico through partner carriers.
• Full Truckload (FTL) and Flatbed Services Truckload and flatbed services across Canada, U.S., and Mexico using vetted asset-based carriers, including flatbed capacity up to 100,000 lbs in Michigan for heavy or oversized loads.
• Expedited Shipments Short and long haul expedited ground and air freight services utilizing dedicated assets such as Sprinter Van, Straight Truck, and 53' Van Trailer for time-critical shipments.
• Container Drayage Container delivery services via partner carrier network, including heavy haul drayage up to 75,000 lbs (tare weight included) within Michigan for port-to-warehouse transportation.
• Intermodal Transportation Rail-based intermodal solutions using major rail carrier partnerships for cost-effective freight movement across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with automated tracking updates.
• Airport Recovery Services Air freight recovery services using a vetted carrier network at every major U.S. airport, providing timely and safe delivery for delayed or displaced air cargo.
• ISPM-15 Compliance Services Wood packaging material compliance services for international shipments ensuring compliance with ISPM-15 to prevent spread of pests such as emerald ash borer across export and import flows.
• Import Security Filing (ISF / 10+2) Electronic ISF filing services including 10+2 data transmission, bonded carrier arrangements, and ISF bond sureties for ocean importers to meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Handles over 6 million pounds of freight per month from 150 containers on average at CFS
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• CMScoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership providing online tracking and tracing for Container Freight Station shipments, along with web-based portal for up-to-the-minute charge summaries.
• Detroit Intermodal Association (DIA)strategicOthersOver 30 years as a proud member of the Detroit Intermodal Association. Active participant in annual Toys for Tots charity events, donating children's bikes annually.
• Major Rail CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with major rail carriers for intermodal transportation solutions enabling cost-effective freight movement across rail network with frequent automated tracking updates.
• Partner WarehousescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of vetted partner warehouses in almost every major market in the US and Canada for third-party warehousing services, enabling freight handling anywhere in North America.
• Partner CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtensive network of vetted asset-based carriers for trucking, LTL, FTL, flatbed, heavy haul drayage (up to 75,000 lbs), and expedited shipments covering US, Canada, and Mexico.
• Airport Carrier NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFully vetted and trusted carrier network at every major airport in the US for air freight recovery services ensuring timely and safe freight delivery.
• Worldwide Freight Forwarding AgentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorU.S. and worldwide network of vetted agents for all types of transportation routings and logistics support enabling door-to-door freight coverage globally.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• A.N. Deringer: US-based customs broker and freight forwarder specializing in import/export clearance, similar in scope and customer focus to Trans-Overseas.
• RXO, Inc. Asset-light freight brokerage and last-mile logistics provider with truckload, LTL, and managed transportation services; competes for similar North American 3PL customers.
• Echo Global Logistics: US-based asset-light 3PL and freight broker with managed transportation, truckload, LTL, and intermodal services; competing for shippers that Trans-Overseas targets in the Midwest.
• AIT Worldwide Logistics: Closest comparable: US-headquartered, mid-sized freight forwarder and customs broker with strong Midwest presence offering multimodal forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, and 3PL services to importers/exporters.
• EMO Trans: Privately held global logistics provider with strong US customs brokerage and freight forwarding capabilities, comparable in scale and service mix to Trans-Overseas.
• JAS Forwarding (USA): Global freight forwarder and customs house broker with US operations offering air/ocean forwarding, customs brokerage, and supply chain services; overlapping capabilities with Trans-Overseas.
• Hub Group: US-based intermodal and logistics provider with drayage, brokerage, and supply chain solutions; overlapping container drayage and intermodal service lines.

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders offering air, ocean, road, and contract logistics including customs brokerage, overlapping Trans-Overseas' full-service model at much larger scale.
• Expeditors International: Major global freight forwarder with strong air/ocean forwarding and customs brokerage capabilities competing for Midwest shippers needing international logistics services.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide: Large US-based freight broker and 3PL offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, ocean, and air forwarding with global customs capabilities; broader portfolio competitor in the same space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TransOverseasCorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trans-overseas-corporation

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Trans-Overseas