John S James Co
John S. James Co., founded in 1941, is a privately held Savannah, Georgia-based customs house broker and international freight forwarder serving U.S. importers with customs brokerage, trade compliance, FTZ operations, NVOCC services, and IEEPA tariff refund processing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1941
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What John S James Co does
John S. James Co. is a privately held U.S. customs house broker and international freight forwarder founded in 1941 and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. The company serves primarily U.S. importers with a horizontal suite of trade compliance and logistics services covering customs brokerage, international freight forwarding (ocean, air, and inland), trade consulting, Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) operations, and complementary capabilities such as NVOCC services on Europe/Mediterranean trade lanes, ISO tank transportation, and dangerous goods handling. Office locations include the Savannah headquarters and import operations in Garden City, GA, plus a Charlotte, NC office dedicated to FTZ services.
The technology layer is integration-led rather than platform-built from scratch. Operational systems include the FreightOScope rate quotation tool, web-based shipment tracking via Descartes, published tariff access through Cargosphere, and direct integration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's ACE Portal. More recent additions extend the company's compliance service surface into the new CBP CAPE system for processing IEEPA tariff refunds following the Supreme Court ruling on IEEPA tariffs. Certifications include C-TPAT, and the firm holds memberships in NAFTZ, NCBFAA, and Global Logistics Associates.
Revenue is generated on a professional-services basis through transaction-driven pricing (customs entry fees, brokerage commissions, FTZ management fees, NVOCC margin). Property broker liability is capped at $50 per shipment, fuel surcharges are tied to the U.S. Department of Energy weekly national average diesel price, and pricing is quote-based with seven-day validity. Go-to-market is sales-led direct, supported by online rate-request forms, e-pay invoice processing via PayPal, and content marketing on regulatory topics. Customer segmentation is horizontal across importers of all sizes, with no named anchor customers disclosed in the source data.
John S James Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- John S James Co
- Legal name
- John S. James Co.
- Website
- https://johnsjames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1941
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- John S. James Co., founded in 1941, is a privately held Savannah, Georgia-based customs house broker and international freight forwarder serving U.S. importers with customs brokerage, trade compliance, FTZ operations, NVOCC services, and IEEPA tariff refund processing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
John S James Co industry classification
Industry- 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)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Consulting & Brokerage Outsourcing (Managed Brokerage, Brokerage Operations) (TLACAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Import Customs Clearance (Entry Filing & Release) (TLACAFAA), Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD), Customs Brokerage & Trade Compliance Management (TLAIANAD), Customs & Regulatory Filing Documentation (Entry/Exit Summaries, Declarations, ENS/AMS/ACI) (TLACAHAE)
Keywords
Where John S James Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
John S James Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Customs Brokerage Services: Professional customs brokerage services including entry filing, tariff classification, and customs compliance for importers entering goods into the United States
- International Freight Forwarding: Arrangement of international transportation via air, ocean, and ground carriers including NVOCC services, ISO tank transportation, and dangerous goods handling
- Trade Services: Trade compliance services, tariff analysis, and trade consulting including assistance with IEEPA tariff refunds
- Foreign Trade Zone Services: FTZ operations management including admission processing, inventory management, and compliance for clients operating in foreign trade zones
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Property Broker Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
John S James Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
John S. James Co. is a customs house broker and international freight forwarder that files U.S. customs entries, arranges air, ocean, and ground transportation, manages foreign trade zone (FTZ) operations, handles dangerous goods and ISO tank shipments, and provides trade compliance and consulting services, including assistance with IEEPA tariff refunds through the CBP ACE Portal. Revenue is generated through professional service fees and transaction-based brokerage on shipments crossing U.S. borders.
Product overview
John S James Co is a customs house broker and international freight forwarder offering a comprehensive suite of logistics services. The company operates a platform model combining core customs brokerage and forwarding services with specialized add-on modules including Foreign Trade Zone management, NVOCC services for Europe and Mediterranean routes, ISO tank transportation, and dangerous goods handling. Additional digital tools include web tracking via Descartes, e-pay invoice processing, published tariff access via Cargosphere, and freight rate quoting through FreightOScope. Recent additions include IEEPA tariff refund processing assistance leveraging the CBP's ACE Portal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Customs Brokerage
- Forwarding and Transportation
Quantifiable outcome
- Assistance with IEEPA tariff refunds through CAPE system navigation
Companies that use John S James Co
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
John S James Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
John S James Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)coreCBP is the primary government agency partner. John S. James Co. works directly with CBP through the ACE Portal for customs entries, duty processing, and now IEEPA tariff refund submissions via the new CAPE system. The company assists clients with ACE Portal access and compliance.
- C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism)coreC-TPAT is a voluntary public-private sector partnership program that aims to strengthen international supply chain and U.S. border security. John S. James Co. maintains C-TPAT certification demonstrating their commitment to supply chain security.
- Global Logistics Associates (GLA)minorGlobal Logistics Associates is a network of independent freight forwarders and customs brokers. John S. James Co. participates in this network for global coverage and collaborative shipping solutions.
- GTI - Globetrans International BV NVOCCminorGTI Globetrans International is an NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) providing ocean freight services. John S. James Co. partners with GTI for ocean transportation solutions, particularly for Europe and Mediterranean routes.
- Roanoke Trade Services, Inc.minorRoanoke Trade Services specializes in trade compliance and insurance solutions. John S. James Co. collaborates with Roanoke for specialized trade services and cargo insurance offerings.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
John S James Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- A.N. Deringer: A.N. Deringer is a U.S.-headquartered customs broker and freight forwarder with a comparable mid-sized, services-led model offering customs clearance, freight forwarding, and trade compliance analogous to John S. James' core portfolio.
- Livingston International: Livingston International is one of North America's largest customs brokers and international freight forwarders, offering entry filing, trade compliance, and FTZ services that directly overlap John S. James' core customs brokerage and trade services offering.
- Econocaribe Consolidators: Econocaribe is a U.S.-focused NVOCC consolidator and customs broker with a similar mid-sized, niche services profile, particularly overlapping John S. James on ocean consolidation to Latin America and customs clearance services.
- Daniel B. Krieg, Inc. Daniel B. Krieg is a multi-generational, privately held U.S. customs broker and freight forwarder with a personalized-service positioning strikingly similar to John S. James, serving importers in adjacent port markets.
Broad incumbents
- C.H. Robinson Worldwide: C.H. Robinson is a global freight forwarder and customs broker through its Global Forwarding division, providing U.S. customs brokerage and forwarding services at much greater scale than John S. James.
- Kintetsu World Express (KWE): Kintetsu World Express is a global logistics provider offering customs brokerage, air/ocean forwarding, and supply chain services in the U.S., making it a comparable incumbent with overlap on forwarding and customs clearance work.
- Nippon Express USA: Nippon Express is a global logistics provider with U.S. customs brokerage and forwarding services through its American arm, competing for the same enterprise importer accounts as John S. James' forwarding business.
- Expeditors International: Expeditors International is a large global freight forwarder with in-house customs brokerage capabilities across U.S. ports, competing for the same importer base with broader geographic reach than John S. James.
- UPS Customs Brokerage: UPS Supply Chain Solutions includes customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and trade services inside a global integrator platform, representing the kind of scaled incumbent John S. James competes against for mid-market accounts.
- FedEx Trade Networks: FedEx Trade Networks Trade Services provides customs clearance, international forwarding, and trade compliance globally, directly comparable to John S. James' customs brokerage and forwarding offering under a much broader enterprise umbrella.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
John S James Co social profiles
Digital presenceJohn S James Co compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
John S James Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
John S James Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
John S James Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
John S James Co M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about John S James Co
What does John S James Co do?
John S. James Co. is a customs house broker and international freight forwarder that files U.S. customs entries, arranges air, ocean, and ground transportation, manages foreign trade zone (FTZ) operations, handles dangerous goods and ISO tank shipments, and provides trade compliance and consulting services, including assistance with IEEPA tariff refunds through the CBP ACE Portal. Revenue is generated through professional service fees and transaction-based brokerage on shipments crossing U.S. borders.
Is John S James Co a public or private company?
John S James Co is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was John S James Co founded?
John S James Co was founded in 1941. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is John S James Co based?
John S James Co is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does John S James Co make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Customs Brokerage Services are the primary driver. The others are international Freight Forwarding, trade Services and foreign Trade Zone Services.
Who are John S James Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are A.N. Deringer, Livingston International, Econocaribe Consolidators and Daniel B. Krieg, Inc.. Broad incumbents are C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Kintetsu World Express (KWE), Nippon Express USA, Expeditors International, UPS Customs Brokerage and FedEx Trade Networks.
Does John S James Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for John S James Co.
What industry is John S James Co in?
John S James Co's product category is Customs Brokerage and International Freight Forwarding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACAFAI, Customs Consulting & Brokerage Outsourcing (Managed Brokerage, Brokerage Operations), with a secondary code of TLACAFAA, Import Customs Clearance (Entry Filing & Release). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.