LR International
LR International is a privately held, founder-owned international freight forwarder and logistics provider based near Chicago O'Hare, offering air, ocean, truck, and rail forwarding; warehousing and 3PL; packing and crating; and export financing for SMB exporters and multinational corporations across 250+ cities worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersFranklin Park, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LR International does
LR International, Inc. (LRI) is a privately held, founder-controlled international freight forwarder and logistics provider headquartered near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in Franklin Park, Illinois. Founded in 1988 by Ric and Linda Frantz as a two-person documentation and forwarding operation targeting small and medium-sized exporters shipping to difficult global markets, the company has grown into a full-service provider serving both SMB shippers and multinational corporations across 250+ cities worldwide. Its service portfolio spans air, ocean, truck, and rail freight forwarding; customs-bonded warehousing and 3PL distribution; international certified wood packing and hazmat crating; export financing, letters of credit, and cargo insurance; DAP/DDP free domicile shipping; and translation services. The company holds IATA airfreight agent status, OTI/NVOCC ocean licensing with the FMC, C-TPAT certification through 2022, and TSA, DOT, and FAA hazmat credentials, and operates a 225,000 sq ft headquarters warehouse plus 14-15 additional North American contract warehouse locations.
LRI generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis for freight movements and managed services for warehousing and distribution. Pricing is fully quote-based and varies by weight, dimensions, commodity, origin/destination, freight mode, service level, and hazmat/insurance requirements, with no public rate cards. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales targeting SMB exporters and multinational clients, a website-driven quote request workflow, an LRI Express Package self-service booking portal for small parcels, and a channel partner network of regional trucking carriers, customs brokers, documentation specialists, and export finance providers. Marketing is built around thought leadership: the CEO is a frequent speaker at Department of Commerce, World Trade Center, and trade-association events, and LRI maintains a Learning Center with downloadable trade-compliance resources. The firm has won two Presidential E-Awards (2012, 2016 E-Star) and two Illinois Governor's Export Awards (1998, 2016), and operates the Global Vision Initiative, a charitable arm providing pro bono and cost-recovery logistics to non-profits including the American Red Cross and Free The Girls.
Technology infrastructure is modest: an in-house shipment management platform deployed in 2000, mode-specific tracking portals, and the expressfr8.net online booking system. No AI/ML, proprietary algorithms, API ecosystem, or software product is disclosed; the company's competitive position rests on regulatory credentials, physical infrastructure, and human export-compliance expertise rather than software differentiation. Ownership remains entirely with the Frantz family and long-tenured operational partners, with no institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity disclosed in available data.
LR International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LR International
- Legal name
- LR International, Inc.
- Website
- https://lrinternational.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LR International is a privately held, founder-owned international freight forwarder and logistics provider based near Chicago O'Hare, offering air, ocean, truck, and rail forwarding; warehousing and 3PL; packing and crating; and export financing for SMB exporters and multinational corporations across 250+ cities worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LR International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)
Keywords
Where LR International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Franklin Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
LR International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services: LRI generates revenue through fees for international freight forwarding services including air freight, ocean freight, trucking, and rail services. Services are provided on a per-shipment basis with pricing based on weight, volume, destination, and service level requirements.
- Warehousing and Distribution Services: Revenue from short and long term warehousing, consolidation/assembly, and distribution services at worldwide warehouse locations. Includes 3PL inventory management services.
- Financial Services: Revenue generated from processing letters of credit, drafts, export financing services, and cargo insurance offerings.
- Packing and Crating Services: Revenue from international certified wood packing provider services including crating, boxing, and hazardous material assessment and re-packing services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Customized quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
LR International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LR International is a global freight forwarding and logistics company that arranges international ocean cargo (FCL/LCL), air freight, trucking and rail transportation, customs bonded warehousing and distribution, packing and crating, free domicile shipping (DAP/DDP), export financing and letters of credit processing, cargo insurance, translation, and project cargo handling for small/medium exporters and multinational corporations. Services are delivered through a 225,000 sq ft FTZ-status headquarters near O'Hare Airport, 14-15 North American warehouse partners, and a global agent network spanning 200-250 cities worldwide.
Product overview
LR International is a global logistics and consulting services provider offering a comprehensive suite of freight forwarding and supply chain management solutions. The company operates as a full-service freight forwarder with capabilities across cargo (ocean), logistics (air, truck, rail), financial services (letters of credit, export financing, cargo insurance), warehousing and distribution, packaging and crating, and specialty services including translation and project cargo handling. The core offering includes LRI Express Package Service for small packages to 200+ global cities, and shipment tracking systems for all freight modes. The company differentiates through its 'Total Flexibility' philosophy, offering customized systems and personalized service as an alternative to larger multinational freight forwarders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use LR International
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LR International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
LR International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- R & M TruckingcoreLRI strategic partner for LTL and FTL trucking including airport deliveries and pick-ups in Illinois and Indiana. Long-time partner co-sponsoring annual toy and pet food drives.
- Jeff's Fast FreightcoreLRI strategic partner for LTL and FTL trucking services in Wisconsin.
- X-Treme TransportcoreLRI strategic partner for permit/oversized cargo, truck load and flat bed cargo services in the lower 48 United States.
- Teddy's TransportcoreLRI Strategic Partner for LTL and FTL trucking services in Michigan.
- Emelev LLCcoreLRI strategic partner for Export Credit Insurance and Export Financing Products, enabling LRI to offer comprehensive international payment and financing solutions.
- A.K. InternationalcoreLRI strategic partner for U.S. Import Customs Brokerage Services.
- Accurate Documentation ServicescoreLRI Strategic Partner for letter of credit processing and negotiations as well as any other International banking instrument and any specialty documentation required for Exporting.
- Free The GirlsmajorNon-for-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado with offices in Maputo, Mozambique. LRI provides shipping services for products used to help raise funds for the organization helping women escape human sex trafficking. Featured in CNN International documentary.
- American Red CrossmajorLRI warehouses relief goods for the American Red Cross and facilitates shipping of relief goods in natural disaster situations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LR International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coyote Logistics: U.S.-based freight brokerage and 3PL owned by UPS, offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, and managed transportation; comparable asset-light intermediation model for SMB/mid-market shippers.
- Worldwide Express: Mid-market freight forwarder and logistics provider specializing in LTL, truckload, and parcel services for SMB shippers; closely mirrors LRI's SMB-exporter focus and partner-driven operating model.
Broad incumbents
- Expeditors International of Washington: Global publicly-traded freight forwarder (EXPD) with full air, ocean, and customs brokerage capabilities across 60+ countries; competes with LRI on multinational enterprise accounts but lacks LRI's SMB-flexibility positioning.
- C.H. Robinson Worldwide: Large U.S. 3PL and freight broker (CHRW) with significant North American freight transportation arrangement, customs brokerage, and global forwarding services; overlaps with LRI's import/export and U.S. trucking coordination capabilities.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-headquartered global freight forwarder with strong air, ocean, road, and contract logistics; comparable mid-sized international forwarder competing in similar export lanes.
- DHL Global Forwarding: Division of Deutsche Post DHL providing international air, ocean, road, and customs services; competes for enterprise and SMB export accounts with a much larger global network than LRI.
- Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with strong ocean, air, and contract logistics; competes for the same U.S. export customers as LRI but at much larger scale and with a broader multinational enterprise focus.
- Transplace (now Uber Freight): Managed transportation and freight brokerage platform serving mid-market and enterprise shippers across North America; overlaps with LRI's 3PL distribution and trucking coordination services.
Emerging players
- Flexport: Digital-first international freight forwarder offering ocean, air, and customs brokerage with modern API/UX; targets SMB and mid-market exporters — the same customer segment as LR International, and the primary disruptor to legacy forwarders like LRI.
- Roadie (a UPS Company): Crowdsourced last-mile delivery and same-day shipping platform; relevant to LRI's small-package Express service and Free Domicile last-mile coordination through agent networks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LR International social profiles
Digital presenceLR International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
LR International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LR International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
LR International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LR International 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 LR International
What does LR International do?
LR International is a global freight forwarding and logistics company that arranges international ocean cargo (FCL/LCL), air freight, trucking and rail transportation, customs bonded warehousing and distribution, packing and crating, free domicile shipping (DAP/DDP), export financing and letters of credit processing, cargo insurance, translation, and project cargo handling for small/medium exporters and multinational corporations. Services are delivered through a 225,000 sq ft FTZ-status headquarters near O'Hare Airport, 14-15 North American warehouse partners, and a global agent network spanning 200-250 cities worldwide.
Is LR International a public or private company?
LR International is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LR International founded?
LR International was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LR International based?
LR International is headquartered in Franklin Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does LR International make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services are the primary driver. The others are warehousing and Distribution Services, financial Services and packing and Crating Services.
Who are LR International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coyote Logistics and Worldwide Express. Broad incumbents are Expeditors International of Washington, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne+Nagel and Transplace (now Uber Freight). Emerging players are Flexport and Roadie (a UPS Company).
Does LR International have an API?
No public API is recorded for LR International.
What industry is LR International in?
LR International's product category is International Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAA, FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 48851 and its SIC code is 4731.