What Acotral does

Acotral is a Spanish freight transport and integrated logistics company founded in 1970 by Domingo de Torres in Antequera, Málaga. The company specializes in road freight, intermodal transport (combining road, rail, and sea), and temperature-controlled refrigerated logistics, operating a fleet of 2,600 vehicles and 3,600 employees across 13 Spanish delegations (including the Canary and Balearic Islands), Morocco, and parts of Europe. Acotral delivers approximately 6,000+ services per day and travels 14 million kilometers per month, with a 0.67% accident rate below sector average, supported by ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 39001 certifications (the last making it the first Spanish goods transport company to achieve road traffic safety certification).

The company's revenue model is built on B2B contracted freight transportation services, primarily full-truck-load (FTL) logistics with multi-year volume-based pricing tied to distance, cargo type, and temperature requirements. Mercadona has been Acotral's anchor customer since 2003 as a 'Totaler' supplier, driving a large share of dedicated fleet capacity for retail distribution; secondary customer segments include industrial and manufacturing companies requiring international and intermodal freight, plus intra-group services via Ontime. Acotral operates a direct enterprise sales motion with regional delegation-based relationship management and has pioneered Spanish adoption of 25-meter megatrucks (2017), platooning (2018), plug-in hybrid (2021), and Axle Power refrigerated technology (2023), positioning sustainability and cold-chain integrity as core differentiators.

In 2021, Acotral was integrated into Ontime, forming the largest Spanish-owned integrated logistics group with fully Spanish capital; Ontime Group consolidated revenue reached €788M in 2023 with a stated €1B target for 2025. Acotral maintains its brand identity, fleet operations, and leadership team (including Director General Ángel González Rubio, IRU Best Transport Manager 2019) within the group, contributing specialized FTL and refrigerated capabilities while accessing Ontime's parcel, pallet, courier, and warehousing services for cross-selling into enterprise accounts.

Name

Acotral

Legal name

COMPAÑÍA LOGÍSTICA ACOTRAL, S.A.

Website

https://acotral.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Spanish freight transport and integrated logistics company specializing in temperature-controlled and intermodal (road/rail/sea) transport, serving major retailers — notably Mercadona since 2003 — with a 2,600-vehicle fleet across Spain, Morocco, and Europe; part of the Ontime Group since 2021.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Transportation Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Trucking (No Local) (4213)

akta.pro primary industry

Chilled / Fresh Transport (Refrigerated) (TLADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Temperature-Controlled Intermodal (Reefer Container/Trailer) (TLADAFAH), Controlled Room Temperature (CRT) Transport (15–25°C) (TLADAHAH), Intermodal Drayage & Cartage (First/Last Mile) (TLADAFAC)

Keywords

• Freight transportation services
• Refrigerated freight transport
• Intermodal logistics
• Road cargo services
• Logistics fleet management

Headquarters

HQ city

Antequera

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 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. Freight Transportation Services: B2B contracted logistics services providing full truck load (FTL) transport for major Spanish retailers and industrial clients. Revenue generated through long-term service contracts with volume-based pricing tied to kilometers traveled, cargo type, and temperature requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Acotral is a Spanish freight transportation company providing national and international road, intermodal (road/rail/sea), and temperature-controlled refrigerated transport services for enterprise customers. Operating a fleet of over 2,600 vehicles and 3,600 employees, the company handles approximately 6,000 daily services covering 14 million kilometers monthly, with specialized capabilities in cold chain integrity and intermodal logistics for islands and cross-border deliveries.

Product overview

Acotral is a Spanish logistics and transportation company offering a comprehensive portfolio of freight services. The core offerings consist of Servicios de Carretera (road transport) and Servicios Intermodal (multimodal transport combining road, rail, and sea), supported by specialized refrigerated transport services. The company operates as an integrated logistics provider offering full truckload (carga completa), groupage (grupaje), parcel and pallet delivery (paquetería y paletería), and warehousing (almacenamiento) services. Acotral maintains a high-quality management framework branded as 'Gestión de Alta Calidad' or 'Servicio 10' to differentiate service levels, with a focus on cold chain integrity and sustainable transportation solutions. The company operates under the Ontime group following its 2021 integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Servicios de Carretera (Road Transport Services) Comprehensive road freight transportation services operating 24/7, 365 days a year, including full truckload (FTL) transport, distribution, and specialized refrigerated transport with a fleet of over 2,600 vehicles. Targeted at enterprise clients such as major retailers and industrial manufacturers.
• Servicios Intermodal (Intermodal Transport Services) Combined transport services integrating road, rail, and sea transportation. Acotral manages approximately 15,000 cargo loads annually to the Canary Islands and 16,000 to the Balearic Islands through intermodal solutions. Designed for clients requiring efficient delivery to islands and international destinations.
• Transporte Frigorífico (Refrigerated Transport) Temperature-controlled freight transport specializing in maintaining cold chain integrity. Acotral operates refrigerated vehicles equipped with advanced cooling systems including Thermo King's Axle Power technology for emission-free electric operation. Targeted at food retailers and other clients requiring cold chain logistics.
• Gestión de Alta Calidad (High-Quality Management Services) High-quality management services ensuring merchandise condition during transport, including proper pre-cooling, temperature control, pallet placement, and equipment maintenance protocols branded as 'Servicio 10' for premium service delivery. Targeted at enterprise clients requiring differentiated service-level commitments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 million kilometers traveled monthly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• Thermo KingcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2023Thermo King Axle Power system installed on trailers to recover kinetic energy from axle motion and convert it to electrical power for refrigeration units. Partnership enables electric-powered cold transport without emissions.
• FrigicollcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2023Official Thermo King distributor in Spain providing Axle Power system distribution and support services for Acotral fleet.
• BPWsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Axle Power system development, providing axle components for energy recovery integration.
• ScaniacoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-term partnership for truck supply including LNG, plug-in hybrid, and conventional diesel vehicles. Joint development of platooning technology and EMS70 megatruck testing in Spain.
• LecitrailersupportingTechnology or IntegrationTrailer manufacturer partnership for EMS70 (31.75m, 70-tonne) megatruck testing and development.
• MANsupportingTechnology or IntegrationElectric truck testing partnership for TGM 26-ton rigid electric vehicle evaluation for urban distribution.
• Grupo SoledadsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTire supplier partnership for fleet maintenance, providing tire management services for company vehicles.
• OntimeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegration into Ontime Group in 2021 created largest Spanish integral logistics group with capital entirely Spanish. Acotral maintains brand identity while sharing best practices and cross-selling services within group.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ontime: Acotral's parent group and the largest Spanish-capital integrated logistics platform, providing parcel, pallet, and warehouse services. Directly comparable as a sister/parent operation in the same domestic logistics market with overlapping B2B retail and enterprise customers.
• Dachser: German-headquartered global logistics provider with a major European Food Logistics (refrigerated road freight) division. Comparable in operating refrigerated full-truckload networks for retail and food customers across Europe, overlapping directly with Acotral's core cold-chain offering.
• STEF: French-listed European specialist in temperature-controlled food logistics (road transport and refrigerated warehousing). Highly comparable as a focused cold-chain operator serving retail and food-industry customers with multi-temperature capability similar to Acotral's Axle Power/multi-temperature fleet.
• ID Logistics: French-listed contract logistics operator with strong European retail and FMCG customer base, including dedicated transport and warehousing solutions. Comparable as a B2B logistics partner for large retailers, operating dedicated fleets and shared distribution platforms across Southern Europe.
• Logista: Spanish-listed distributor of tobacco, convenience goods, and pharmaceuticals with a national last-mile and transport network. Comparable as a Spain-focused B2B distribution and transport platform serving large retail accounts, with overlapping Iberian customer base.
• SEUR: Spanish parcel and e-commerce courier (part of Geodis). Comparable as a domestic Spanish B2B/B2C logistics operator with national delegation network, overlapping in customer segments (large retailers) and competing for last-mile and time-sensitive delivery contracts.

Broad incumbents

• XPO Logistics: Major US-listed road-freight and contract-logistics platform with significant European less-than-truckload and truckload operations. Comparable as a large-scale European road-freight incumbent competing for retail and industrial freight contracts, though broader and not cold-chain specialized.
• Geodis: French global logistics provider (part of SNCF Group) with road, parcel, contract logistics and freight forwarding. Comparable as a large European road-freight and contract-logistics incumbent, particularly via its SEUR Spanish parcel operation, competing in the same customer segments as Acotral.
• DSV: Danish global transport and logistics group (DSV Road, DSV Air & Sea, DSV Solutions). Comparable as a pan-European road-freight competitor with growing Iberian presence, though broader in scope and not specialized in refrigerated retail transport.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Swiss global logistics group with one of the world's largest road-freight and contract-logistics networks. Comparable as a major European road-freight incumbent serving retail and industrial customers, though predominantly asset-light and less specialized in refrigerated FTL than Acotral.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/acotral
• Xx.com/acotral

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Acotral