SE Mäkinen Logistics

What SE Mäkinen Logistics does

SE Mäkinen Logistics Oy is a privately held, family-owned Finnish automotive logistics company founded in 1952 and headquartered in Vantaa, Finland. The company operates an integrated vehicle logistics platform spanning port-based terminal services, pre-delivery inspection (PDI), technical preparation, vehicle transport across Finland, the Baltic states, Scandinavia, and Russia, and roadside assistance/towing for in-use vehicle fleets. Its customer base consists primarily of global automotive manufacturers and their authorized dealer networks, including Ford (a customer since 1978 and recipient of Ford's international Q1 quality award in 2003), Volkswagen Group, Toyota, and Volvo. The company also offers branded consumer services such as AutoKuriiri (fixed-price car import from Germany via an ADAC partnership) and Transprotect (concealed premium transport for new model launches).

The company is built around proprietary operational assets that include High Capacity Transport (HCT) vehicle combinations exceeding 30 meters that carry up to 14 cars per trip, a dedicated logistics center in Vantaa built in 2009 and expanded in 2017 with a new expansion underway, and an internal logistics management system for dispatch and load planning. The portfolio has been progressively broadened through acquisitions: Avelon Autotrans (2011, adding 32 logistics professionals), Autoambulance Group (2022, adding road and towing services), and a majority stake in Jonasson Oy (2025, adding commercial vehicle outfitting under the Carsport brand). Subsidiary structure includes wholly-owned entities Autoambulance Group Oy, Autojenkuljetus SE Mäkinen Oy, and Semaster Oy. The company is led by incoming CEO Kimmo Vainio effective March 1, 2026, with Iiro Mäkinen transitioning to Chairman of the Board following a third-generation family handover.

Revenue is generated through a B2B, quote-based pricing model across six service streams: terminal services, PDI, vehicle transportation, technical services, road and towing services, and utility vehicle conversions. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting automotive manufacturers, importers, and dealer networks, supplemented by partnerships (ADAC for German imports, SOS International for roadside assistance, Michael Gröning for international factory logistics). The group operates terminals in Vantaa, Hanko, Turku, Kotka (Finland), and Paldiski (Estonia). The company remains family-controlled across three generations with no external institutional investment indicated.

Name

SE Mäkinen Logistics

Legal name

SE Mäkinen Logistics Oy

Website

https://se-makinen.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SE Mäkinen Logistics Oy is a family-owned Finnish automotive logistics company providing port terminal, pre-delivery inspection, transport, technical, towing, and vehicle conversion services to global automakers (Ford, VW, Toyota, Volvo) and dealer networks across Finland, the Baltics, and Scandinavia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vehicle Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), General Freight Trucking (4841), Warehousing and Storage (493)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLADAJAL

Cross-Border Vehicle Logistics & Customs/Compliance (VIN, Documentation)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Transportation (Air, Maritime, Rail, Trucking)/Automotive Vehicle Logistics & Car Carriers

SECONDARYTLALAKAB

Truck & Trailer Parking/Storage Yards

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/Vehicle & Equipment Storage Yards (RoRo, Parking, Laydown)

SECONDARYTLAEAKAC

Real-Time Operational Visibility & Exception Management

Transportation & Logistics/Logistics Technology & Telematics (TMS/WMS, Tracking, ELD/IoT)/Supply Chain Control Towers & Logistics Analytics

Keywords

• Vehicle logistics services
• Pre-delivery inspection
• Automotive transportation
• Car carrier services
• Terminal operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Vantaa

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 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. Terminal Services: Vehicle terminal services including storage, inspection, preparation, and delivery coordination services for imported and exported vehicles.
2. Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Services: Vehicle preparation and inspection services that grew to surpass transport operations in revenue during the 2010s, expanded to Hanko in 2015.
3. Vehicle Transportation: Car transport services in Finland, Baltic countries, and Russia, including both domestic and international logistics.
4. Technical Services: Technical work services related to vehicle preparation and equipment installation.
5. Road and Towing Services: Roadside assistance and towing services following the acquisition of Autoambulance business in 2022.
6. Utility Vehicle Conversions and Equipment: Commercial vehicle outfitting and customization services through majority ownership of Jonasson Oy (2025).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SE Mäkinen Logistics is a vehicle logistics company providing end-to-end automotive supply chain services including car transportation, pre-delivery inspection (PDI), terminal storage, technical preparation, and roadside/towing services. The company operates through proprietary logistics management systems and High Capacity Transport (HCT) vehicle combinations, serving automotive manufacturers, importers, and dealerships across Finland, the Baltic region, and Scandinavia.

Product overview

SE Mäkinen Logistics is a vehicle logistics company offering integrated services across the automotive supply chain. The core offering includes Kuljetusjärjestelmä (transport system) for managing vehicle transport operations, supplemented by Tekniset työt (technical preparation services), Terminaalipalvelut (terminal operations at Vantaa, Hanko, Turku, Kotka, and Paldiski), Hallintopalvelut (administrative services), and Hinauspalvelut (towing services). The portfolio has been expanded through acquisitions: Autoambulance Group (towing services, 2022) and Jonasson Oy/Carsport Design (commercial vehicle conversions, 2025). Notable branded services include AutoKuriiri for international transport and Transprotect for concealed delivery. The company operates proprietary operational management systems for dispatch and logistics coordination but does not offer these as standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AutoKuriiri: Transport system service for importing cars from Germany to Finland in 7-10 days
• Transprotect

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ vehicles processed annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Jonasson OycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SE Mäkinen acquired majority stake in Jonasson Oy in 2025, expanding service offering to include commercial vehicle outfitting and customization through Carsport brand.
• Autoambulance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Acquired Autoambulance business operations in 2022, expanding into road and towing services market, enabling services for the operating vehicle fleet in addition to new vehicle logistics.
• Michael Gröning GmBH & Co. KGmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Business agreement in 2018 for factory logistics specializing in Scandinavian, Baltic and Russian markets, expanding SE Mäkinen's international operations.
• Avelon Autotrans OymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2011Business acquisition in December 2011 brought 32 vehicle logistics professionals to SE Mäkinen, strengthening position as significant player in North European auto logistics market.
• Aro Vehicle Logistics OymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2011Aro Vehicle Logistics Oy business operations transferred to SE Mäkinen, expanding vehicle logistics capabilities.
• ADACminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with ADAC, Europe's largest automobile club, for car transport from Germany. Collaboration enables competitive pricing for international vehicle transport.
• SOS InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutoambulance Group partnered with SOS International for significant roadside assistance cooperation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• DSV: Danish-headquartered global freight forwarder with road, air, sea and automotive solutions, including finished-vehicle logistics. Most directly comparable Nordic incumbent offering end-to-end logistics including vehicle transport across the same geography as SE Mäkinen.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Global logistics major with a dedicated automotive finished-vehicle logistics division offering road, ocean and terminal services worldwide. Comparable through its automotive vertical, though it serves many industries beyond vehicle logistics.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Germany-headquartered global logistics provider with automotive and finished-vehicle solutions, road transport, and contract logistics. Overlaps with SE Mäkinen's auto-logistics and contract distribution offering though at much broader scale.
• DHL Group: Global logistics giant with a dedicated automotive and finished-vehicle logistics practice operating terminals and vehicle transport in Europe and globally. Comparable as a large-scale incumbent competing for the same OEM contracts as SE Mäkinen.

Regional players

• Vähälä Logistics: Finnish family-owned logistics and transport operator serving domestic and Nordic customers with general road freight and contract logistics. Comparable as a Finnish regional peer, though less focused specifically on finished-vehicle logistics.

Direct peers

• Hödlmayr International: Austrian-headquartered finished-vehicle logistics specialist operating a pan-European network of vehicle terminals, PDI facilities, and car-carrier transport, including cross-border and customs handling. Highly comparable to SE Mäkinen's port-centric, vertically integrated vehicle logistics model in Northern Europe.
• Mosolf Group: German finished-vehicle logistics provider with terminal storage, PDI/preparation, and vehicle transport services across Europe. Closely comparable to SE Mäkinen's combined terminal + transport + technical service stack serving European OEMs.
• GEFCO (CMA CGM Automotive Solutions): France-based automotive logistics specialist historically focused on finished vehicle transport and supply-chain services for European OEMs (now owned by CMA CGM). Highly comparable business model to SE Mäkinen's OEM-centric finished-vehicle logistics.
• Falck (assistance and roadside): Denmark-headquartered roadside assistance, towing, and vehicle-recovery operator with Nordic and pan-European coverage. Directly comparable to SE Mäkinen's Autoambulance subsidiary acquired in 2022.
• CAT Automotive Logistics (Lagermax Group): Austrian/German vehicle logistics specialist providing port-to-dealer transport, PDI, and technical services for international OEMs. Directly comparable in service mix to SE Mäkinen, especially on cross-border vehicle movement and PDI-heavy operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SE.MAKINEN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/se-m%C3%A4kinen-logistics-oy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 SE Mäkinen Logistics