Strong & Herd

What Strong & Herd does

Strong & Herd LLP is a UK-based Limited Liability Partnership founded in 1995 and headquartered in Manchester, providing specialist training, consultancy, and outsourced services for businesses engaged in international trade. The firm addresses the post-Brexit and ongoing customs-regulatory environment by delivering practical export, import, and customs compliance education to importers, exporters, and companies handling controlled goods (dual-use, ITAR, military). It operates across four product layers: (1) structured Accredited Learning Pathways from SFJ Awards (60 hours across seven modules with continuous tutor assistance), (2) modular training delivered via public classroom sessions (capped at 10 delegates), live virtual classroom, self-paced e-learning (3-hour and 5-hour modules), bespoke in-company programs, and one-to-one mentoring, (3) recurring Business Support including the OneCall™ tiered membership (email helpline, twice-monthly UK Customs and International Trade Briefings, training discounts), 12-month Business Support Packages, and outsourced Shipping Office Services, and (4) fee-based Consultancy covering Company Audits/Health Checks, Customs Compliance Reviews, Export Control Reviews, Special Procedure applications (Customs Warehousing, Inward Processing Relief, Transit, OPR), and Export Development Services. The firm's underlying technology is a modest self-serve online training portal (training.strongandherd.co.uk) with bite-sized modules, mobile access, and a 12-question assessment, supplemented by an A-Z trade glossary functioning as SEO/content asset.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across five streams: professional-services course fees (per-delegate public pricing with member discounts), recurring subscriptions (OneCall™ annual tiers; OneCall Plus with face-to-face and remote project work), managed services (12-month bespoke outsourcing engagements), per-project consultancy, and ad-hoc Shipping Office Services. Multi-channel distribution combines direct online self-serve, enterprise field sales, partner resale via Croner (Kaplan/Hawksmere), RBS NatWest venue hosting, and SFJ Awards-certified formal pathways. Strategic partnerships with HMRC (content co-development and approval), ICC UK (official Incoterms 2020 trainer), BEXA, BCC, and the Institute of Export & International Trade (CPD accreditation) anchor credibility. The firm serves clients from SMEs to multinationals across eleven verticals — Aerospace Defence & Security, Automotive, Chemical & Pharmaceutical, Electronics/Computers/Telecommunications, Energy & Environment, Engineering & Manufacture, Food & Drink, Healthcare & Medical, Packaging & Logistics, Retail & High Street, and Textiles & Footwear — with named enterprise customers including BAE Systems, Bentley Motors, AstraZeneca, Siemens, DHL, Tesco, GlaxoSmithKline, Nissan NMUK, John Lewis Partnership, Boots Healthcare, and Estee Lauder.

Name

Strong & Herd

Legal name

Strong & Herd LLP

Website

https://strongandherd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strong & Herd LLP is a UK (Manchester) specialist firm providing international trade training, customs compliance consultancy, and outsourced shipping-office services to importers, exporters, and multinationals across eleven regulated industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Trade Training and Consultancy

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Logistics, Warehousing & Distribution (EDABALAR)

akta.pro secondary industries

Procurement Helpdesk & Stakeholder Support (BPAAAJAD), Supply Chain, Inventory & S&OP Operations Improvement (EDABAKAJ)

Keywords

• Customs compliance training
• International trade consultancy
• Export import training
• Customs declaration services
• Trade compliance advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Courses: Public training courses, online e-learning, virtual classroom, face-to-face, and in-house training delivered by experienced, accredited specialist tutors. Revenue generated through course fees per delegate with member discounts available.
2. OneCall Membership Packages: Three-tier membership packages (OneCall Level 1, 2, 3) providing helpline access, email support, UK Customs and International Trade Briefings, discounts on training courses, and access to members' resources area.
3. Business Support Packages: Bespoke business support solutions outsourced to clients, typically running for 12 months, including staff upskilling, training, and ongoing project support.
4. Shipping Office Services: Outsourced shipping department function handling transport negotiations, logistics instructions, HMRC compliance, customs duty relief procedures, export licence management, and day-to-day international freight movements.
5. Consultancy Services: Customs compliance reviews, company audits, health checks, export control reviews, and special procedure applications (Customs Warehousing, Inward Processing, Transit, Temporary Storage).
6. Export Development Services: Market scoping, export strategy development, agent/distributor management guidance, and export market analysis services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Strong & Herd LLP delivers practical training, consultancy, and outsourced business support for UK and international businesses engaged in import, export, and customs compliance. Offerings include public and online training courses, bespoke in-house training, OneCall membership helpline support, customs compliance audits, export control reviews, special procedure applications, and shipping office outsourcing.

Product overview

Strong & Herd™ LLP is a UK-based training and consultancy firm founded in 1995, offering a comprehensive portfolio of international trade education and support services. The company operates a multi-product model consisting of: (1) Accredited Learning Pathways accredited by SFJ Awards, offering five structured 60-hour learning routes for professionals in customs declarations, export/import operations, regulations, export licensing, and food trade; (2) Training delivery via Public Training Courses (face-to-face and virtual classroom), Online Training Courses (e-learning with 3-hour and 5-hour modules), In-House Training, and One-to-One Training; (3) Business Support including OneCall™ Membership (helpline, briefings, resources), Business Support Packages, and Shipping Office Services; (4) Consultancy services covering Company Audit/Health Check, Customs Compliance Review, Export Control Review, Special Procedure Application, and Export Development Services. The company also offers specific course categories in Customs Procedures, Export Procedures, Import Procedures, Export Controls, Origin & Preference, and Incoterms Training. All offerings are delivered by experienced specialist tutors with practical international trade experience, and the company maintains strategic partnerships with industry bodies including BEXA, ICC, Croner, HMRC, BCC, and IOE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OneCall™: Business support helpline membership package providing email support, UK Customs and International Trade Briefings, and access to expert advisors for import/export queries
• CDS Community™
• FIRST™

Products and services

• Accredited Learning Pathways Five structured learning routes accredited by SFJ Awards, offering 60 hours of guided instruction across seven modules with continuous tutor assistance. Pathways cover Practical Customs Declaration Specialist, Practical Export and Import Practitioner, Practical Customs Regulations and Compliance, Practical Export Licensing Controls, and Practical Food: International Trade Procedures. Includes a 12-question assessment with 80% pass mark.
• OneCall Membership Three-tier subscription membership (Level 1, 2, 3/Plus) providing email helpline access to import, export, and customs specialists Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, twice-monthly UK Customs and International Trade Briefings, member discounts on public training courses (£70 per delegate), and access to the members' online resources area.
• Public Training Courses Open-enrolment export and import training courses delivered face-to-face (limited to 10 delegates) or via virtual classroom, covering customs compliance, documentation, logistics, Incoterms, USA ITAR, Inward Processing Relief, and Origin and Preference. Includes refreshments, course notes, and Certificate of Attendance.
• Online Training Courses (E-Learning) Self-paced e-learning platform with 11 modules covering introduction to trade, business responsibilities, export/import customs declarations, valuation, commodity codes, customs procedure codes, export/import licensing controls, duty relief schemes, rules of origin, and customs simplified procedures. Includes a 3-hour and 5-hour Customs Declaration Awareness Training option. Accessible 24/7 via computer, smartphone, or tablet.
• In-House Training Bespoke international trade training tailored to individual company needs, delivered at client premises, S&H training room in Manchester, or via virtual learning platform. Cost-effective for groups of 3+ delegates and offered as bespoke courses, presentation/workshops, one-to-one mentoring, procedural healthchecks, and customs audit compliance checks.
• One-to-One Training Interactive concentrated training sessions (maximum 3 delegates) for assessing knowledge and confirming basic understanding of import and export disciplines, held at client site or S&H Manchester premises, with variable duration from 2 hours to a full day.
• Business Support Packages Bespoke outsourced business support solutions typically running for 12 months, allowing clients to delegate customs authorisations (Customs Warehousing, Inward Processing, Transit, Temporary Storage), non-compliance resolution, and temporary staff support. Includes OneCall helpline integration and staff upskilling as a cost-effective alternative to hiring in-house experts.
• Shipping Office Services Outsourced shipping department function handling transport negotiations, logistics instructions, HMRC compliance, customs duty relief procedures, export licence management, and day-to-day international freight movements on a short-term, long-term (12 months), or specific job basis.
• Company Audit / Health Check Customs compliance healthchecks and audit services including inspection of international trade procedures and documentary records, detailed compliance reports, and guidance on corrective action plans. Typically delivered via 12-month agreements with pre-audits and re-audits.
• Customs Compliance Review Customs compliance consultancy addressing export regulations, import procedures, customs planning, and customs duty management. Covers VAT regulations, Incoterms, tariff classification, origin rules, valuation declarations, and UK/USA export controls including ITAR and dual-use regulations.
• Export Control Review Export control consultancy including risk assessment, team training sessions, internal procedures development with flow diagrams and checklists, compliance action plans, and annual external audits by customs and export control auditors.
• Special Procedure Application Assistance with Special Procedure applications including Inward Processing, Outward Processing, Customs Warehousing, Free Zones, Transit, End-Use, and Temporary Admissions under the UK Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Act 2018, including application form guidance (SP1-SP5, CFSP Forms C & E48).
• Export Development Services

Quantifiable outcome

• HMRC authorisation granted without difficulties for clients receiving Customs Warehouse application support
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The British Exporters Association (BEXA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance ensuring total satisfaction and approved content for training courses. BEXA provides access to industry expertise and networking for UK exporters.
• The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by ICC UK as official trainer for Incoterms 2020 Rules. Alliance ensures factual legislative training courses with approved content.
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect access to first-hand updates from HMRC regulators. Training content developed in collaboration with HMRC and approved by HMRC for customs declaration training.
• The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance ensures approved content. S&H accredited by IOE to issue Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points on training courses.
• British Chambers of Commerce (BCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance ensures total satisfaction and approved content. Access to Chamber of Commerce for certificate of origin endorsements.
• Croner (Kaplan/Hawksmere)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation with specially selected experienced training providers to extend scope of training courses available. S&H courses hosted on Croner platform.
• SFJ AwardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearning pathways accredited by SFJ Awards, a nationally recognised awarding body. Five different learning routes with formal certification.
• RBS NatWestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining courses operated in association with RBS NatWest located at bank premises in the UK for venue hire.
• SGSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPre-shipment inspection organisation referenced for quality assurance in trade processes.
• Lloyd's Register Business AssuranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining courses for business offered through Lloyd's Register providing additional training options for clients.
• Oceanic ResourcesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational trade recruitment services recommended for companies seeking to hire trade compliance professionals.
• The Outsourcing InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organisation for business process outsourcing. S&H is a member providing credibility for their outsourcing services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Customs Support Group: European customs broker and trade compliance consultancy operating across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable to Strong & Herd's customs compliance, special procedure applications, and managed shipping office services for businesses engaged in cross-border trade.
• AEB International: European provider of global trade compliance software and consulting covering customs, export controls, and trade documentation. Closely comparable to Strong & Herd's customs compliance and export control consulting, though with stronger software-led delivery.
• British Chambers of Commerce: National chamber network issuing certificates of origin and running export documentation and training services through accredited chambers. Overlaps directly with Strong & Herd's export procedures courses and certificate-of-origin-related support.
• British Exporters Association (BEXA): UK trade association representing exporters and providing training, networking, and policy advocacy. BEXA is both an S&H alliance partner and a peer offering training and membership services to the same UK exporter customer base.
• Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE/IOEIT): UK professional body awarding export-related qualifications and CPD points. IOE is both a partner (CPD accreditation) and a direct competitor delivering export training, certifications, and international trade practitioner pathways that overlap Strong & Herd's SFJ Awards Learning Pathways.
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK): UK professional body for logistics, transport and supply chain offering qualifications, CPD, and training. CILT's supply chain and international trade curricula compete for the same enterprise training budgets as Strong & Herd's logistics and customs programmes.
• Croner (Wolters Kluwer): UK-based compliance, HR, tax and customs information and training provider under Wolters Kluwer. Strong & Herd and Croner compete directly for the same UK import/export training and consultancy budgets, including HMRC-aligned customs content.

Broad incumbents

• DHL Global Forwarding (Customs Services): Global freight forwarder with dedicated customs brokerage and trade advisory services. DHL is both an enterprise client of Strong & Herd (in-house training) and a broad incumbent competitor in customs compliance and outsourced shipping services.
• Kuehne+Nagel (Customs Services): One of the world's largest logistics providers offering customs brokerage, trade compliance consulting, and managed services. Overlaps with S&H's customs compliance and shipping office services but as part of a much broader global freight forwarding portfolio.

Regional players

• Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg: US-based international trade and customs law firm offering trade compliance training, consulting, and software. Operates in a different primary geography but is comparable in service mix (customs compliance, export controls, training) and a useful benchmark for transatlantic trade compliance advisory peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Strongherdllp

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Strong & Herd