Kristal

What Kristal does

Kristal (legal entity: bvba KRISTAL, VAT BE0453.812.916) is a privately held Belgian freight forwarding agent that has specialized in logistics for exhibitions, trade shows, and conferences since its founding in 1994. Operating from a 1,000 m² warehouse and offices in Steenokkerzeel, adjacent to Brussels Airport, the company provides end-to-end logistics management covering transport (air, sea, road), customs clearance, temporary warehousing, on-site handling with specialized equipment (forklifts, cranes, scissor lifts), packing and unpacking, and return shipping. Its offering is branded as a single "Expo-Logistics" service, configurable across sub-services for two primary customer segments: event organizers (general coordination, conference bag reception and stuffing, distribution for group registrations, preparatory site visits, and timetable creation) and exhibitors (transportation, customs formalities, on-site handling, storage of handout materials, return shipping, and empty-packaging storage).

The business model is transaction-fee based and quote-driven. Kristal does not publish standard pricing; customers request quotations through the corporate website or via direct phone and email contact, and services are selected from the full package to fit each shipment. Kristal operates a direct B2B go-to-market from Belgium but executes global events through a wide international agent network that handles local on-site coordination abroad. The trilingual website (Dutch, French, English) supports inbound international demand, and the documented 2026 exhibition calendar spans Singapore, London, Milan, Paris, Boston, Bamberg, Munich, Vigo, and additional European cities across medical, scientific, seafood, and food-industry verticals.

Technically, Kristal is a traditional services business. No proprietary software platform, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or trademarks are disclosed. Its primary technology dependency is the CashflowByWeb electronic invoicing and debtor-management platform from The Invoice Managers bvba, used for billing and accounts-receivable follow-up. The company has not raised external funding, is not owned by private equity or venture capital, has no subsidiaries, and operates as an independent, founder/owner-managed bvba led by General Manager Lieve Myvis with a small team (1–10 employees) supported by a logistics manager, exhibition manager, exhibition coordinator, and junior coordinator.

Name

Kristal

Legal name

bvba KRISTAL

Website

https://kristal-logistics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kristal is a Belgian freight forwarding agent specializing in end-to-end logistics for exhibitions, trade shows, and conferences worldwide. Founded in 1994 and based near Brussels Airport, the company serves event organizers and exhibitors through a global agent network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Exhibition Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Show, Exhibit & Event Logistics Moving (HSAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Exhibition logistics services
• Freight forwarding
• Trade show logistics
• Event transportation
• Customs clearance

Headquarters

HQ city

Machelen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Kristal acts as a commissionnaire-expéditeur (freight forwarding agent) providing logistics services for exhibition goods. Revenue is generated through fees for transport (air, sea, road), warehousing, customs clearance, on-site handling, packing/unpacking, and coordination services. Pricing is quote-based, tailored to each customer's specific logistics requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Kristal provides end-to-end logistics management for exhibitions, trade shows, fairs, and conferences worldwide. Services include air, sea, and road transport, customs clearance, temporary warehousing in a 1,000 m² facility near Brussels Airport, on-site handling with specialized equipment, and coordination services for both event organizers and exhibitors. Customers select a tailored package of services from Kristal's complete logistics menu, delivered with the support of an international agent network.

Product overview

Kristal Logistics is a single, unified expo-logistics service — not a modular software platform. Its offering is organized around one core brand (Kristal Logistics) providing end-to-end logistics for exhibitions, events, and conferences globally. The service is delivered as a configurable package in which customers select from a menu of sub-services: organizer coordination services, exhibitor services, international/national transport, customs clearance, 1,000 m² warehouse storage, on-site handling, preparatory site visits, and a quotation request tool. Services are available in Dutch, French, and English and are delivered through a global agent network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kristal Logistics Expo-Logistics Service Core end-to-end logistics management service for exhibitions, events, fairs, and conferences worldwide, covering transport (air, sea, road), customs clearance, on-site handling, warehousing, packing/unpacking, and coordination for both event organizers and exhibitors. Customers select a tailored package from Kristal's complete logistics menu.
• Organizer Services Coordination services for event organizers, including general logistics coordination, reception and stuffing of conference bags, cooperation with local forwarders, distribution of congress bags for group registrations, preparatory site visits, filtering exhibitor questions and problems, timetable creation, and logistics coordination within congress centres.
• Exhibitor Services
• International & National Transport
• Customs Clearance Services
• Warehouse & Storage
• On-Site Handling Services

Quantifiable outcome

• On-time, coordinated delivery of exhibition goods to events globally

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel: Top-tier global freight forwarder with a dedicated Events & Exhibitions logistics practice. Significantly larger and broader than Kristal, but competes for the same exhibitor forwarding budget.
• DHL Trade Fairs & Events: Global logistics giant with a dedicated Trade Fairs & Events division offering exhibition logistics. A larger incumbent competitor with broader portfolio but overlapping service set for exhibitor and organizer freight.
• Freeman Company: Major global exhibition services company providing event logistics, on-site handling and freight alongside broader event production services. Comparable in expo-logistics function though broader in scope.
• DB Schenker: Global logistics provider offering trade fair and event logistics services within its broader forwarding portfolio. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing in the same expo-logistics space.
• GES (Global Experience Specialists): Exhibition services provider offering freight, on-site handling and logistics for trade shows in North America and Europe. Comparable for expo-logistics services though broader in scope than Kristal.

Direct peers

• BTG Messe-Spedition: Dedicated trade fair forwarding company (BTG Messelogistik) serving exhibitions in Germany and internationally. Directly comparable niche specialist with similar on-site coordination model.
• Dietl International: German exhibition logistics specialist offering transport, customs, on-site handling and storage for trade shows. Closest like-for-like peer to Kristal in the European expo-forwarding niche.
• EXPOLOGISTICS: Specialist freight forwarder dedicated to trade fair, exhibition, and event logistics. Directly comparable to Kristal as a focused expo-logistics provider serving exhibitors and organizers across Europe.
• AGIL Expo Logistics: Specialist in exhibition and event logistics including transport, customs, on-site handling and warehousing at major German and European venues. Direct peer in expo-forwarding services.

Regional players

• Messe Frankfurt (Logistics Services): Global trade fair organizer that also offers official freight forwarding and on-site logistics at its own venues (e.g., Frankfurt, Shanghai). Operates partly as a venue-affiliated expo-logistics provider comparable to Kristal's service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kristal