Matus International
Matus International is a US-Central America logistics company that ships vehicles from US auctions to importers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica, offering end-to-end services including dealer license access, ocean freight, customs clearance, and crane pickup across 52 US states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersFlorida, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Matus International does
Matus International is a US-incorporated, family-owned logistics company that connects US automotive auction markets with vehicle importers across Central America. Founded in 1994 in Inglewood, California, originally as Flying Machine Cargo, the company was rebranded under the Matus family and has operated for more than 20 years under second-generation CEO Allan Matus. Its primary customers are professional and semi-professional vehicle importers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica who lack direct US dealer access and require end-to-end support: auction sourcing, US-side pickup, ocean freight, customs clearance, and final-mile delivery. The company operates seven physical offices (three US ports — Long Beach, Miami, Philadelphia — and four Central American destinations) and reports cumulative shipments of more than 125,000 vehicles over its operating history, with weekly ocean departures and crane/towing coverage from over 300 US auction locations.
The product portfolio is anchored by maritime vehicle shipping and supplemented by a US crane and towing network, a Class A dealer license program providing access to Copart, IAAI, ADESA, Manheim, and Ritchie Bros. auctions, general cargo and household goods shipping, customs brokerage, bonded warehousing, and the Club Matus importer loyalty program. Underlying technology includes the Matus Tracking real-time shipment visibility application, dealer account systems, and integrations with vehicle data providers Carfax, AutoCheck, and BidCars. The platform architecture is operational rather than technology-led: the proprietary moat is the physical and regulatory infrastructure (dealer licenses, port offices, crane fleet, customs relationships) rather than software IP.
Matus generates revenue primarily through per-shipment transaction fees on vehicle and general cargo logistics, supplemented by professional services revenue from dealer account access, purchase advisory, and crane/towing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market combines direct field sales through regional offices, WhatsApp-based customer acquisition (the primary digital touchpoint across Central America), and channel partnerships with US auction platforms — most prominently the June 2026 IAA Market Alliance that designates Matus as IAA's official El Salvador representative. The customer base is fragmented (long tail of SMB and individual importers), with content marketing, social media, and the Club Matus community program serving as mid-funnel engagement channels.
Matus International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Matus International
- Legal name
- Matus International Inc.
- Website
- https://matusintl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Matus International is a US-Central America logistics company that ships vehicles from US auctions to importers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica, offering end-to-end services including dealer license access, ocean freight, customs clearance, and crane pickup across 52 US states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Matus International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Vehicle Shipping Logistics
- NAICS
- Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Vehicle Shipping & Import Assistance (HSAKACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Vehicle Shipping & Export (RoRo/Container) (HSAKAFAJ), Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
Keywords
Where Matus International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Florida
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Matus International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vehicle Shipping and Freight Forwarding: Core logistics revenue from shipping vehicles from US ports (California, Florida, Philadelphia) to Central American destinations. Includes ocean freight, documentation handling, customs clearance, and delivery services. Revenue is transaction-based per vehicle or shipment.
- Dealer Account Services: Fee-based dealer account services providing access to exclusive auctions, lower buyer fees via Class A license, and purchase advisory support for importers.
- Crane/Towing Services in the US: Pickup and towing services from US auction sites and other locations across 52 states and 300+ auction locations, facilitating vehicle collection as part of the end-to-end logistics service.
- General Cargo Shipping: Shipping of general merchandise and household goods (menaje de casa) in addition to vehicles, expanding service offerings to existing customer base.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quote-based service model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Matus International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Matus International provides international maritime shipping of vehicles from three US ports (Long Beach, Miami/Medley, Philadelphia) to Central American destinations, with weekly departures, end-to-end crane pickup from 300+ US auction locations, customs clearance, and bonded warehouse handling. The company also operates a Class A dealer license service that grants importers access to major US vehicle auctions (Copart, IAAI, ADESA, Manheim, Ritchie Bros.) at preferential fees, along with general cargo shipping and household goods relocation as complementary offerings.
Product overview
Matus International is a logistics and vehicle importation company operating a multi-service portfolio that connects US automotive markets with Central American buyers. Its core offering is vehicle maritime shipping, supported by crane/towing services across 52 US states and a dealer license program (Matus Dealer) providing access to major US vehicle auctions (Copart, IAAI, ADESA, Manheim, Ritchie Bros.). The company complements these with general cargo shipping, customs clearance and bonded warehousing, household goods moving, and a dedicated customer support operation. The portfolio is unified under the Matus International brand, with an active loyalty and education program (Club Matus) for active importers. The company maintains operational hubs in US ports (Long Beach, Miami, Philadelphia) and Central American offices (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vehicle Maritime Shipping Service International maritime transport of vehicles from US ports (California, Philadelphia, Florida) to Central America and the Caribbean, with weekly departures and real-time tracking, for importers requiring end-to-end ocean freight.
- Crane/Towing Service in the United States
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully shipped over 125,000 vehicles to Central American importers over 20+ years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Matus International
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Matus International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature3 records
Matus International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- IAA (Insurance Auto Auctions) / RB GlobalflagshipMatus International was selected by IAA (a subsidiary of RB Global, a world leader in physical and digital vehicle auctions) as the Official Market Alliance partner for El Salvador. The partnership establishes an IAA Market Alliance Center in San Salvador, enabling Salvadoran importers to access IAA's global digital vehicle marketplace with local support including registration, bidding, logistics, and delivery. The inauguration event 'The Next Auction Era' was held June 25, 2026. CEO Allan Matus and IAA Global Market Development Manager Trent Haines participated in the launch ceremony. This represents a flagship strategic partnership integrating Matus's logistics expertise with IAA's auction platform.
- CopartcoreMatus International operates as a registered Copart broker, facilitating vehicle purchases at Copart auctions for import clients. The dealer license enables access to Copart's extensive inventory of salvaged and used vehicles, with Matus providing purchase coordination and export logistics.
- IAAI (Insurance Auto Auctions)coreMatus International is an authorized IAA buyer, accessing IAAI's vehicle inventory for import clients. Through the Market Alliance partnership, this access is expanded with dedicated local support in El Salvador. IAAI focuses primarily on insurer-titled vehicles including damaged and recoverable units.
- ADESAcoreMatus International provides dealer access to ADESA auctions, a major US auction platform specializing in used vehicles for dealerships and automotive sector buyers. ADESA offers broader vehicle condition diversity compared to insurer-focused platforms.
- ManheimcoreMatus International offers access to Manheim auctions, a dealer-oriented auction network with inventory of used vehicles in generally better overall condition. Manheim serves as a key sourcing platform for quality-focused import buyers.
- Ritchie Bros.minorMatus International provides access to Ritchie Bros. auctions, a platform specializing in commercial equipment, heavy machinery, and commercial vehicles with an industrial focus. Relevant for importers seeking commercial fleet or work vehicles.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Matus International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Easy Auto Ship: Vehicle shipping broker arranging both domestic US auto transport and international shipping including to Central and South America. Direct overlap with Matus in serving individual importers and SMBs relocating or exporting vehicles across borders.
- Montway Auto Transport: US-based auto transport broker that ships vehicles nationally and internationally, including to Latin America. Similar transaction-fee revenue model and importer/SMB customer base as Matus, though with broader US-domestic concentration.
- A-1 Auto Transport: US vehicle shipping broker offering domestic and international transport of cars, motorcycles, and household goods. Comparable to Matus in arranging door-to-door vehicle transport across borders with fee-based pricing on each shipment.
- Schumacher Cargo Logistics: US-based freight forwarder and logistics company that arranges international vehicle shipping and household goods transport, often for Latin American importers. Closely matches Matus's combination of auction access, ocean freight, and end-to-end import handling for Central and South American destinations.
Broad incumbents
- Wallenius Wilhelmsen: Global leader in ocean RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) vehicle shipping, operating vessels that carry finished vehicles, heavy machinery, and breakbulk cargo across trade lanes including the Americas. A large incumbent ocean carrier that competes for the same vehicle export flows Matus arranges, at the carrier-rather-than-freight-forwarder level.
- Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest global freight forwarders with significant automotive logistics capabilities, including ocean vehicle shipping and cross-border customs services. A broad incumbent serving similar cross-border automotive supply chains though not specializing in the dealer-license/auction-access niche Matus occupies.
- CEVA Logistics: Global third-party logistics provider owned by CMA CGM, with dedicated Finished Vehicle Logistics and Freight Management offerings covering ocean vehicle shipping and cross-border forwarding. Overlaps with Matus on international vehicle movement, though at a much larger scale and broader customer base.
- DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding and ocean logistics arm of Deutsche Post DHL, with automotive and vehicle shipping verticals. Competes with Matus for large cross-border vehicle moves but lacks the dealer license and Central American importer go-to-market specialization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Matus International social profiles
Digital presenceMatus International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Matus International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Matus International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Matus 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 Matus International
What does Matus International do?
Matus International provides international maritime shipping of vehicles from three US ports (Long Beach, Miami/Medley, Philadelphia) to Central American destinations, with weekly departures, end-to-end crane pickup from 300+ US auction locations, customs clearance, and bonded warehouse handling. The company also operates a Class A dealer license service that grants importers access to major US vehicle auctions (Copart, IAAI, ADESA, Manheim, Ritchie Bros.) at preferential fees, along with general cargo shipping and household goods relocation as complementary offerings.
Is Matus International a public or private company?
Matus International is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Matus International founded?
Matus International was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Matus International based?
Matus International is headquartered in Florida, United States, in the North America region.
How does Matus International make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Shipping and Freight Forwarding is the primary driver. The others are dealer Account Services, crane/Towing Services in the US and general Cargo Shipping.
Who are Matus International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Easy Auto Ship, Montway Auto Transport, A-1 Auto Transport and Schumacher Cargo Logistics. Broad incumbents are Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Kuehne+Nagel, CEVA Logistics and DHL Global Forwarding.
Does Matus International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Matus International.
What industry is Matus International in?
Matus International's product category is International Vehicle Shipping Logistics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKACAJ, International Vehicle Shipping & Import Assistance, with a secondary code of HSAKAFAJ, International Vehicle Shipping & Export (RoRo/Container). Its NAICS code is 483111 and its SIC code is 4731.