ECS
ECS is a family-owned freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982, providing multi-modal international shipping (ocean, air, trucking, project cargo, warehousing) between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean via quote-based transactional services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersTotowa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ECS does
ECS is a family-owned freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982 and headquartered in Totowa, New Jersey. The company provides multi-modal international shipping services — Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Trucking, Project Cargo, Line Agent, and Warehouse & Distribution — across three primary trade lanes: North America–Europe, US–Caribbean, and intra-Caribbean. Its core technology stack is light: ECS relies on Descartes Systems Group's hosted Track & Trace platform (track.ies.descartes.com) for shipment visibility, supplemented by informational tools (freight calculator, container dimensions reference, Incoterms guide, glossary) on its Wix-based website (ecs.one).
The business operates on a transactional, quote-based revenue model. Customers request rates via a toll-free phone line (+1-800-ECS-2888), email, or website contact forms — no public pricing exists. Revenue streams derive from freight forwarding fees tied to shipment volume, weight, and destination; warehousing and distribution fees tied to storage duration and handling complexity; and professional services for complex project cargo management. Customer segmentation is geographic (US-Europe, Caribbean) plus a use-case segment (oversized/project cargo), with no disclosed enterprise logos, named accounts, or institutional partnerships beyond the Descartes technology integration. The company is led by founder and CEO Michel Fuchs and has operated continuously without disclosed institutional investment, M&A activity, or leadership transitions.
ECS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ECS
- Legal name
- ECS Express Consolidation Systems Corp
- Website
- https://ecs-shipping.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ECS is a family-owned freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982, providing multi-modal international shipping (ocean, air, trucking, project cargo, warehousing) between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean via quote-based transactional services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ECS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Freight Forwarding Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Air Transportation (481)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)
- akta.pro industry
- Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF)Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)
Keywords
Where ECS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Totowa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
ECS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services: ECS generates revenue through comprehensive freight forwarding services including ocean freight, air freight, trucking, and project cargo. Revenue is transactional based on shipment volume, weight, destination, and service requirements.
- Logistics Services: Additional revenue from warehousing, distribution, and Line Agent services. Pricing based on storage duration, handling requirements, and distribution complexity.
- Professional Services: Consultation and project cargo management services for specialized logistics requirements, generating service-based fees.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
ECS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ECS provides international freight forwarding and logistics services as a non-vessel-operating common carrier. Its core services include ocean and air freight consolidation, project and oversized cargo handling, inland trucking, and warehouse & distribution across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean trade lanes.
Product overview
ECS is a family-owned freight forwarding and logistics company founded in 1982, offering a comprehensive suite of transportation and logistics services. The portfolio includes core freight services (Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Trucking, Line Agent, Project Cargo, and Warehouse & Distribution) complemented by customer-facing digital tools (Calculator, Container Dimensions, Incoterms, Glossary, FAQ, Payment Options, and Track & Trace). The company operates routes between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ocean Freight Consolidation Consolidated ocean freight forwarding service for shippers moving cargo between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, including documentation and routing.
- Air Freight Air freight forwarding service for time-sensitive shipments between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
- Project Cargo Specialized handling of oversized, heavy, or complex project shipments requiring dedicated coordination, equipment, and routing between North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
- Trucking Inland trucking service providing pickup and delivery to support ocean and air freight movements.
- Warehouse & Distribution Warehousing and distribution service supporting consolidation, deconsolidation, and storage of cargo moving through ECS's network.
- Line Agent Services Line agency services representing ocean carriers and shipping lines in ports across ECS's network.
Companies that use ECS
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ECS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
ECS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ECS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AIT Worldwide Logistics: US-headquartered, privately held multi-modal freight forwarder offering ocean, air, truck, warehousing, and project cargo across global trade lanes. Highly comparable to ECS in service mix and family/private ownership profile, though materially larger in scale.
- BDP International: Privately held US-based global freight forwarder and customs broker with strong project cargo and化学品 capability. Closely mirrors ECS's combination of forwarding, customs, and project cargo services for enterprise shippers.
- Phoenix International Freight Services: US-headquartered non-asset-based freight forwarder providing ocean, air, trucking, and logistics services internationally. Comparable mid-sized private forwarder with similar multi-modal, project, and consolidation offerings.
- Trans-Border Global: Small US-based international freight forwarder providing ocean, air, and trucking services with a strong US–Europe lane focus — directly comparable to ECS's transatlantic specialization and trade-lane concentration.
Broad incumbents
- Expeditors International: Top-tier global asset-light freight forwarder with deep ocean, air, and customs capabilities across virtually every trade lane. Operates at vastly larger scale than ECS and represents both competitive pressure and aspirational benchmark.
- Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with full ocean, air, contract logistics, and overland coverage. Defines the competitive ceiling ECS faces and competes for the same enterprise forwarding RFPs.
- C.H. Robinson: Major North American freight broker and global forwarder with technology-led platform (Navisphere). Competes with ECS for SMB and mid-market shippers and sets the benchmark for digital freight capabilities ECS currently lacks.
- Hub Group: US-based asset-light supply chain and logistics provider with intermodal, truck brokerage, and global forwarding. Overlaps with ECS's trucking and intercontinental forwarding offerings while operating at substantially larger scale.
Regional players
- Dachser: Family-owned European-headquartered logistics provider combining road, air, and ocean freight forwarding with contract logistics. Comparable privately held, family-led model with multi-modal European focus relevant to ECS's US–Europe lane.
Emerging players
- Flexport: Technology-led digital freight forwarder targeting shippers with transparent pricing, instant quoting, and platform-based booking. Represents the digital-native disruption that threatens ECS's traditional high-touch sales motion.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ECS social profiles
Digital presenceECS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ECS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ECS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ECS 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 ECS
What does ECS do?
ECS provides international freight forwarding and logistics services as a non-vessel-operating common carrier. Its core services include ocean and air freight consolidation, project and oversized cargo handling, inland trucking, and warehouse & distribution across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean trade lanes.
Is ECS a public or private company?
ECS is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was ECS founded?
ECS was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ECS based?
ECS is headquartered in Totowa, United States, in the North America region.
How does ECS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services are the primary driver. The others are logistics Services and professional Services.
Who are ECS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AIT Worldwide Logistics, BDP International, Phoenix International Freight Services and Trans-Border Global. Broad incumbents are Expeditors International, Kuehne+Nagel, C.H. Robinson and Hub Group. Dachser is listed as a regional player. Flexport is listed as an emerging player.
Does ECS have an API?
No public API is recorded for ECS.
What industry is ECS in?
ECS's product category is Freight Forwarding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAE, Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.