sim cargo
sim cargo GmbH operates a European groupage logistics network serving 260+ small and medium-sized freight forwarders across 38 countries. Formed in 2020 by merging ILN and S.T.a.R., the company runs 18 regional transshipment points and a central hub enabling direct cross-border groupage transport.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSinzig, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What sim cargo does
sim cargo GmbH is a European groupage logistics network headquartered in Sinzig, Germany, operating as a cooperative platform for small and medium-sized freight forwarders. The company was formed on January 1, 2020 through the merger of two predecessor networks — ILN (International Logistic Network, founded 1998 by Hubert Staroske) and S.T.a.R. (founded 1994 by 27 medium-sized forwarders) — and serves 260+ affiliated forwarders across 38 European recipient countries. Its physical infrastructure comprises 18 regional Transshipment Points (TSPs) operated by network partners themselves, supplemented by a central hub in Homberg/Efze (6,800 sqm, 96 gates) and a wholly-owned trucking subsidiary, ST System Transport GmbH, for line-haul operations.
The core technology and product architecture centers on the TSP system, which routes groupage freight via direct TSP-to-TSP connections rather than traditional hub-and-spoke detours, with an average 50km distance from any partner depot to the nearest TSP. Supporting infrastructure includes proprietary IT systems providing real-time track & trace, online proof of delivery, system-wide financial and pallet clearing, and a Green Logistics Index for shipment-level CO2 footprint reporting. The product portfolio spans Standard Services (24/48h domestic and cross-border groupage), Premium Services (Overnight, Fix Date, Priority, Security handling), and Additional Services (cash on delivery, dangerous goods, oversized cargo, tail-lift delivery). Regional sub-brands sim cargo Austria (3 TSPs, 20+ partners) and sim cargo Ibérica (3 TSPs in Spain/Portugal via partner DECOEXSA) extend the model into adjacent markets.
sim cargo generates revenue through three streams: recurring network membership fees from system partners, transaction-based freight transportation fees across the groupage network, and line-haul revenue captured by ST System Transport GmbH. The go-to-market is channel-based — the company does not sell directly to shippers but rather recruits and onboards forwarding partners via dedicated business development teams. Ownership is private (GmbH), with cargo-partner GmbH joining as a further shareholder in Q4 2022. Strategic recent moves include the January 2024 cooperation with E.L.V.I.S. Teilladungssystem GmbH to add LTL/FTL capabilities, the 2024 completion of the Target Network IT harmonization initiative, and ongoing Iberian and Austrian geographic expansion. CEO Julian Loth leads the company, which is governed in part by an advisory council elected from among the system partners.
sim cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- sim cargo
- Legal name
- sim cargo GmbH
- Website
- https://simcargo.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- sim cargo GmbH operates a European groupage logistics network serving 260+ small and medium-sized freight forwarders across 38 countries. Formed in 2020 by merging ILN and S.T.a.R., the company runs 18 regional transshipment points and a central hub enabling direct cross-border groupage transport.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where sim cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sinzig
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
sim cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Network Membership Fees: Small to medium-sized forwarding companies join the sim cargo network as system partners, paying fees for network access, TSP utilization, and system-wide services including financial clearing, IT infrastructure, and quality management.
- Freight Transportation Services: The network handles groupage freight (Stückgut) transportation across Europe, with services including standard deliveries, premium overnight/next-day services, and additional value-added services.
- System Transport Services: ST System Transport GmbH, the group's own trucking company, fulfills main route transport requirements for the network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
sim cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
sim cargo operates a European groupage logistics network for small and medium-sized freight forwarders, connecting 260+ affiliated partners through 18 regional Transshipment Points (TSPs) and a central hub in Homberg/Efze. It provides standard, premium, and value-added logistics services across 37–38 European countries, including nationwide 24/48-hour deliveries, priority/overnight options, dangerous goods and oversized handling, cash on delivery, and tail lift delivery, together with system-wide financial and pallet clearing, real-time track & trace, and CO2 emissions tracking.
Product overview
sim cargo GmbH operates as a European groupage logistics network (Stückgutkooperation) for small and medium-sized forwarding companies. The company offers a unified platform combining a TSP (Transshipment-Point) system with hub operations, enabling direct transport between regional consolidation points. The core product portfolio includes Standard Services (system logistics), Premium Services (priority overnight/fix date deliveries), and Additional Services (notifications, cash on delivery, dangerous goods). Supporting infrastructure includes a Financial Clearing System, Quality Management, and the Green Logistics Index for CO2 tracking. Regional operations are branded as sim cargo Austria and sim cargo Ibérica. The network comprises 18 TSPs and 260+ partners across 38 European countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- sim cargo Ibérica: Regional operations for Spain and Portugal, established with partner DECOEXSA
- sim cargo Austria
Products and services
- Standard Services (System Logistics) Core system logistics services including nationwide deliveries in Germany within 24 or 48 hours, daily departures to 37 European countries, and complete procurement logistics including cross-traffic for forwarding partners.
- Premium Services (Special Services) Priority delivery services including Overnight next-day delivery, Overnight 08/10/12 (delivery by specific morning times), Fix Date/Time delivery options, Priority transfer, Guarantee, and Security handling for high-value goods.
- Additional Services (Zusatzdienste) Supplementary services including delivery notification (Timeslot booking, Mail, Phone, Driver notification), Cash on delivery, Consignee collection, Original document delivery/receipt, Dangerous goods transport (classes 1 and 7), Oversized packages handling (240–610 cm), Tail lift delivery, and NVS guaranteed transfer.
- Financial Clearing System Centralized financial clearing and pallet clearing services enabling regular settlement of all system shipments, reducing administrative burden and ensuring payment security for partner companies.
- Track & Trace / Real-time Tracking IT infrastructure providing real-time tracking, scan and control at every network interface, and online proof of delivery (POD) access for complete shipment transparency across the European network.
- Green Logistics Index / CO2 Tracking Sustainability module calculating shipment-related carbon footprint (Product Carbon Footprint), providing CO2 emission values for individual shipments so partners can create CO2 balance sheets for their customers.
- sim cargo Austria Regional network in Austria with over 20 system partners and 3 TSP locations (Vienna, Gmunden, Graz), offering 24-hour standard deliveries nationwide and gateway connections to Eastern Europe.
- sim cargo Ibérica Regional network in Spain and Portugal established with partner DECOEXSA, with TSP locations in Barcelona, Madrid, and Irun enabling 48-hour coverage within Spain and connections to the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and Morocco.
Quantifiable outcome
- Deliveries within 24 hours nationwide in Germany
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use sim cargo
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
sim cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
sim cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- E.L.V.I.S. Teilladungssystem GmbHmajorStrategic cooperation between sim cargo GmbH (groupage network) and E.L.V.I.S. Teilladungssystem GmbH (partial and full load network) to form strategic synergies. The cooperation started on January 1, 2024, combining groupage and LTL/FTL capabilities.
- cargo-partner GmbHcorecargo-partner GmbH was welcomed as a further shareholder of sim cargo in Q4 2022. The long-standing partnership between the two companies was elevated to a new level with this shareholder relationship. cargo-partner GmbH originally partnered with ILN (one of sim cargo's predecessor networks) in 2007 to open the Eastern European market.
- DECOEXSAcoreDECOEXSA is the network partner enabling sim cargo Ibérica operations in Spain and Portugal. Established in spring 2021, DECOEXSA provides a successful TSP structure with locations in Barcelona, Madrid, and Irun, enabling coverage within Spain within 48 hours and connections to Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and Morocco.
- ILN (International Logistic Network)coreILN was founded in April 1998 by Hubert Staroske as a decentralized hub network for bundling groupage freight. ILN merged with S.T.a.R. on January 1, 2020 to form sim cargo GmbH. ILN originally had 3 TSPs in 1998 and grew to 10 TSPs by 2002.
- S.T.a.R.coreS.T.a.R. (one of Germany's first logistics networks) was founded in 1994 by 27 medium-sized forwarding companies. The network operated its first hub facility in Göttingen in 1994, moving to its own facility in Homberg/Efze in 1997. S.T.a.R. merged with ILN on January 1, 2020 to form sim cargo GmbH.
- LotrexateminorFrench partner network in which ILN became a shareholder in 2010. This merger strengthened the partnership between ILN and Lotrexate, with three daily ILN routes to Paris, Lille, and Dijon being active.
- ST System Transport GmbHcoreThe group's own trucking company (firmengruppeneigenes Fuhrunternehmen) that fulfills main route transport requirements for the sim cargo network.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
sim cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- cargo-partner GmbH: Austrian-headquartered international freight forwarder offering groupage, air, and ocean services; strategically the closest peer to sim cargo as a European groupage network and its shareholder since Q4 2022.
- CargoLine GmbH: German cooperative groupage network pooling volumes from medium-sized forwarders; competes with sim cargo in the same mid-market Stückgut segment in Germany and across Europe.
- IDS Netzwerk GmbH: One of the largest German forwarding cooperatives, providing groupage, logistics, and digital services to medium-sized forwarders; directly comparable in cooperative groupage model and target customer segment.
- E.L.V.I.S. Teilladungssystem GmbH: German LTL and FTL forwarding network for medium-sized forwarders; sim cargo's strategic cooperation partner as of 2024, offering adjacent rather than overlapping capability.
- Spedlog Schweiz: Swiss cooperative groupage network for small and medium forwarders; directly comparable as a DACH-region Stückgut cooperative with similar partner-based operating model.
Broad incumbents
- GLS (General Logistics Systems): Large European parcel and logistics network with broad B2B groupage capabilities; competes with sim cargo's partner network for mid-market shipper volumes but operates at significantly larger scale.
- DSV A/S: Global freight forwarder with significant European road and groupage presence following the Schenker acquisition; an integrated incumbent competitor to sim cargo's network model in European groupage.
- Kühne+Nagel International AG: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with a strong European road and groupage book; a global incumbent whose European overland business competes with sim cargo's network.
- DHL Freight: Deutsche Post DHL's European road freight division; a dominant incumbent in groupage and LTL with direct assets and digital platforms that compete head-on with sim cargo's network model.
- Gebrüder Weiss: Family-owned European logistics provider offering groupage, air, and sea freight; an established mid-sized incumbent competing with sim cargo for European groupage volumes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
sim cargo social profiles
Digital presencesim cargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
sim cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
sim cargo subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
sim cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
sim cargo 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 sim cargo
What does sim cargo do?
sim cargo operates a European groupage logistics network for small and medium-sized freight forwarders, connecting 260+ affiliated partners through 18 regional Transshipment Points (TSPs) and a central hub in Homberg/Efze. It provides standard, premium, and value-added logistics services across 37–38 European countries, including nationwide 24/48-hour deliveries, priority/overnight options, dangerous goods and oversized handling, cash on delivery, and tail lift delivery, together with system-wide financial and pallet clearing, real-time track & trace, and CO2 emissions tracking.
Is sim cargo a public or private company?
sim cargo is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was sim cargo founded?
sim cargo was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is sim cargo based?
sim cargo is headquartered in Sinzig, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does sim cargo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Network Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are freight Transportation Services and system Transport Services.
Who are sim cargo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are cargo-partner GmbH, CargoLine GmbH, IDS Netzwerk GmbH, E.L.V.I.S. Teilladungssystem GmbH and Spedlog Schweiz. Broad incumbents are GLS (General Logistics Systems), DSV A/S, Kühne+Nagel International AG, DHL Freight and Gebrüder Weiss.
Does sim cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for sim cargo.