Honold
Honold is a 5th-generation, family-owned German logistics group (Contract Logistics, Transport, and Logistics Real Estate) operating 25 sites across Germany and Romania with 1,400 employees, serving aerospace, automotive, pharma, online retail, and tire-industry customers from a 1,000,000+ m² owned real-estate base.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersNeu-ulm, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Honold does
Honold Logistik & Immobilien Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG is a German, family-owned (5th generation, founded 1879) logistics and logistics-real-estate group headquartered in Neu-Ulm, with operations across 25 sites in Germany and Romania and approximately 1,400 employees. The group operates three divisions: Contract Logistics (warehousing, value-added services, and dedicated multi-year customer operations), Transport (road freight, including partnership-based line haul via CargoLine, NG.network, System Alliance Europe, and Night Star Express), and Logistics Real Estate (development and operation of owned warehouses, exceeding 1,000,000 m² of space and approximately 150,000 m² of newly acquired land in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg).
The company's offering is built on a regulated, certified operating platform covering ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EN 9120 (aerospace), AEO F (customs), GMP/GDP (pharma), HACCP (food safety), and a top-5% EcoVadis Gold sustainability rating, paired with proprietary real-estate product lines (Honold Green Cube, Honold Green Aerospace, Honold Defence Cube). Customer mix is anchored in aerospace (notably Airbus Helicopters at a new 40,000 m² Rain am Lech facility), automotive manufacturing, online retail, pharmaceutical, and tire logistics (via the 2025 JV with Reifen Logistik Leibelt). Technology components include AI-assisted route planning, event-triggered notification systems, and AI-based IT security, deployed as embedded operational tools rather than customer-facing platforms.
Revenue is generated through multi-year contract-logistics engagements (warehousing fees, value-added services), per-shipment and contract transport pricing via owned fleet and alliance partners, and increasingly through leasing of proprietary logistics real estate to third parties. FY2025 revenue was €304 million (~7% growth YoY), positioning Honold as a mid-sized, vertically integrated European logistics platform that competes on certification depth, owned real estate, and sector specialization rather than on technology differentiation.
Honold firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Honold
- Legal name
- Honold Logistik & Immobilien Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://honold.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Honold is a 5th-generation, family-owned German logistics group (Contract Logistics, Transport, and Logistics Real Estate) operating 25 sites across Germany and Romania with 1,400 employees, serving aerospace, automotive, pharma, online retail, and tire-industry customers from a 1,000,000+ m² owned real-estate base.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Honold industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contract Logistics & Freight Forwarding
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerospace & Defense (TLAIALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- E-commerce Fulfillment & Omnichannel Logistics (Pick/Pack/Returns) (TLAIAAAD), Breakbulk, Ro-Ro & Chartering (Heavy-Lift Vessels, Barges, Specialized Aircraft) (TLAIAKAC)
Keywords
Where Honold is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Neu-ulm
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices18 records
Markets served
Honold business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Contract Logistics (Kontraktlogistik): Customized warehouse management, fulfillment, and value-added logistics services for industrial customers. Honold operates over 1,000,000 m² of logistics space under long-term contracts, generating recurring revenue from customers in aerospace, defense, automotive, and pharmaceutical sectors. Services include temperature-controlled storage, GMP/GDP-compliant pharma logistics, and specialized handling.
- Transport Services: Freight forwarding and transport services covering national (Germany), European, and international destinations. Services include road freight, air freight, sea freight, express delivery via Night Star Express and Worldwide Express partnerships, and specialized solutions like temperature-controlled transport (ThermoLine). Revenue is generated per shipment, with premium time-definite services commanding higher rates.
- Logistics Real Estate (Immobilien): Development, construction, and long-term rental of logistics properties. Honold builds custom logistics facilities on owned land, retained permanently in the company's portfolio, rented to customers under multi-year lease agreements. Revenue includes rental income and development/construction fees. Properties include Green Cubes, pharma-standard facilities, and heavy-cargo halls.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Honold product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Honold Logistik & Immobilien Gruppe operates three integrated business divisions: Contract Logistics (customized warehousing, fulfillment, and value-added services for industrial, aerospace, and defense customers), Transport (national and international road, air, and sea freight forwarding including express delivery partnerships), and Logistics Real Estate (development, rental, and management of purpose-built logistics properties including sustainable Green Cube facilities). The company manages over 1 million m² of logistics space across 25 locations in Germany and Romania.
Product overview
Honold Logistik & Immobilien Gruppe is a logistics and real estate group offering three integrated business divisions: (1) Transport (Landtransporte, Luft- und Wassertransporte, CargoLine, Night Star Express, Worldwide Express), (2) Kontraktlogistik (customized contract logistics for industrial, aerospace, and defense sectors), and (3) Immobilien (logistics property development, rental, and management including Green Cube, Defence Cube, and Green Aerospace sub-brands). The portfolio spans over 1 million sqm of logistics space across 25 locations in Germany and Romania, serving customers in industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, pharmaceutical, tire distribution, and e-commerce. Value-added services include IT platforms (LOGSUITE, CIMPRO, E-Billing), customs clearance, freight insurance, online booking/tracking, and fuel/currency rate information.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Honold Green Aerospace: Specialized logistics and real estate services for the aerospace and defense industries, including high-security logistics facilities.
- Honold Green Cubes
- Honold Green Building Development
- Honold Defence Cube
Products and services
- Honold Kontraktlogistik (Contract Logistics) Customized contract logistics solutions for industrial, aerospace, and defense customers, including warehousing, order fulfillment, and value-added services. Covers specialized requirements such as pharmaceutical standards (GMP/GDP), cold chain (+2°C to +8°C), and high-security handling meeting EN 9120 aerospace certification.
- Landtransporte (Road Freight Transport) National and international road freight transport services covering Germany and 95% of European countries directly, with daily departures and 35 trucks operating across the network. Services include Stückgut National, Stückgut International, and specialized freight handling.
- Luft- und Wassertransporte (Air and Sea Freight) Global air and sea freight services including express shipments, consolidated and direct shipping, charter solutions, and dangerous goods handling. Operates through a network of 5,500 qualified specialists worldwide with IT-based visibility solutions.
- Worldwide Express Global express delivery service covering 9:00 Uhr, 12:00 Uhr, and standard worldwide delivery options with services including GOGREEN CO2-neutral shipping, duty/tax handling, customs clearance, and shipment insurance.
- Honold Immobilien – Vermietung (Property Rental) Long-term rental of logistics properties from Honold's portfolio of over 1 million m², offering flexible, individually tailored rental contracts with extension options and full property management services.
- Honold Immobilien – Projektentwicklung (Property Development) End-to-end logistics property development from site selection and due diligence through planning, construction, commissioning, and handover. Services include ground analysis, building permits, construction specifications and tendering, construction supervision, and handover.
- Honold Immobilien – Management (Property Management) Technical and commercial property management for over 1 million m² of logistics space across 25 locations, including maintenance monitoring, energy management, contract and insurance management, controlling, and reporting.
- Honold Green Cube Sustainable and highly functional customized logistics buildings with exemplary environmental performance, combining resource-conserving materials, energy-efficient building technology, and intelligent energy concepts. Certified to DGNB standards, earning EcoVadis Gold status.
- Honold Defence Cube Highly specialized combination of security-oriented logistics property and system services for the defense and aerospace industries, integrating high security requirements, modern building technology, and tailored solutions. Two facilities planned for Southern Germany in 2026.
- Honold Green Aerospace Specialized logistics and real estate solutions for the aerospace and defense industry, building and operating logistics centers with high security and technology standards. Currently constructing a 40,000 m² facility for Airbus Helicopters in Rain am Lech.
Quantifiable outcome
- 304 million euros revenue in FY2025, up 7.0% from 284 million euros in FY2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Honold
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Honold technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Honold partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.
- Airbus HelicoptersmajorAirbus Helicopters is the anchor customer for Honold Green Aerospace's new 40,000 m² logistics center in Rain am Lech, Germany. The facility will supply components to the Airbus helicopter plant in Donauwörth, scheduled to commence operations in Q2 2027. Represents Honold's entry into dedicated aerospace supply chain management.
- Reifen Logistik Leibelt GmbH & Co. KGmajorHonold Logistik Gruppe and Reifen Logistik Leibelt formed an Immobilien-Joint Venture in July 2025 for strategic real estate assets at Nossen (near Dresden) and Liebenwalde (near Berlin). Honold takes a strategic real estate stake in tire logistics infrastructure while Reifen Logistik Leibelt continues to operate independently. Both are family-owned companies. The JV focuses on stabilizing and developing the tire distribution network in eastern Germany without exclusivity restrictions.
- CargoLinecoreHonold is a partner of CargoLine, a leading German/European logistics network with 80 partners (48 in Germany). The network handles 12.48 million shipments annually generating 1.42 billion euros in revenue. Through this partnership, Honold offers NightLine (overnight), OrderLine (procurement logistics), ServiceLine (delivery to point of use), ThermoLine (temperature-controlled), and B2CLine (B2C delivery) services.
- NG.network GmbHcoreHonold is a partner of NG.network GmbH, a German logistics network providing additional transport capacity and network coverage in Germany, complementing Honold's own transport operations.
- System Alliance EuropesupportingEuropean transport network partnership providing Honold with additional coverage and capacity for international European shipments beyond the CargoLine network.
- Night Star ExpresscoreNight Star Express partnership enables overnight express delivery services across Germany and Europe. Honold uses this partner network to complement its own road freight operations with time-critical overnight shipments.
- Worldwide ExpresssupportingGlobal express partnership enabling Honold to offer international express and parcel services through leading global express carriers, providing door-to-door service worldwide with options including 9:00, 12:00, and end-of-business-day delivery windows.
- Goldbeck (construction partner)supportingGoldbeck is the construction company executing the Rain am Lech logistics center project. Christopher Nagel serves as Goldbeck branch manager Ulm, representing the company at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Honold competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DACHSER: DACHSER is a major German family-owned logistics provider with deep road freight and contract logistics capabilities across Europe, similar to Honold's Transport and Kontraktlogistik divisions. Comparable because both are German-headquartered, family-controlled, and compete for similar enterprise mid-market freight forwarding and warehousing contracts across DACH manufacturing and industrial customers.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Hellmann is a German family-owned global logistics provider offering road, air, and sea freight plus contract logistics to industrial and automotive customers. Comparable to Honold in its family-owned status, German headquarters, broad multi-modal service portfolio, and concentration in industrial contract logistics for German Mittelstand and enterprise customers.
- FIEGE Logistics: FIEGE is one of the most direct comparables to Honold: a German family-owned contract logistics and real estate developer operating large-scale, multi-sector contract logistics sites (including e-commerce, healthcare, and industrial customers). Both combine contract logistics with owned logistics real estate development, target enterprise-grade certifications, and operate integrated IT platforms. Comparable in culture (private, family-led) and in the logistics-plus-real-estate business model.
- Rhenus Logistics: Rhenus is a German family-owned logistics and real estate group that combines contract logistics, multi-modal transport, and logistics property development (Rhenus owns logistics real estate via its subsidiary). Directly comparable to Honold's three-division structure of Kontraktlogistik + Transport + Immobilien and targets similar industrial and aerospace customers across Europe.
Broad incumbents
- DB Schenker: DB Schenker is a European-headquartered incumbent offering integrated logistics services (land transport, air/ocean freight, contract logistics), competing with Honold across road freight and contract logistics for industrial customers in DACH and Europe. Distinct as a former state-owned, now divested unit, not privately held.
- GEODIS: GEODIS is a global logistics provider covering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and distribution with presence in industrial and aerospace verticals. Comparable to Honold for multi-sector contract logistics and air/sea forwarding, but much larger and operating globally rather than as a regional DACH-focused family business.
- DHL Supply Chain (Deutsche Post DHL Group): DHL Supply Chain is the global incumbent in contract logistics with vastly larger scale, deeper international footprint, and aerospace/defense capabilities. While it competes with Honold in contract logistics and aerospace/defense verticals, it operates as part of a much broader enterprise network (parcel, freight, post) and does not focus on the Mittelstand aerospace/defense niche that Honold targets.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world's largest freight forwarders with a substantial contract logistics division. Overlaps with Honold on air/sea freight forwarding and high-value contract logistics for industrial and aerospace customers, but operates at global scale rather than regional/DACH focus.
- DSV (DSV A/S): DSV is a global transport and logistics company formed via serial acquisitions, operating in road, air, sea, and contract logistics. Comparable in offering breadth (multi-modal + contract logistics + solutions) and competes with Honold for enterprise freight forwarding and contract logistics contracts, especially post its Schenker acquisition. Larger scale and publicly listed.
Others
- CargoLine (network): CargoLine is not a competitor but one of Honold's most important channel partnerships: a German/European logistics network of ~80 partners handling 12.48M shipments annually and EUR 1.42B in revenue. Included as a peer because it represents the network effect that lets Honold extend its reach across Europe and is itself a comparable mid-market logistics platform for partnership or roll-up analysis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Honold social profiles
Digital presenceHonold compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance11 records
Honold financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Honold leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Honold subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Honold funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Honold 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 Honold
What does Honold do?
Honold Logistik & Immobilien Gruppe operates three integrated business divisions: Contract Logistics (customized warehousing, fulfillment, and value-added services for industrial, aerospace, and defense customers), Transport (national and international road, air, and sea freight forwarding including express delivery partnerships), and Logistics Real Estate (development, rental, and management of purpose-built logistics properties including sustainable Green Cube facilities). The company manages over 1 million m² of logistics space across 25 locations in Germany and Romania.
Is Honold a public or private company?
Honold is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Honold founded?
Honold was founded in 1879. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Honold based?
Honold is headquartered in Neu-ulm, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Honold make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Logistics (Kontraktlogistik) is the primary driver. The others are transport Services and logistics Real Estate (Immobilien).
Who are Honold's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DACHSER, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, FIEGE Logistics and Rhenus Logistics. Broad incumbents are DB Schenker, GEODIS, DHL Supply Chain (Deutsche Post DHL Group), Kuehne+Nagel and DSV (DSV A/S). CargoLine (network) is listed as an others.
Does Honold have an API?
Yes. Honold offers web-based IT systems including LOGSUITE for online shipment order entry (distribution/procurement), CIMPRO for web-based shipment tracking, E-Billing and Central Invoicing for electronic invoice/credit note exchange, EUROLOG for container tracking and accounting, and customer portal (Kundenportal) accessible via HTTPS. The systems support multiple data formats including EDIFACT, VDA/ODETTE, SAP, and Excel/CSV for customer connectivity via FTP/FTPS, HTTP/HTTPS, Web-Erfassung, and API. They also offer active reports with time-triggered and event-triggered email notifications. Developer documentation is at kundenportal.honold.net.
What industry is Honold in?
Honold's product category is Contract Logistics & Freight Forwarding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAIALAB, Aerospace & Defense, with a secondary code of TLAIAAAD, E-commerce Fulfillment & Omnichannel Logistics (Pick/Pack/Returns). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.