Herfurth Group
Herfurth Group is a 125-year-old, 100% family-owned Benelux logistics platform operating trucking, NVOCC, shipping-line agency, warehousing, customs and travel services through multiple wholly-owned subsidiaries, serving freight forwarders, importers/exporters and corporate travelers across Europe, Turkey and global trade lanes via a worldwide agent network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1899
- HeadquartersAntwerp, Belgium
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Herfurth Group does
Herfurth Group is a 125-year-old, 100% family-owned logistics and shipping services group headquartered across Belgium and the Netherlands, established in 1899 and currently employing approximately 380–450 people across 9 locations worldwide. It operates as a multi-brand platform rather than a single product company, organized around wholly-owned subsidiaries: Handico Trucking and Macotruck for road haulage (container, tank, ADR, automotive and exceptional transport); Herfurth Maritime Benelux and Herfurth & Co for NVOCC agency and shipping-line representation (own NVOCC brands Red Star Line, CGML and Blue Independent Line; agency relationships with Pacific International Lines, Eucon, NSC and K Line); Handico CFS for warehousing and container freight station services; Herfurth Logistics and Hintex Customs Agency for customs clearance; and Bando Travel Service with FCM Travel Solutions branches for corporate, leisure, MICE and marine/offshore travel plus Brussels Airport apartment accommodation.
The group's revenue mechanics combine transaction fees on freight movements, commissions on shipping-line agency, and fees on customs and warehousing services. Pricing is largely quote-based across lanes and service types, with the only publicly disclosed pricing being Bando Brussels Airport Apartments at €140/night, €100/week-night and €60/month-night per room. Its technology stack is conventional for the sector: a Warehouse Management System with barcode/handheld-scanner inventory management, cycle counts and KPI reporting; EDI integration with Dutch Customs Authorities and customers; and an online VGM (Verified Gross Mass) certificate submission system — none of which involve AI/ML.
Herfurth serves freight forwarders, importers, exporters, wholesale and retail shippers, manufacturers (including chemicals/ADR, automotive and bulk), corporate and marine/offshore travelers across Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg), Turkey, and through a global agent network reaching Australia, New Zealand, East Med, China, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Distribution is sales-led through own offices in Belgium and the Netherlands, complemented by the worldwide agent network and shipping-line/NVOCC principals. Marketing is relationship-driven via industry associations (FENEX), LinkedIn, Facebook and a corporate website rather than digital demand generation.
Herfurth Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Herfurth Group
- Legal name
- HERFURTH GROUP
- Website
- https://herfurth-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1899
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Herfurth Group is a 125-year-old, 100% family-owned Benelux logistics platform operating trucking, NVOCC, shipping-line agency, warehousing, customs and travel services through multiple wholly-owned subsidiaries, serving freight forwarders, importers/exporters and corporate travelers across Europe, Turkey and global trade lanes via a worldwide agent network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Herfurth Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412), Support Activities for Transportation (488)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Trucking (No Local) (4213)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Buyer’s Consolidation & Origin Management (TLACABAD), Carrier & Service Contract Management (NVOCC Contracts/Rate Procurement) (TLACALAG), Direct-to-Consignee (DTC) / Deconsolidation & Breakbulk Distribution (TLACALAE), Vendor Management & Purchase Order (PO) Consolidation (TLACALAI), Value-Added Services in Bond (Kitting, Labeling, Repacking, Light Assembly) (TLALAGAI)
Keywords
Where Herfurth Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Antwerp
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices21 records
Markets served
Herfurth Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- NVOCC Services: Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier services offering LCL and FCL shipment consolidation, issuing house Bills of Lading and Air Waybills. Red Star Line is their own NVOCC brand.
- Shipping Agency Services: Representing shipping lines and principals as agents in Antwerp, Zeebrugge, and Rotterdam. Services include regular liner agents, tramp-agents, and European general agents.
- Trucking Services: Container trucking, tank transport, car transport, ADR transport, and intermodal transport through Handico Trucking and Macotruck brands.
- Warehousing Services: Container Freight Station (CFS) activities, Value Added Logistics, excise warehouse operations for beer, wines, spirits, sugar, tobacco, and customs bonded storage.
- Customs Agency Services: Customs clearance services through Herfurth Logistics and Hintex Customs Agency in Belgium, Netherlands, and Turkey.
- Travel Services: Corporate and leisure travel management through FCM Travel partnership, and apartment rental services through Bando Travel Service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bando Brussels Airport Apartments - Nightly Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Weekly | Bando Brussels Airport Apartments - Weekly Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Bando Brussels Airport Apartments - Monthly Rate |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Herfurth Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Herfurth Group is a diversified family-owned logistics and shipping conglomerate delivering container trucking, NVOCC ocean and air freight consolidation, shipping-line agency representation, customs brokerage, bonded and value-added warehousing, and corporate and leisure travel management. The group operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Handico Trucking, Macotruck, Handico CFS, Herfurth Maritime Benelux, Herfurth Logistics, Hintex Customs Agency, Red Star Line (own NVOCC), and travel brands Bando and FCM. Services are delivered via own offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Turkey, complemented by a worldwide agent network.
Product overview
Herfurth Group is a diversified logistics and shipping company organized as a platform of specialized service brands rather than a single unified product. The portfolio spans trucking (Handico Trucking, Macotruck), maritime/NVOCC services (Herfurth Maritime Benelux representing Red Star Line, China Global Maritime Line, Blue Independent Line), shipping agency (P.I.L. Agency Benelux, Eucon, NSC), warehousing (Handico CFS, Value Added Logistics), customs clearance (Hintex Customs Agency, Herfurth Logistics), and travel services (FCM Travel Solutions, Bando Travel Service). The trucking operations use a Warehouse Management System (WMS) for inventory and goods management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Red Star Line: Own NVOCC service operating between Europe and Australia/New Zealand and South Pacific Islands, offering LCL and FCL shipment services.
- China Global Maritime Line (CGML)
- Blue Independent Line
Products and services
- Handico Trucking Container trucking services from Antwerp and Rotterdam to all Western European inland terminals, offering local harbor transports, one-way transports, roundtrips, inter-depot transport, bulk loads with silo/box containers, flexibag discharging, waste transport, ADR transport, VGM certificates, fumigation, customs declarations, warehousing facilities, and flexible synchromodal solutions. Targets freight forwarders and shippers needing reliable tailor-made container transport at fair market rates.
Quantifiable outcome
- 380-450 employees serving customers globally
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Herfurth Group
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Herfurth Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Herfurth Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FCM Travel Solutions (Flight Centre Group)coreHerfurth Group is part of FCM travel management company (Flight Centre Group) with 5 locations in Belgium and Luxembourg offering Leisure/Corporate/MICE and Marine/Offshore Travel services. FCM Travel Solutions also maintains a LinkedIn page for updates and reports.
- Red Star LinecoreOwn NVOCC brand operated by Herfurth Group; NVOCC services between Europe and Australia/New Zealand and South Pacific Islands with LCL and FCL shipment options.
- China Global Maritime Line (CGML)coreNVOCC services between Europe and East Med, China/South East Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa represented by Herfurth Maritime Benelux.
- Blue Independent LinecoreNVOCC services between Europe and East Med, China/South East Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Middle East, North- and South America represented by Herfurth Maritime Benelux.
- Pacific International Lines (PIL)coreContainer services covering Far East to/from Canada, Indian sub-continent, Red Sea/Gulf, Australia & New Zealand, East & West Coast of South America, West Coast of USA, East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, West & South Africa. PIL Agency Benelux serves Belgium and Netherlands.
- Eucon Shipping and TransportcorePart of Ireland's largest shipping company; market leader in container services, shipping services, and transport services (door to door and quay to quay) from Continental Europe to Ireland and vice versa. Herfurth & Co represents Eucon in Belgium.
- NSC Bulk & Projects GmbH & Cie KGcoreMonthly conventional liner service between North Europe and Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and west coast of India using modern open hatch, box shaped vessels equipped with jib cranes (lifting capacity up to 45 tons).
- K Line (Belgium)minorK Line shipping line represented by Herfurth Group in Belgium.
- FENEX (Dutch Forwarding Association)minorHintex Customs Agency is a member of FENEX, the Dutch Forwarding Association.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Herfurth Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Katoen Natie: Belgian logistics company specializing in port-centric warehousing, container freight station services, value-added logistics, and forwarding with strong presence in Antwerp. Comparable CFS/warehousing and value-added logistics offering to Handico CFS.
- Gebrüder Weiss: Family-owned Austrian logistics company offering road, air, and ocean freight forwarding, customs, and warehousing across Europe. Comparable to Herfurth as a multi-generation family-controlled forwarder with similar service mix and European footprint.
- Expeditors International: US-listed global freight forwarder with ocean/air, customs, and distribution services across similar Asia-Europe and transatlantic trade lanes. Direct comparable in NVOCC consolidation and customs brokerage, though larger and asset-light in structure.
- De Rijke Group: Dutch mid-sized logistics and transport group providing container trucking, intermodal, customs, and forwarding services in the Netherlands and Belgium. Direct overlap with Handico Trucking and Hintex customs operations in Rotterdam and Antwerp.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-headquartered global freight forwarder with comparable NVOCC, ocean/air freight forwarding, customs brokerage, road transport, and warehousing offerings. Closely aligned mid-sized, family-influenced forwarder with a similar product mix across road, ocean, and value-added services.
- Ahlers Group: Belgian-headquartered logistics provider offering ocean freight forwarding, NVOCC, customs, warehousing, and specialized transport (including breakbulk and project cargo) from Antwerp. Direct geographic and product overlap with Herfurth's Benelux-centric multi-service platform.
Others
- Jan De Nul Group: Belgian family-owned maritime and civil engineering group; not a direct logistics peer but a comparable Belgian family-controlled multi-entity platform with international shipping operations that intersects with Herfurth's shipping agency and project cargo niche.
Broad incumbents
- CEVA Logistics: Global freight management, contract logistics, and customs company with strong presence in European ocean, road, and warehousing. Overlaps with Herfurth's full-service forwarding and contract logistics model but operates at significantly larger scale.
- DSV A/S: Global Danish transport and logistics group active in road, air, sea, and customs with a Benelux hub. Comparable forwarding/NVOCC business and consolidation services, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Herfurth.
- Kuehne + Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders, operating in ocean, air, road, and customs across the same Europe-to-Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Oceania trade lanes Herfurth serves via Red Star Line, CGML, and Blue Independent Line. Overlap is broad but K+N operates at much greater scale and product breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Herfurth Group social profiles
Digital presenceHerfurth Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Herfurth Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Herfurth Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Herfurth Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Herfurth Group 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 Herfurth Group
What does Herfurth Group do?
Herfurth Group is a diversified family-owned logistics and shipping conglomerate delivering container trucking, NVOCC ocean and air freight consolidation, shipping-line agency representation, customs brokerage, bonded and value-added warehousing, and corporate and leisure travel management. The group operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Handico Trucking, Macotruck, Handico CFS, Herfurth Maritime Benelux, Herfurth Logistics, Hintex Customs Agency, Red Star Line (own NVOCC), and travel brands Bando and FCM. Services are delivered via own offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Turkey, complemented by a worldwide agent network.
Is Herfurth Group a public or private company?
Herfurth Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Herfurth Group founded?
Herfurth Group was founded in 1899. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Herfurth Group based?
Herfurth Group is headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Herfurth Group make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. NVOCC Services are the primary driver. The others are shipping Agency Services, trucking Services, warehousing Services, customs Agency Services and travel Services.
Who are Herfurth Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Katoen Natie, Gebrüder Weiss, Expeditors International, De Rijke Group, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Ahlers Group. Jan De Nul Group is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are CEVA Logistics, DSV A/S and Kuehne + Nagel.
Does Herfurth Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Herfurth Group.
What industry is Herfurth Group in?
Herfurth Group's product category is Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAG, Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance), with a secondary code of TLACABAD, Buyer’s Consolidation & Origin Management. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.