What TLS does

株式会社MLS (formerly T.L.S., rebranded October 2023) is a Japanese logistics and warehousing company headquartered in Tagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trial Holdings since 2000. The company provides nationwide transportation, storage, distribution, cold chain management, and order fulfillment services through a network of more than 40 owned ambient, chilled, and frozen distribution centers spanning Kyushu, Kanto, Kansai, Hokkaido, Tohoku, Chugoku, and Shikoku. Its flagship Shiratori Daiichi Chuojo Center spans approximately 14,000 tsubo (~46,200 sqm) and operates a sorter of approximately 6,000 meters total length capable of processing 150,000 cases per day to serve over 100 stores, supported by a fleet of approximately 250 company-owned vehicles ranging from full trailers down to 4-ton trucks with multi-temperature compartments and wing/power-gate features. Disclosed proprietary technology is limited to Mujin Inc. depalletizing robots deployed at the Shiratori Ambient Center for beverage pallet handling.

MLS generates revenue through managed-service logistics fees charged to its parent retail network (Trial Holdings/Trialchampany) and to external enterprise customers in food and consumer-goods distribution, with named third-party clients including Mitsui Foods, PALTAC, and Itochu Foods. The company's go-to-market is direct B2B sales-led, with demand generation primarily through the Trial Group ecosystem plus a corporate website and recruitment channels; the firm employs approximately 1,130 people and carries registered capital of JPY 95 million. Distribution is structured around a direct manufacturer-to-store model that eliminates intermediary margins, complemented by back-hauling logistics to maximize truck load factors and a three-tier cold chain (ambient, chilled, and frozen at -5°C). MLS holds safety and workplace certifications including the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism two-star Driver Workplace Environment Quality Certification and the Saga Prefecture Safe Driving Management Gold Award, supporting enterprise RFP competitiveness.

Name

TLS

Legal name

株式会社MLS

Website

https://tls-net.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

株式会社MLS is a Japanese nationwide logistics and warehousing company, wholly owned by Trial Holdings, operating 40+ owned ambient, chilled, and frozen distribution centers across seven Japanese regions with approximately 250 vehicles, serving its parent retail network and external food and consumer-goods distributors such as Mitsui Foods, PALTAC, and Itochu Foods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120), General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Cold Chain & Temperature-Controlled Logistics (EDAOANAN)

Keywords

• Logistics services
• Warehouse management
• Cold chain logistics
• Transportation services
• Distribution centers

Headquarters

HQ city

Tagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices47 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Logistics and Warehousing Services: MLS provides logistics and warehousing services including transportation, storage, distribution, cold chain management, and order fulfillment. Revenue is generated through service fees charged to customers including the Trial Group parent company and external distributors/traders. Services cover both ambient and temperature-controlled (chilled/frozen) logistics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MLS provides nationwide third-party logistics and warehousing services for retailers and distributors in Japan. Core offerings include ambient, chilled, and frozen storage centers; a fleet of approximately 250 company-owned temperature-controlled vehicles; cross-docking (TC/DC) operations; and back-hauling logistics that coordinates return loads. The company processes 150,000 cases per day through its Shiratori center and deploys automated warehouse systems including Mujin depalletizing robots.

Product overview

MLS (株式会社MLS) is a logistics and warehousing company and part of the Trial Group, offering a unified logistics platform with interconnected service modules. The core offering consists of logistics services (物流サービス) combining nationwide network expansion (全国展開), vehicle selection (選べる車両), and proprietary warehouses (自社倉庫). The company operates various temperature-controlled facility types including ambient centers (常温センター), chilled centers (チルドセンター), and frozen centers (フローズンセンター) at over 40 locations nationwide. MLS has also deployed automation technology including Mujin depalletizing robots (デパレタイザー) and implements cold chain management, back-hauling logistics, and future RLP (Retail Logistics Platform) initiatives. The company owns approximately 250 vehicles and processes 150,000 cases per day through its Kyushu hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Logistics Services (物流サービス) Core logistics and warehousing services providing transportation, storage, and distribution solutions. MLS operates nationwide logistics centers with temperature-controlled facilities and a fleet of approximately 250 company-owned vehicles, serving B2B customers including Trial Group retail and external distributors.
• Nationwide Network Service (全国展開) Logistics network service with centers in Kyushu, Kansai, Kanto, Tohoku, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Hokkaido regions. Features a sorter system with approximately 6,000 meters total length processing 150,000 cases per day with capacity for over 100 retail stores.
• Vehicle Selection Service (選べる車両) Diverse fleet of company-owned vehicles including ambient and chilled trucks in various sizes (full trailers, semi-trailers, 13t, 6t, 4t). Features include wing functionality, power gates, 2-temperature compartments, and digital tachometers, totaling approximately 250 vehicles.
• Own Warehouses (自社倉庫) Proprietary warehouses nationwide offering inventory management, quality control, inspection, and temperature management. Features direct manufacturer-to-retail delivery eliminating intermediaries, with comprehensive cold chain management including -5°C frozen storage. The Shiratori Daiichi Chuojo Center spans approximately 14,000 tsubo (~46,200 sqm).
• Ambient Centers (常温センター) Temperature-controlled ambient warehouses for non-refrigerated food and non-food products. Multiple locations nationwide including Shiratori, Chiba Inzai, and others, with major expansion in 2024-2025 across Aomori, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Kagawa, Miyagi, Nara, and Tochigi.
• Chilled Centers (チルドセンター) Refrigerated warehouses maintaining chilled temperatures for perishable goods. Locations include Shiratori Chilled Center, Tottori Sakaiminato Chilled Center, Osaka Chilled Center, and others nationwide.
• Frozen Centers (フローズンセンター) Frozen storage facilities operating at -5°C for frozen food products. Locations include Fukuoka Frozen Center, Kyoto Frozen Center, Mie Kuwana Frozen Center, and Tochigi Oyama Frozen Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes 150,000 cases per day at Shiratori center with sorter capacity for over 100 stores
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 株式会社 trialchampanycoreOthers · 1 October 2023Trial Group parent company. MLS was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trialchampany through a stock exchange in 2000, later rebranded from T.L.S. to MLS in 2023. MLS serves as the primary logistics provider for the Trial Group retail network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hamada Co., Ltd. Kyushu-based logistics and warehousing company with similar regional concentration to MLS's Kyushu heartland; a relevant regional comparison for route density and food/retail distribution economics.

Broad incumbents

• LOGISTEED (formerly Hitachi Transport System): Large Japanese 3PL offering contract logistics, warehousing, and supply-chain solutions across multiple verticals; comparable to MLS's contract-logistics and warehousing model at much larger scale.
• Kintetsu World Express: Major Japanese logistics provider with strong domestic warehousing and international freight forwarding; comparable for its B2B logistics and warehousing offerings, with broader international exposure than MLS.
• Seino Holdings: Large Japanese trucking and logistics group with extensive LTL/FTL network and warehousing; broader than MLS but competes for the same B2B retail and consumer-goods distribution contracts.
• Nippon Express Holdings: Japan's largest logistics company with nationwide warehousing (including temperature-controlled), transportation, and supply-chain solutions; an incumbent incumbent against which MLS competes for large enterprise 3PL contracts.
• Sankyu Inc. Established Japanese logistics group offering nationwide warehousing, transportation, and distribution services; larger and more diversified than MLS but operates in the same B2B logistics and warehouse space.

Direct peers

• Senko Group Holdings: Major Japanese 3PL offering logistics, warehousing, and distribution nationwide with significant cold-chain capabilities; directly comparable to MLS as a multi-temperature, asset-heavy B2B logistics operator serving retail and consumer goods customers.
• Maruwa Unyu Kikan: Mid-size Japanese logistics company with nationwide distribution and warehousing operations including food and consumer goods; comparable to MLS in scale, multi-region coverage, and B2B retail distribution focus.
• Fukuyama Transporting (Fukuyama Logistics): Japanese trucking and logistics provider with nationwide network and warehousing operations; competes directly with MLS in trucking, distribution, and retail-customer fulfillment across Japan.

Emerging players

• Alink Logistics: Mid-sized Japanese logistics and cold-chain operator with growing multi-temperature distribution capabilities; smaller than MLS but directly comparable in cold-chain service offering to food and retail customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mls_saiyou

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TLS