What Night Star Express does

Night Star Express GmbH Logistik is a privately held German logistics company (HRB 3547, Amtsgericht Hamm) founded in 1993 and headquartered in Unna, Germany. It operates a pan-European night express delivery network structured as a federation of approximately 20 partner companies across Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland, anchored by six founding logistics shareholders including Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Friedrich Zufall, and Honold. The company delivers time-critical B2B shipments overnight, with a standard service guaranteeing delivery by 8:00 AM the next morning and a premium 'First Class' tier guaranteeing delivery by 7:00 AM. Disclosed scale metrics are 1,250 vehicles and 6 million annual shipments (German-website reporting; English/Dutch sites report 5 million and 1,000 employees versus 1,750 on the German site).

The service portfolio is built around receiptless overnight delivery and includes international night express, technician-vehicle direct loading, weekend and holiday express (notably for horse breeding and harvest season), and keyless delivery via lockable depots and smart parcel boxes. Digital services include the MyNSE customer portal (powered by LLL Management's Depotplatz platform), free online shipment tracking (powered by 1st Log AG), and a 24/7 parcel box developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institut für Materialfluss und Logistik under the KoLibRi research project. The Benelux subsidiary HExS, established April 2020 in 's-Heerenberg, extends the network with 24-hour courier and same-day services. The company also operates an in-house electric delivery fleet charged with certified green electricity.

The business model is B2B contract logistics: pricing is negotiated individually with customers (no public tiers), billed under multi-year contracts, and supplemented by logistics consulting, specialist transport for sensitive goods (fresh horse semen, agricultural machinery parts, bee queens), and value-add modules such as returns management. The company claims its position as the only dedicated pan-European night express network offering receiptless delivery to 8 AM, with customer concentration skewed toward automotive replacement parts (including a 3-year Mazda partnership), agriculture and construction machinery, industrial manufacturers, and specialized verticals such as horse breeding and motorcycle parts distribution. The company is governed by an advisory board (Beirat) and transitioned operational leadership to Nicole Bourguignon effective April 1, 2026, following Arnold Schroven's return to the chair role.

Name

Night Star Express

Legal name

Night Star Express GmbH Logistik

Website

https://night-star-express.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Night Star Express operates a pan-European night express logistics network providing time-critical B2B overnight delivery (by 7–8 AM) across Germany, Benelux, Austria, and Switzerland, with keyless delivery, direct-to-vehicle loading, and specialist transport for automotive, agricultural, industrial, and horse-breeding customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Unna

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Night Express Freight Forwarding: Core overnight express delivery services for time-critical shipments within Germany and internationally. Deliveries occur during night hours with receiptless service until early morning (by 8 AM). Pricing is negotiated individually with customers based on volume, frequency, and service requirements.
2. Logistics Services: Additional logistics services including option services, logistics consulting, international shipping, and specialized solutions. These complementary services are integrated into customized transport solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Night Star Express provides time-critical overnight freight forwarding and logistics services via a pan-European network of partner companies, with standard delivery by 8 AM and premium "First Class" delivery by 7 AM. The service is receiptless, operates during night hours, and supports keyless delivery into vehicles, lockers, or depots. Core offerings include standard night express, international night express, technician vehicle delivery, keyless delivery, weekend/holiday service, and the HExS 24-hour courier service for Benelux.

Product overview

Night Star Express operates a pan-European overnight express delivery network as a 'First Class' night express service provider. The core offering is time-critical overnight delivery (standard: by 8 AM; premium 'First Class': by 7 AM) with receiptless drop-off, built on a network of approximately 20 partner companies, 24 locations, 1,750 employees, and 1,250 vehicles across Germany, Benelux, Austria, and Switzerland. The product portfolio includes the standard and premium night express services, technician vehicle direct delivery, weekend/holiday express, keyless delivery (via smart lockers from SESAM HomeBox and myflexbox), international night express, and the HExS 24-hour courier service for Benelux. Digital services include shipment tracking (powered by 1st Log AG), the My NSE customer portal (Depotplatz), and a 24/7 parcel box system developed with Fraunhofer IML. Additional offerings include specialist solutions for sensitive goods (bee queens, horse semen, harvest machinery), an electric vehicle fleet, the express customer magazine published in five languages, and a podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Night Express Time-critical overnight delivery service with delivery by 8 AM the next morning, featuring receiptless drop-off outside of business hours. Covers all of Germany and international destinations including Benelux, Austria, and Switzerland.
• First Class Night Express Premium tier of the overnight express service offering guaranteed delivery by 7 AM as a premium service option, tailored to the most time-sensitive shipments.
• International Night Express Cross-border overnight express delivery to Benelux, Austria, and Switzerland, operated through partner networks including Night Star Express Hellmann BV, G. Englmayer Spedition GmbH, and Night Star Express Schweiz AG.
• Hellmann Express Services BV (HExS) 24-hour courier and express service for Benelux countries launched in April 2020 as a subsidiary of Night Star Express Hellmann BV, offering same-day delivery and extending the existing night express portfolio.
• Shipment Tracking (Sendungsverfolgung) Free online shipment tracking service powered by 1st Log AG, allowing customers to query shipment status by tracking number. Tracking numbers are deleted from web records within 14 days after the query is answered.
• My NSE Customer Portal Customer portal providing registered customers access to Night Star Express IT systems, powered by the Depotplatz database from LLL Management GmbH. Enables time- and person-independent delivery and collection management for recipients, senders, and transporters.
• 24/7 Parcel Box (Paketbox) Smart 24/7 accessible parcel deposit box system developed through the KoLibRi research project with Fraunhofer IML. Enables automated 24/7 drop-off and collection independent of opening hours. Open for use by businesses, delivery services, and authorities.
• Technician Vehicle Delivery Delivery of spare parts directly into technician vehicles overnight, enabling time savings and eliminating the need for technicians to pick up parts. Accompanied by a seamless returns management process.
• Weekend and Holiday Express Service Saturday and holiday delivery service, particularly used for horse breeders (fresh semen transport during breeding season March–August), agricultural and automotive industries during seasonal peaks (May–September harvest season).
• Keyless Delivery (Schlüssellose Zustellung) Delivery without requiring recipient presence, using lockable warehouses, deposit boxes, or smart parcel lockers. Accompanied by full scan documentation and photo proof of delivery. Expandable through partnerships with SESAM HomeBox and myflexbox.
• Specialist Solutions (Speziallösungen) Customized transport solutions for sensitive and specialized goods including bee queen transport, horse semen (fresh semen for breeding), replacement parts, and agricultural machinery parts during harvest season.
• E-Fleet (Electric Vehicle Delivery) Night Star Express operates its own electric vehicle fleet ('E-Flotte') for emissions-free last-mile delivery. The first electric transporters, charged with 100% green electricity ('Ökostrom'), are already on the road under the slogan 'Volttanken für die Umwelt'.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivery by 8 AM next morning guaranteed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• myflexboxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with myflexbox, a growing provider of intelligent parcel boxes, to expand digital delivery solutions. Night Star Express is the first night express provider to work with myflexbox regionally. The partnership enables 24/7 delivery and pickup through digital handover points, extending the keyless delivery service offering.
• G. Englmayer Spedition GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Austrian network partner since January 1, 2024. Family-owned company with 160+ years of experience operating dense network of branches and reliable partners in Austria and Europe. Offers tailored Night Star Express products and scan all shipments for customers in Austria.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and founding member of Night Star Express network. Operates multiple German locations and the Night Star Express Hellmann BV subsidiary in the Netherlands. Strategic partner providing operational infrastructure across the network.
• Friedrich Zufall GmbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFounding member and key partner operating the main hub in Hünfeld and locations in Unna, Kassel, and Nohra. Provides core operational infrastructure for the Night Star Express network.
• Night Star Express Honold GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperating partner for locations in Augsburg, Neu-Ulm, Hemhofen, and Malsch. Part of the Honold Group, a major German logistics provider.
• ZBR HohlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with ZBR Hohl, one of the largest motorcycle and scooter tire distributors, to serve their customer base with night express delivery. Allows ZBR customers to order until 4 PM and receive delivery nationwide by next morning.
• Night Star Express Hellmann N.V. (Belgium)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelgian subsidiary operating location in Maasmechelen for Night Star Express services in Belgium.
• Night Star Express Schweiz AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss operating partner providing Night Star Express services in Switzerland from Hünenberg, Canton Zug.
• Spedition Gertner GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner operating location in Groß Kreutz, Brandenburg.
• Donau-Speditions-Gesellschaft Kießling mbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner operating location in Regenstauf, Bavaria.
• Axthelm & Zufall GmbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner operating location in Nohra, Thuringia.
• L.W. Cretschmar GmbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner operating location in Düsseldorf and partner with ZBR Hohl.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• DACHSER: Major German-headquartered European logistics network with extensive road freight, time-critical and contract-logistics capabilities. Competes with NSE for industrial and automotive B2B volumes in Germany and across Europe via its European Logistics and Air & Sea business units.
• DPD Germany: One of Germany's largest B2B and B2C parcel networks with next-day and time-slot delivery options. Adjacent competitor for NSE's automotive and industrial overnight B2B volumes, though primarily serving larger volume / lower service-intensity customers.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Global logistics provider and founding network partner of Night Star Express; operates night, road, air and sea freight across all major European geographies. Overlaps with NSE's overnight and time-critical road services through Hellmann's own products, but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• FedEx Custom Critical: Time-sensitive expedited freight service operated by FedEx, covering European and transatlantic shipments. Comparable to NSE for automotive and industrial time-critical parts, but typically at higher price points and via air rather than Night Star Express's ground-only night model.
• GLS Germany (General Logistics Systems): European parcel and express network covering all of NSE's geographies with B2B and B2C capabilities. Parent of GO! Express & Logistics; overlaps with NSE for next-day B2B shipments but lacks the dedicated night-only, receiptless delivery focus.
• UPS Express Critical: UPS's premium same-day and time-definite service for high-value, time-critical European shipments. Comparable to NSE for automotive, aerospace and industrial replacement parts, with broader geographic reach but a different delivery model (air/road mix vs. NSE's night-only ground).

Direct peers

• trans-o-Flex: Specialist German time-critical courier focused on pharmaceuticals, medical samples and high-value B2B shipments with overnight and same-day options. Directly comparable to Night Star Express in serving regulated, temperature/time-sensitive B2B freight across Germany.
• GO! Express & Logistics: Germany's largest general overnight courier, operating a partner-driven overnight delivery network closely comparable to Night Star Express in service profile, customer base (B2B time-critical shipments), and partner-orchestrated model. Directly competes for the same automotive-replacement-parts and industrial-same-day German customers.

Regional players

• DX (DX Freight / DX Express): UK-based time-critical and overnight B2B courier with a profile similar to Night Star Express's automotive and industrial customer base. Comparable in service offering but does not directly compete in continental Europe.
• StarTrack (Australia Post): Australian premium road-express and overnight parcel network serving B2B time-critical customers. Analogous service profile to Night Star Express but operates in a separate geography (Australia) rather than competing directly in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nightstarexpress
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=Night+Star+Express
• Xx.com/_NightStar1_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/night-star-express-gmbh-logistik

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Night Star Express