International Express

What International Express does

International Express Co., Ltd. (IEC, インターナショナルエクスプレス株式会社) is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese logistics services company founded approximately in 1956 that provides integrated freight forwarding, domestic transportation, and warehousing. The company operates three core service divisions: International Transport Services — including sea freight consolidation (LCL), full container load (FCL), air freight, and refrigerated container transport; Domestic Transport Services — covering precision equipment transport, emergency shipments, scheduled Tomeihan routes between Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, scheduled air freight, and dedicated route delivery outsourcing; and Warehouse Services, anchored by facilities such as the IEC Hakata Logistics Center and the Kanmon warehouse. Internationally, IEC operates its own consolidation services and maintains a network of 15 overseas offices spanning Europe (London), Greater China (Hong Kong plus six mainland China cities), Taiwan (Taipei), Southeast Asia (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Philippines), and North America (Los Angeles), with the China network operated through its wholly-owned subsidiary IEC EXPRESS (SHANGHAI) LTD. (上海亜美至捷国際貨運代理有限公司).

IEC serves Japanese import/export companies and domestic logistics customers whose primary demand is cross-border freight movement between Japan and Asia, Europe, and North America, plus reliable domestic transport between major metropolitan areas. Revenue is generated through transaction-fee structures on shipment volume (international freight charges, local charges, and surcharges such as the Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge), warehousing and logistics support fees, and specialized service premiums for refrigerated and precision equipment handling. The company operates a sales-led go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales, account management, and a corporate website (iecjp.com) that handles quote requests and service information. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is set per shipment.

IEC is a privately held Japanese corporation (kabushiki kaisha) with 251-500 employees and no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional investors. The company is governed by a board structure headed by President Hara Manabu (appointed at the 70th Annual General Meeting on June 25, 2026), supported by managing directors, directors, a full-time auditor, and executive officers. It holds the Japanese Privacy Mark certification under JIPDEC and maintains formal compliance frameworks including a Human Rights Policy, Group Environmental Policy, transportation safety management system, and a Partnership Building Declaration.

Name

International Express

Legal name

INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS CO.,LTD.

Website

https://iecjp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

International Express is a privately held Japanese logistics company founded around 1956 that provides international freight forwarding, domestic transportation, refrigerated container shipping, and warehousing, serving Japanese import/export firms via an owned Asia-Pacific office network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (4885), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Express / Time-Critical Air Freight (Next-Flight-Out, AOG, Just-in-Time) (TLACAAAD), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

Keywords

• International freight forwarding
• Sea freight consolidation
• Domestic transportation services
• Refrigerated cargo logistics
• Warehousing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. International Freight Forwarding: IEC provides international shipping services including LCL (less-than-container load) consolidated cargo, FCL (full container load), and air freight. Revenue is generated through freight charges, local charges, and surcharges (e.g., Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge).
2. Domestic Transportation: Domestic transport services including scheduled Tomeihan (Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka) routes, air transport, and dedicated route delivery outsourcing.
3. Warehouse and Logistics Services: Warehousing, logistics support, and facility management at IEC-operated logistics centers in Japan (e.g., IEC Hakata Logistics Center, Kanmon warehouse).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

International Express is a Japanese freight forwarder and logistics company providing international and domestic transportation, warehousing, and logistics support services. It operates LCL/FCL sea freight consolidation, air freight, refrigerated container transport, domestic scheduled (Tomeihan) and dedicated route delivery, precision equipment and emergency transport, and warehousing at IEC-operated logistics centers such as the Hakata Logistics Center and Kanmon warehouse.

Product overview

International Express (IEC) is a Japanese logistics company providing integrated freight forwarding and transportation services. The company operates three core service divisions: International Transport Services (including sea freight consolidation and refrigerated transport), Domestic Transport Services (covering precision equipment, emergency, scheduled, and dedicated route delivery), and Warehouse Services. IEC also maintains extensive overseas operations with offices in China (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Dalian, Ningbo, Xiamen), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Philippines), Europe (London), and North America (Los Angeles). Customer-facing services include sea freight consolidation schedules and various terms/conditions documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Transport Services (国際輸送業務) International freight forwarding and consolidation services including sea freight consolidation schedules, import/export handling, and LCL (Less than Container Load) services for Japanese importers and exporters.
• Refrigerated Consolidation Transport Service (冷蔵混載輸送サービス) Temperature-controlled consolidation shipping services for perishable goods requiring refrigerated container transport.
• China Network Logistics Services (IECの中国ネットワーク) China-specific logistics network covering Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Dalian, Ningbo, and Xiamen offices for regional freight forwarding and consolidation coverage.
• Domestic Transport Services (国内輸送業務) Domestic transport services covering precision equipment transport, emergency deliveries, scheduled Tomeihan routes, and dedicated route delivery outsourcing across Japan.
• Precision Equipment Transport / Emergency Transport Service (精密機器輸送サービス/緊急輸送サービス) Specialized transport services for delicate precision machinery and time-critical emergency shipments within Japan.
• Tomeihan Regular Delivery Service (東名阪定期便サービス) Scheduled delivery service connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka metropolitan areas with regular fixed routes.
• Air Scheduled Transport Service (エア定期輸送サービス) Scheduled air freight transport services for time-sensitive domestic shipments in Japan.
• Dedicated Route Delivery Service (専属ルート配送サービス) Outsourced dedicated route delivery services providing customized logistics solutions for businesses with recurring domestic transport needs.
• Logistics Support (ロジスティクス・サポート) Comprehensive logistics support including planning, execution, and optimization of supply chain operations for Japanese businesses.
• Warehouse Services (倉庫業務) Warehouse storage and handling services at IEC-operated domestic logistics facilities, including the IEC Hakata Logistics Center and Kanmon warehouse.
• Sea Freight Consolidation Schedule Service (海貨コンソリスケジュール) Sea freight consolidation schedules (departures and arrivals) for Japan-origin export and Japan-destination import shipments published on the company website.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IEC EXPRESS (SHANGHAI) LTD. (上海亜美至捷国際貨運代理有限公司)coreOthersIEC EXPRESS (SHANGHAI) LTD. is the company's wholly-owned or affiliated subsidiary in China. It operates multiple offices in China (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Dalian, Ningbo, Xiamen) and is an integral part of IEC's international logistics network. The Shenzhen office relocated in June 2026.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Sinotrans: China's state-linked dominant freight forwarder and logistics company with deep domestic network. Highly relevant comparable for IEC's China forwarding operations and consolidation business.

Direct peers

• Expeditors International: US-listed global freight forwarder specializing in air and ocean forwarding with strong Asia-Pacific presence. Comparable asset-light forwarding model and customer overlap in Asian trade lanes.
• Kintetsu World Express (now KWE / AP Cargo): Japanese-headquartered global freight forwarder offering air/ocean forwarding, logistics, and warehousing. Closely comparable to IEC in target market (Japan-based exporters/importers), service mix, and Asia-China emphasis.
• Kerry Logistics: Asia-based freight forwarding and logistics group with strong intra-Asia and China trade capabilities. Comparable to IEC in mid-sized forwarder profile, Asia-China focus, and integrated service model.

Broad incumbents

• Yusen Logistics: Major Japanese freight forwarder and contract logistics provider with international air/ocean forwarding, warehousing, and supply chain solutions. Comparable customer base (Japanese enterprises) and full multi-modal offering.
• DSV: Large global freight forwarder with significant ocean/air forwarding and road operations in Asia. Competes with IEC for international forwarding business from Japanese exporters.
• CEVA Logistics: Global freight management and contract logistics provider with ocean/air forwarding. Overlaps with IEC in forwarding and contract logistics for enterprise customers.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest global freight forwarders with strong ocean and air forwarding plus contract logistics. Competes with IEC for Japanese exporter accounts on global scale and digital capability.
• Nippon Express: Japan's largest logistics company offering international/domestic freight forwarding, air/ocean, warehousing, and moving services. Highly comparable in service mix, but operates at materially larger scale and global breadth than IEC.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Global leader in air and ocean freight forwarding with deep Asia-Pacific network and customs brokerage. Direct competitor for IEC's international forwarding customers, especially China trade.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IECEXPRESSHK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-express-co.-ltd.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 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 International Express