Knowles transport

What Knowles transport does

Knowles Transport, operating as Knowles Logistics, is a privately held, family-run third-party logistics (3PL) provider headquartered in Wimblington March, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, with operating history dating to 1932. The company delivers integrated contract logistics, warehousing, and distribution services to UK and European business customers across multiple industries. Core offerings include a full UK distribution network covering full load and groupage, flexible shared-user and dedicated warehousing, a UK and EU pallet network for single and multi-pallet consignments, and supporting services such as supermarket consolidation, Bidfood consolidation, pick and pack, contract packing, and container distribution. The fleet includes electric and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) vehicles, positioning the company in the sustainability-focused segment of UK road freight.

The business model is B2B contract logistics, with revenue generated through long-term managed service arrangements rather than disclosed pricing tiers; quotes are negotiated on a contract-by-contract basis depending on volume, service scope, and term. Customer acquisition is sales-led, combining direct sales, industry referrals, and a digital presence (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) supported by a self-service customer portal (Roadrunner Live) for order tracking. The customer base is segmented horizontally by use case (UK distribution requirements, storage requirements, pallet shipping) rather than by anchor vertical, with foodservice (Bidfood) and grocery (supermarket) consolidation as identifiable specialty segments. Headcount is reported in the 251-500 range.

Knowles has expanded its physical footprint through the October 2022 acquisition of Masters Logistical, a warehousing and distribution provider based in Ely, Cambridgeshire, which now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary brand. The company is privately held, incorporated in England as Knowles Logistics, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or public market backing; ownership and control appear to remain with the founding family. Recent recognition includes 2025 Sustainability and Business Awards. No proprietary technology stack, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or API/SDK integrations are disclosed; the company operates as a conventional asset-heavy 3PL with a basic digital marketing and tracking layer.

Name

Knowles transport

Legal name

Knowles Logistics

Website

https://knowlestransport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Knowles Transport (operating as Knowles Logistics) is a privately held, family-run UK 3PL provider offering contract logistics, shared and dedicated warehousing, full load and groupage distribution, and a UK/EU pallet network to business customers across multiple industries, including foodservice and grocery consolidation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-party logistics and warehousing services

NAICS

Warehousing and Storage (493), General Warehousing and Storage (49311), Truck Transportation (484), Transportation and Warehousing (48-49)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Warehousing Operations & Contract Storage (Dedicated/Shared) (TLAIAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Managed Transportation Services (MTS) / Outsourced TMS Operations (TLAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Warehousing services
• Distribution services
• Pallet network
• Contract logistics
• Third-party logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract Logistics Services: Knowles generates revenue through contract logistics arrangements, providing dedicated and shared user warehousing, full and part load distribution, and pallet network services to customers across various industries. Revenue is derived from long-term contracts with businesses requiring supply chain infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Knowles Logistics is a B2B third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering integrated warehousing and distribution services across the UK and EU. Core offerings include full load and groupage distribution, shared user and dedicated warehousing, pallet network services, and specialized consolidation (supermarket and Bidfood) supported by pick and pack, contract packing, and container unload/load. Sustainable transport options via electric and HVO-powered fleet supplement the operational portfolio.

Product overview

Knowles Logistics is an award-winning third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering integrated warehousing and distribution services. The company operates a platform-plus-services model combining contract logistics, dedicated and shared warehousing, full and part load distribution, and pallet network services. Core offerings include distribution (full load and groupage), storage (flexible shared and dedicated solutions), and UK/EU pallet distribution. Supporting services encompass pick and pack, contract packing, container distribution, supermarket consolidation, Bidfood consolidation, and sustainable transport solutions (Electric and HVO). The company expanded through the acquisition of Masters Logistical (warehousing and distribution in Ely) and provides a customer portal for order tracking. The infrastructure combines the scalability of a multi-national 3PL with the flexibility and dedication of a family-run business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Distribution Services Full load and groupage distribution network providing complete UK coverage to a wide variety of customers and industries.
• Storage Solutions Flexible storage solutions including shared user and dedicated warehousing for a variety of industries and customers.
• Pallet Network UK and EU pallet distribution delivering efficient solutions to single and multiple pallet consignments across the UK and Europe.
• Supermarket Consolidation Consolidation services for supermarket supply chains.
• Bidfood Consolidation Specialized consolidation services for the Bidfood supply chain.
• Container Distribution and Unload/Load Container distribution and unload/load services for inbound and outbound container flows.
• Electric and HVO Solutions Sustainable transport solutions using electric and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) vehicles for environmentally conscious customers.
• Customer Portal (Roadrunner Live) Online customer portal (Roadrunner Live) for tracking orders and managing logistics shipments.
• Masters Logistical Warehousing and distribution provider in Ely, acquired by Knowles Logistics in October 2022 to expand fleet and warehousing capacity.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Masters LogisticalcoreOthers · 11 October 2022Masters Logistical is a warehousing and distribution provider based in Ely, Cambridgeshire. Knowles Logistics acquired Masters Logistical in October 2022 as part of their expansion strategy. The acquisition was expected to increase Knowles' fleet and warehousing capacity, supporting their growth ambitions in the logistics sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• XPO Logistics (now GXO Logistics): Global contract logistics and warehousing operator with significant UK presence providing dedicated and shared-user warehousing and distribution, comparable to Knowles' multi-service 3PL model but at much larger scale.
• DHL Supply Chain UK: UK arm of global contract logistics leader DHL, providing warehousing, distribution, and value-added services to enterprise customers. Competes with Knowles for large UK 3PL contracts but at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Palletline: UK pallet distribution network offering next-day and economy pallet services across the UK and Ireland. Directly comparable to Knowles' UK and EU pallet network offering for single and multi-pallet consignments.
• Maritime Transport: UK-based container haulage and contract logistics provider with warehousing and distribution operations, particularly strong in retail and supermarket supply chains. Comparable to Knowles' container distribution and supermarket consolidation services.
• DX Group (DX Freight): UK parcel and freight delivery network providing next-day, pallet, and contract distribution services. Comparable to Knowles' pallet network and groupage distribution business for UK businesses.
• Wincanton: UK-listed contract logistics specialist offering warehousing, transport, and shared-user distribution for grocery, retail, and industrial customers. Directly overlaps with Knowles' contract logistics, supermarket consolidation, and shared warehousing offerings.
• Eddie Stobart Logistics (now part of Culina): Historically one of the UK's largest road haulage and contract logistics providers, with comparable full-load, groupage, and pallet distribution services plus retail consolidation capability.
• Culina Group: One of the largest UK temperature-controlled and ambient 3PL providers with warehousing, distribution, and pallet-network operations. Highly comparable to Knowles' multi-service 3PL model with deep UK retail and food-customer overlap.

Others

• Bidvest Noonan (UK): UK facilities management and logistics services provider including warehousing, distribution, and contract logistics for retail and foodservice customers. Adjacent competitor for some supermarket and Bidfood-adjacent consolidation work.

Regional players

• Turners (Somerset) Distribution: South West England-based haulier and pallet network operator with warehousing and distribution services. Comparable UK regional 3PL model to Knowles, though geographically focused on a different region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjopbFaxXQuq2wbWUnB5G2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/knowlestransport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knowlestransport
• Instagraminstagram.com/knowles_logistics
• TikToktiktok.com/@knowles.logistics
• Xx.com/knowlestrans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Knowles transport