What Balguerie does

Balguerie is a privately held French freight forwarder and logistics integrator headquartered in Bordeaux/Bruges (Bordeaux Fret Zone), operating internationally since 1930 under the Balguerie Group. The company acts as a commissionnaire de transport and commissionnaire en douane, organizing sea, air, land, and multimodal transport under any Incoterm, with door-to-door and door-to-port execution. Core service lines cover overseas transport (FCL/LCL), multimodal transport, customs brokerage and regulatory compliance (leveraging AEO, C-TPAT, FDA, IATA, and FMC NVOCC credentials), industrial project logistics for oversized and heavy cargo, and warehousing through the STAC sub-brand (3,000 m² bonded, 1,750 m² temperature-controlled, 1,000 m² secondary bonded). Industry-specific specialties include wines and spirits (with cooperage handling and TCA/TCB testing via Excell laboratory), agri-food/perishables, healthcare and pharmaceuticals (–25°C to +25°C, GDP-trained teams), forestry, recycled products and Basel Convention traffic, trade-show logistics under the WS Logistics brand, humanitarian aid (notably with Médecins Sans Frontières across 70+ countries), consumer goods, and agricultural raw materials.

Technology is operational rather than AI-driven: the BLS (Balguerie Live System) platform provides real-time shipment tracking, CO2 consumption visibility, and daily progress alerts for air and sea freight; the B2T portal handles B2B supply-chain reporting, PDF/Excel exports, and multi-criteria filtering; and STAC supports warehouse and inventory management. Sub-brands include Transo (a Washington D.C.-based department dedicated to US wine and spirits imports), WS Logistics (event logistics, official Vinexposium partner), STAC (warehousing), and Océans Transports Maritimes (a wholly owned maritime subsidiary acquired in 2017/2018 specializing in reefers and agri-food). The commercial model is sales-led and quote-based, with direct B2B engagement, dedicated account management, digital quotation requests, and a network of more than 400 affiliated agents enabling global coverage across American and Asian continents in particular.

Name

Balguerie

Legal name

Balguerie

Website

https://balguerie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Balguerie is a French freight forwarder and customs broker, founded in 1930 and headquartered in Bordeaux, that organizes international sea, air, land, and multimodal transport for B2B clients across wine and spirits, agri-food, pharmaceutical, humanitarian, and industrial verticals via sub-brands including Transo, WS Logistics, and STAC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL), LCL (Less-than-Container Load) Consolidation/Deconsolidation (TLACABAB), Air Consolidation & Deconsolidation (Consols, Master/House AWB) (TLACAAAB)

Keywords

• International freight forwarding
• Customs brokerage services
• Multimodal transport logistics
• Temperature-controlled logistics
• Wine and spirits logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Balguerie acts as commissionnaire de transport and commissionnaire en douane, organizing international transport (sea, air, land, multimodal) for goods worldwide. Revenue is generated through service fees on freight forwarding operations, customs brokerage, and associated logistics services. The company offers door-to-door and door-to-port delivery regardless of Incoterm.
2. Specialized Logistics Services: Specialized services including temperature-controlled transport, industrial project management, event logistics (WS Logistics), and wine/spirits US exports (Transo). Revenue streams include warehousing (STAC), customs compliance management, and project coordination fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Balguerie is a commissionnaire de transport (freight forwarder) and commissionnaire en douane (customs broker) organizing international freight movement by sea, air, land, and multimodal transport for business clients. The company delivers door-to-door or door-to-port logistics under any Incoterm, integrated with customs brokerage, bonded and temperature-controlled warehousing (STAC), and vertical-specialized handling for industries such as wines & spirits, agri-food, pharmaceuticals, forestry, recycled products, humanitarian aid, and oversized industrial cargo. Real-time shipment visibility is provided through the proprietary BLS tracking platform and B2T customer portal.

Product overview

Balguerie is a supply chain architect offering international transport and logistics services since 1930. The company operates as a logistics platform with multiple specialized services organized into core transport offerings (Overseas, Multimodal, Customs, Industrial Projects, Warehousing via STAC) and industry-specific specialties (Wines & Spirits, Agri-food, Healthcare Pharma, Forestry, Recycled Products, Humanitarian Aid, Consumer Goods, Agricultural Raw Materials). Key sub-brands include Transo (USA-focused wines & spirits), WS Logistics (trade show logistics), and Océans Transports Maritimes (maritime subsidiary). Technology platforms include BLS for real-time tracking and B2T for customer portal access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Transo: Specialized department for shipping wines and spirits to the USA with a Washington D.C. office
• WS Logistics
• STAC
• Océans Transports Maritimes
• BLS (Balguerie Live System)
• B2T

Products and services

• Overseas International Transport Maritime, air, and land transport of goods worldwide with full container load (FCL), less-than-container load (LCL), consolidation and groupage services, with real-time shipment visibility via the BLS platform. Designed for businesses requiring international shipping under any Incoterm, door-to-door or door-to-port.
• Transport Multimodal Multimodal logistics solutions combining rail, road, and barge transport with air and sea services for pre- and post-carriage, designed to reduce carbon footprint and optimize logistics costs with innovative transport schemes.
• Customs Brokerage (Douane)
• Industrial Projects (Projet Industriels) Customized logistics solutions for heavy and oversized cargo transport, including full project management across sectors such as rolling stock, nautical equipment, wine-making equipment, railway equipment, construction, mining, and energy.
• STAC Warehousing (Nos Entrepôts) Warehouse management and storage services including bonded warehouses (3,000 m² and 1,000 m²), temperature-controlled storage (1,750 m²), wine and spirits excise warehouse, inventory management, order picking, and container optimization.
• Wines and Spirits Logistics (Vins et Spiritueux) Specialized logistics for wines and spirits including secure pickups, temperature-controlled transport, high-security seals, and cooperage barrel transportation with TCA/TCB testing partnerships with Excell Laboratory.
• Transo (US-Focused Wine & Spirits) Specialized department for shipping wines and spirits to the USA with local representation in Washington D.C., offering maritime, air, and land services with real-time tracking and customized consolidations for American importers and their distributors.
• Agri-Food Logistics (Agroalimentaire) Temperature-controlled logistics for perishable goods, dairy products, meat, fruits and vegetables, and frozen foods, utilizing reefer sea containers, isothermal containers, air packing with envirotainers, and food-grade containers.
• Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Logistics (Santé Pharma) Healthcare and pharmaceutical logistics including temperature-controlled transport (-25°C to +25°C), medical equipment handling, hazardous goods transportation, and GDP-trained teams.
• WS Logistics (Trade Shows and Exhibitions) Event logistics specialist for trade shows and exhibitions, offering transport, storage, customs clearance, and on-site assistance for events in France and internationally, with official Vinexposium partnership.
• Forestry Industry Logistics (Industrie Forestière) Forestry and wood industry logistics including barrel transportation, American oak imports, fumigation services, TCA/TCB analysis, and specialized handling equipment for forest products.
• Recycled Products Logistics (Produits Recyclés) Recycled products logistics including metals, special steels, paper, and plastic pellets, with expertise in waste and scrap traffic, Basel Convention compliance, and EC regulations.
• Humanitarian Aid Logistics (Aide Humanitaire) Humanitarian aid logistics partnering with Médecins Sans Frontières, providing customized solutions for medical and material aid delivery to over 70 countries.
• Consumer Goods Logistics (Biens de Consommation) Consumer goods logistics covering telecoms, high-tech, energy technologies, textiles, chemicals, and petrochemicals with specialized containers and customs operations.
• Agricultural Raw Materials Logistics (Matières Premières Agricoles) Agricultural raw materials logistics for coffee, cocoa, sugar, grains, and seeds with optimized loading plans and temperature-controlled storage options.
• Océans Transports Maritimes (Maritime Subsidiary)

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% customer loyalty rate at Océans Transports Maritimes division
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver the past two decades, Balguerie has been a trusted partner of Médecins Sans Frontières, offering logistical support to their humanitarian missions in over 70 countries worldwide. MSF Logistics is one of the world's most significant delivery structures of humanitarian assistance. Balguerie contributes to delivering critical medical and material aid by identifying the most suitable supply plan for each field situation.
• VinexposiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWS Logistics is one of the official logistics partners of Vinexposium for international wine and spirits trade shows in France, Asia, and the United States. This partnership involves comprehensive event logistics including transport, customs, on-site assistance, and delivery to exhibition stands.
• Business FrancemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWS Logistics is a recommended freight forwarder by Business France, supporting French companies' international trade and export activities through trusted logistics partnership.
• CCI International Nouvelle-AquitaineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWS Logistics supports operations carried out by CCI International Nouvelle-Aquitaine for international trade events.
• CCI Bourgogne Franche-ComtéminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWS Logistics supports operations carried out by CCI Bourgogne Franche-Comté for international trade events.
• INTERBIO Nouvelle-AquitaineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWS Logistics supports bio/organic trade operations in Nouvelle-Aquitaine through INTERBIO partnership.
• CIVB (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWS Logistics supports operations carried out by CIVB for Bordeaux wine trade promotion.
• Excell LaboratorycoreTechnology or IntegrationExcell laboratory partnership for TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisole) and TCB testing in cooperage/barrel transport for the wine industry, ensuring quality control of wood barrels during logistics operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DSV: Danish-headquartered global freight forwarder and logistics provider following the Schenker acquisition. Competes with Balguerie across air, sea, road freight and customs; much larger in scale but similar in combining multi-modal services with European base.
• DB Schenker: German-headquartered global freight forwarder and logistics provider offering land, air, and ocean freight plus contract logistics. A broad incumbent with comprehensive European strength comparable to Balguerie's continental base, though materially larger in scale and breadth.
• Dachser: German-headquartered global logistics provider with strong European road freight, air & sea freight forwarding, and contract logistics. Comparable in European mid-market positioning and integrated freight offering, though with deeper road/contract logistics capability than Balguerie.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Swiss-based global #1 sea freight forwarder and one of the top air freight forwarders, offering extensive multi-modal services, customs, and contract logistics worldwide. A broad incumbent that competes with Balguerie across nearly every vertical but at much greater scale and global coverage.

Direct peers

• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-headquartered mid-market global freight forwarder with strong air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and specialized industry verticals (fashion, healthcare, automotive). Comparable to Balguerie in mid-market positioning, multi-modal services, and vertical specialization approach, though larger in scale.
• CEVA Logistics: French-headquartered global freight forwarder and contract logistics provider, now majority-owned by CMA CGM. Offers end-to-end supply chain solutions across sea/air/land, contract logistics, and industry verticals. Directly comparable in multi-modal services and customs capabilities; significantly larger in scale.
• Gefco: French-headquartered automotive-focused logistics provider, historically owned by Russian Railways (now under STEF ownership transition). Comparable as a French freight forwarding and logistics peer, particularly in specialized industrial verticals.
• Geodis: Major French-headquartered global freight forwarder and logistics provider offering multi-modal transport, customs brokerage, and contract logistics. Comparable to Balguerie in geography (French base, global network) and core service portfolio (freight forwarding + customs), though materially larger in scale and broader in vertical coverage.
• Bolloré Logistics: French-headquartered global freight forwarder (Bolloré Transport & Logistics division) offering sea/air freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and specialized logistics. Directly comparable as a French-based multi-modal forwarder with similar customer base across wines & spirits, industrial, and consumer goods verticals.

Regional players

• Wincanton (CEVA UK heritage): UK-headquartered contract logistics and freight forwarding provider, recently acquired by CEVA Logistics (CMA CGM). Comparable in mid-market European freight forwarding positioning; serves as a regional alternative rather than direct French market competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/balguerie
• Facebookfacebook.com/BalguerieGroupe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/balguerie

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Balguerie