What General Transport does

General Transport AG is a privately held Swiss freight forwarder and logistics service provider founded in 1947 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. It operates as the Swiss subsidiary of the Geis Group, an owner-managed logistics company headquartered in Bavaria, Germany, and serves enterprise and mid-market customers requiring complex international logistics, with a secondary vertical in pharmaceutical and biotech cold-chain transport. The company runs four operational offices: Basel headquarters, Basel Airport, Zurich Airport (Glattbrugg), and a customs-clearance office in Weil am Rhein, Germany, operated through the wholly-owned subsidiary Verzollungsagentur Kaltenbach + Weiss.

The company's core product portfolio is unified under the registered 'Five Star Logistics®' brand and spans five transport and service lines: airfreight logistics (IATA direct, consolidated, and charter), ocean freight logistics (LCL, FCL, conventional, RO/RO), road and rail freight logistics (full/part loads, LTL, GPS-tracked double-manned vehicles, temperature-controlled options), industrial project logistics (oversized cargo, heavy lifts, plant relocations), and a customs clearance service. Module-level add-ons include refrigerated transport, hazardous goods handling, specialized packaging, warehousing, and GDP-compliant logistics for pharma/biotech. Underlying technology consists of GPS-controlled vehicle fleets, multimodal transport orchestration, and standardized processes integrated with the Geis Group's global partner network ('Best in Class' partners Emotrans, Logwin, PfN), giving the entity access to 600 branch offices across 102 countries despite its small direct headcount of 51–100.

Revenue is generated transactionally through international freight forwarding (air, ocean, road), value-added services, and customs clearance, with a managed-services component from 3PL contract logistics. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contracts developed through consultative B2B sales. The firm holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AEO, and Spedlogswiss certifications. Leadership is headed by CEO Bernhard Zaugg (also leading Airfreight Logistics Switzerland) and CFO Oliver Mühlfeld, with the Geis family represented on the Board of Directors (Wolfgang Geis as President).

Name

General Transport

Legal name

General Transport AG

Website

https://general-transport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

General Transport AG is a Basel-based Swiss freight forwarder (founded 1947) that offers airfreight, ocean freight, road/rail transport, industrial project logistics, customs clearance, and GDP-compliant pharma logistics under the Five Star Logistics® brand, serving enterprise and mid-market customers as the Swiss subsidiary of the Geis Group.

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

General Cargo Air Freight Forwarding (Airport-to-Airport / Door-to-Door) (TLACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)

Keywords

• International freight forwarding
• Air freight logistics
• Ocean freight logistics
• Customs clearance services
• Industrial project logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 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: Core revenue stream from airfreight, ocean freight, and road freight services covering global shipments. Includes direct traffic, consolidated services (LCL), full container loads (FCL), and specialized industrial project logistics.
2. Value-Added Services: Additional revenue from temperature-controlled transport, hazardous goods handling, specialized packaging, warehousing, quality inspection, and storage services.
3. Customs Clearance Services: In-house customs clearance services providing comprehensive border compliance solutions for customers.
4. Contract Logistics (3PL): Third-party contract logistics services offering integrated supply chain solutions for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

General Transport AG provides international freight forwarding and logistics services through its Five Star Logistics® brand, covering worldwide airfreight, ocean freight (LCL/FCL/RO-RO), European road and rail freight (including Rhine shipping), industrial project logistics for oversized and heavy-lift cargo, and in-house customs clearance. The portfolio also includes value-added services such as GDP-compliant temperature-controlled transport for pharmaceuticals, hazardous goods handling, specialized packaging, warehousing, and 3PL contract logistics.

Product overview

General Transport operates as a Swiss logistics company offering a unified product portfolio under the Five Star Logistics® brand. The core offering comprises four primary transport modes: Airfreight Logistics (worldwide air cargo with IATA direct traffic, consolidated and charter options), Ocean Freight Logistics (global container shipping with LCL/FCL/RO-RO services), Road & Rail Freight Logistics (European surface transport with full/part load options), and Industrial Project Logistics (specialized heavy-lift and project cargo). These are complemented by three module-level services: Customs Clearance Service (in-house customs processing), Value Added Services (refrigerated transport, hazardous goods, specialized packaging), and Good Distribution Practice Logistics (pharma/biotech GDP-compliant transport). The Five Star Logistics® brand unifies all services with a focus on individual solutions through global networking, positioning the company as a single-source provider from air and ocean freight to road transport and complex project logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Five Star Logistics: A business model developed by General Transport AG covering worldwide airfreight, ocean freight, European surface transport, industrial project logistics, development aid logistics, and 3PL contract logistics. The five stars represent high quality, ecological compatibility, optimal safety, and international certification under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and AEO.

Products and services

• Five Star Logistics® Comprehensive logistics business model covering worldwide airfreight, ocean freight, European surface transport (including Rhine shipping), industrial project logistics, development aid logistics, and 3PL contract logistics, delivered through the Geis Group international network.
• Airfreight Logistics Worldwide airfreight services including IATA direct traffic, consolidated shipments, and part or full charter options, delivered with standardized processes and individual customer solutions.
• Ocean Freight Logistics Global sea freight services offering LCL (Less Container Load) consolidated shipments to more than 80 destinations with guaranteed departures, FCL (Full Container Load) shipments with almost daily departures from all major port locations, conventional shipping, and roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) shipments.
• Road & Rail Freight Logistics European surface transport services including full loads, part loads, and less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments with daily scheduled services, GPS-tracked double-manned vehicles, and temperature-controlled options for shipments to the UK.
• Industrial Project Logistics Specialized logistics for oversized cargo, heavy lifts, and complete industrial plant relocations, including cost planning, transport permits, feasibility studies, disassembly and final assembly, and insurance services. General Transport is described as a market leader for international project logistics by sea, air, and road.
• Customs Clearance Service In-house customs clearance service enabling clients to manage all customs documentation and procedures through a single provider, including customs processing handled by Verzollungsagentur Kaltenbach + Weiss from Weil am Rhein, Germany.
• Value Added Services Supplementary logistics services including refrigerated (temperature-controlled) transport, hazardous goods processing, specialized packaging for high-tech products and artwork, storage, consignment, and quality testing.
• Good Distribution Practice Logistics GDP-compliant logistics specifically designed for pharmaceutical and biotech industries, featuring qualified processes, verified transport procedures, and temperature-controlled solutions meeting regulatory requirements for cold-chain integrity.

Quantifiable outcome

• GDP-compliant pharmaceutical logistics with qualified processes and verified transport processes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Geis GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company headquartered in Bavaria, Germany. General Transport AG is the Swiss subsidiary of the Geis Group. The Geis Group provides standardized and customer-specific transport solutions as well as the entire range of logistics services. With owned locations in Europe and powerful partners, the company has an international network at its fingertips.
• EmotranscoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal network partner providing worldwide logistics services. General Transport cooperates with Emotrans to provide comprehensive and secure services all over the world following 'Best in Class' principles.
• LogwincoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal network partner providing worldwide logistics services as part of the 'Best in Class' partner network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kuehne+Nagel: Swiss-headquartered global freight forwarder offering airfreight, ocean freight, road logistics, and contract logistics with integrated customs services. Directly comparable to General Transport as a multi-modal Swiss forwarder with deep pharma and industrial project capabilities, though at vastly larger scale.
• Expeditors International: US-headquartered global air and ocean freight forwarder with customs brokerage. Comparable business model as an asset-light freight forwarder operating on transaction fees; competing for Swiss enterprise air and ocean freight accounts.
• Geodis: French-headquartered global freight forwarder and contract logistics provider offering airfreight, ocean freight, road, and rail transport with customs services. Directly comparable in mid-market European multimodal forwarding, contract logistics, and customs clearance.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German family-owned global freight forwarder offering airfreight, ocean, road, and contract logistics with customs services. Closely matches General Transport's profile as a mid-sized, family-influenced European multi-modal forwarder with strong road freight.
• DSV A/S: Danish global freight forwarder and logistics provider (now including former Panalpina and Schenker) offering airfreight, ocean, road, and contract logistics. Competes directly with General Transport in European road and airfreight forwarding, particularly for Swiss enterprise accounts.
• Panalpina (legacy, now DSV Air & Sea): Swiss-headquartered legacy freight forwarder historically competing with General Transport in Basel for air and ocean freight; now absorbed into DSV but its Swiss pharma and project cargo heritage mirrors General Transport's specialization.

Emerging players

• Flexport: US-based digital freight forwarder offering air, ocean, and road forwarding with proprietary technology platform. Represents the emerging digitally-native competitive threat to traditional forwarders like General Transport in air and ocean freight.

Broad incumbents

• DB Schenker: German-headquartered global logistics provider (now owned by DSV) offering European land transport, airfreight, ocean freight, and contract logistics. Comparable in multimodal breadth and European road/rail focus to General Transport's road and rail freight business.
• CEVA Logistics: Global third-party logistics provider (CMA CGM subsidiary) offering freight management, contract logistics, and customs services. Overlaps with General Transport's contract logistics (3PL) offering and multimodal forwarding, particularly for industrial customers.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Deutsche Post DHL's air and ocean freight forwarding division, a global leader with broad multimodal services including customs brokerage. Overlaps directly with General Transport's offering but operates at much greater scale and as part of a larger integrated logistics group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/general-transport-ag

Compliance3 records

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 General Transport