Mainfreight
Mainfreight is a New Zealand-headquartered, NZX-listed global logistics company operating 331 branches across 27 countries, providing integrated air, ocean, transport, and 3PL warehousing services to enterprise importers/exporters and domestic shippers via the Mainchain technology platform.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Mainfreight does
Mainfreight Limited is a New Zealand-domiciled, NZX-listed (ticker: MFT) total supply chain logistics provider founded in 1978 and headquartered in Auckland. The company operates across 27 countries through 331 branch locations with approximately 10,839 team members, organized into three core service divisions: Air & Ocean (international freight forwarding, customs clearance, perishables), Transport (domestic and transborder road and rail, LTL/FTL, dangerous goods, home delivery), and Warehousing (3PL, ~600,000 sqm across 35 facilities in Australasia, inventory management, pick and pack, distribution). Revenue is generated primarily through transactional freight charges for air and ocean services and managed services fees for warehousing, with quote-based pricing tailored per customer; go-to-market combines an enterprise field sales model via the global branch network with self-service channels including the Mainchain customer portal and a mobile app.
Mainfreight's technology stack centers on Mainchain, a customer-facing portal providing shipment booking, tracking, documentation, EDI integration, purchase order management, reporting, and analytics. Supporting systems include MIMs (Mainfreight Inventory Management System) integrated with Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) technology in selected warehouses (achieving 99.996% picking accuracy and 58% time savings), the Maintel Emissions Dashboard for customer carbon reporting (verified under ISO 14064-1), and the Freman label printing utility. Distribution is hybrid: enterprise customers transact via direct branch relationships and EDI integration with their ERP/WMS, while mid-market and transactional customers use the Mainchain portal and mobile app. FY2026 revenue was NZ$5.38 billion with net income of NZ$251 million; Australia is the largest revenue and profit contributor.
The company's strategic positioning emphasizes a 100-year vision and Three Pillars (Culture, Family, Philosophy) framework, with a promote-from-within talent model. Recent expansion has been geographically diverse — new offices and warehouses across India (Mumbai), China (Dalian, Chongqing, Nanning), Poland (Warsaw, Katowice, Poznań), Singapore, Thailand, and major Australian facilities including the 55,000 sqm Sydney Moorebank Intermodal Terminal warehouse and the Melbourne Airport Air & Perishables facility (opened May 2026). Notable certifications include ISO 14064-1 for GHG emissions, IATA cargo agent accreditation, and Good Distribution Practice for pharmaceutical logistics in Malaysia and Shanghai. Mainfreight is controlled by its board (Chairman Bruce Plested, Group Managing Director Don Braid) and operates as an independent public company with no parent entity.
Mainfreight firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mainfreight
- Legal name
- Mainfreight Limited
- Website
- https://mainfreight.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Mainfreight is a New Zealand-headquartered, NZX-listed global logistics company operating 331 branches across 27 countries, providing integrated air, ocean, transport, and 3PL warehousing services to enterprise importers/exporters and domestic shippers via the Mainchain technology platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mainfreight industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Transportation (488), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), General Warehousing and Storage (49311), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ambient General Merchandise Warehousing (Dry Storage) (TLAIACAA), Perishables & Fresh Produce Forwarding (Food/Seafood/Floral) (TLACAJAA)
Keywords
Where Mainfreight is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices18 records
Markets served
Mainfreight business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Air Freight Services: International air freight forwarding services including customs clearance, perishable handling, and time-critical shipments. Revenue generated through freight charges based on weight, volume, and service requirements.
- Ocean Freight Services: Ocean freight forwarding for both LCL (Less than Container Load) and FCL (Full Container Load) shipments. Services include customs brokerage and documentation management.
- Domestic Transport: Road and rail transport services for domestic and transborder shipments including standard palletized freight, full truck loads, specialized services for dangerous goods, and home deliveries.
- Warehousing / 3PL Services: Third-party logistics (3PL) warehousing solutions with approximately 600,000 square metres of space across 35 warehouses in Australasia. Flexible variable or fixed price solutions for inventory management, pick & pack, and distribution.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Flexible Warehousing Solutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Mainfreight product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mainfreight provides end-to-end supply chain logistics services across international air and ocean freight forwarding (LCL, FCL, customs clearance, perishable handling), domestic and transborder road/rail transport (LTL, FTL, dangerous goods, metro cartage, wharf cartage, home delivery), and third-party warehousing (3PL inventory management, pick & pack, distribution) supported by an integrated technology platform (Mainchain portal, MIMs warehouse system, AMR robotics, mobile app, Maintel emissions dashboard). Operations span 27 countries through 331+ branches with approximately 600,000 sqm of warehousing in Australasia, serving enterprise importers, exporters, and contract logistics customers.
Product overview
Mainfreight operates as an integrated total supply chain logistics provider organized into three core service divisions: Air & Ocean (international freight forwarding), Transport (domestic road/rail logistics), and Warehousing (3PL solutions). The company offers a unified technology platform anchored by Mainchain, its customer web portal that provides end-to-end freight management, EDI integration, tracking, documentation, and reporting. Supporting this platform are the Mainfreight Mobile App for on-the-go access, Freman label printing, and specialized AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) warehousing technology. The Maintel Emissions Dashboard enables customers to track and report supply chain carbon emissions. With approximately 600,000 sqm of warehousing space across 35 facilities in Australasia and operations spanning 27 countries through 331 branches, Mainfreight delivers integrated logistics from air/ocean freight and customs brokerage through domestic transport to warehousing and last-mile delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Air & Ocean Freight Forwarding International freight forwarding covering air freight, ocean freight (both LCL - Less than Container Load and FCL - Full Container Load), customs clearance, customs brokerage, perishable goods handling, cross-docking, and documentation services for enterprise importers and exporters across global routes.
- Domestic and Transborder Transport Domestic and transborder road and rail transport services including LTL (less-than-truckload), FTL (full truckload), dangerous goods, metro freight, wharf cartage, home delivery and specialized tanker services. Operated through 331+ branches across New Zealand, Australia, the Americas, Europe and Asia.
- Warehousing / 3PL Third-party logistics (3PL) warehousing solutions including inventory management, order fulfillment, pick & pack, distribution, temperature-controlled storage, dangerous goods storage and specialized handling. Operates approximately 600,000 sqm across 35 warehouses in Australasia with flexible variable or fixed price solutions.
- Mainchain Customer Portal Online customer portal providing end-to-end freight management including shipment booking, tracking, documentation, purchase order management, EDI integration, centralized communication, reporting and analytics, and freight cost management. Accessible via mainchain.net with login credentials provided to customers.
- Mainfreight Mobile App Free mobile application for iOS and Android devices enabling customers to track their supply chain shipments, manage service requests and access freight information anywhere, anytime. Available on Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Freman Label Printing Label printing solution for freight documentation including SSCC-formatted shipping labels using 100x150mm label stock, with support for thermal printers. Designed to streamline freight labeling operations.
- Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) Warehousing Technology Automated warehousing technology using autonomous mobile robots that sort, store and navigate to deliver shelving units directly to pick points, achieving 99.996% accuracy and 58% time savings. Integrates with MIMs warehouse management system via QR code scanning. Ideal for high-volume retail, e-commerce and rapid distribution operations.
- Maintel Emissions Dashboard Customer-facing emissions tracking and reporting tool that provides accurate inventory of supply chain emissions from local deliveries through international shipments, supporting regulatory compliance and ESG reporting requirements.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.996% warehouse picking accuracy with AMR technology
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Mainfreight
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mainfreight technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Mainfreight partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Foodbank AustraliacoreExpanded partnership as part of Mars Food & Nutrition Australia's Collaborative Supply Program to deliver 4.4 million meals in 2026, expected to exceed 16.1 million meals by end of 2026. Mainfreight provides logistics and supply chain support as one of multiple suppliers including TOLL Group, Cargill, Ingredion, and Tate & Lyle. The program launched during COVID-19 pandemic and has evolved into a long-term initiative.
- TOLL GroupminorCo-supplier in Mars Food & Nutrition Australia's Foodbank Collaborative Supply Program for meal delivery logistics.
- CargillminorCo-supplier in Mars Food & Nutrition Australia's Foodbank Collaborative Supply Program for meal delivery logistics.
- IngredionminorCo-supplier in Mars Food & Nutrition Australia's Foodbank Collaborative Supply Program for meal delivery logistics.
- Tate & LyleminorCo-supplier in Mars Food & Nutrition Australia's Foodbank Collaborative Supply Program for meal delivery logistics.
- Christmas Box AustraliacoreFourth consecutive year of partnership with Christmas Box Australia for food relief initiative. In 2024, helped distribute 15,000 Christmas Boxes reaching over 75,000 Australians in Adelaide, Melbourne, Geelong, Bairnsdale, and Brisbane. 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Christmas Box Australia.
Scale indicators19 records
Recent moves21 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Mainfreight competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: German-based global logistics provider specializing in air and ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, and road transport. Family-controlled mid-sized global forwarder with comparable service mix and culture-driven positioning similar to Mainfreight.
- CEVA Logistics: Global logistics provider offering air/ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, ground transportation, and supply chain solutions. Comparable integrated service model and customer profile, owned by CMA CGM (ocean carrier) which creates structural advantages Mainfreight does not have access to.
- Toll Group: Asia-Pacific headquartered (Australia) logistics and freight forwarding company offering air/ocean forwarding, domestic transport, and contract logistics. Closest regional peer to Mainfreight given overlapping presence across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia with similar service portfolios—including co-supplying the Mars Foodbank program.
Broad incumbents
- Nippon Express: Japanese global logistics company with air/ocean forwarding, warehousing, and transport—comparable multi-modal model and Asia-Pacific footprint, with greater scale and Japanese origin trade-corridor advantages.
- DB Schenker: German-headquartered integrated logistics provider with global air/ocean forwarding, land transport, and contract logistics. Although being acquired by DSV, it operates as a comparable peer across Mainfreight's service portfolio globally.
- DHL Global Forwarding: DHL's forwarding arm provides air and ocean freight forwarding with customs brokerage, customs clearance, and supply chain services globally. Direct overlap with Mainfreight's core Air & Ocean offering and global B2B customer base.
- Kuehne + Nagel International AG: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with integrated air, ocean, road, and contract logistics services. Directly comparable business model to Mainfreight across all three service lines—international forwarding, domestic transport, and warehousing/3PL.
- DSV A/S: Global freight forwarding and logistics giant with extensive air/ocean forwarding and contract logistics operations. Highly comparable multi-modal service mix and customer profile to Mainfreight, though at substantially larger scale (post-Schenker acquisition).
- Maersk Logistics & Services: Integrated logistics arm of Maersk offering ocean freight, inland transportation, and contract logistics. Comparable in warehousing and ocean forwarding with vertical integration advantages through parent Maersk's ocean carrier network.
Regional players
- Sinotrans: China's largest logistics company with strong air/ocean forwarding and warehousing presence across Asia. Relevant comparable for Mainfreight's Asia-Pacific expansion strategy, particularly China offices, though primarily China-focused.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mainfreight social profiles
Digital presenceMainfreight compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Mainfreight financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mainfreight leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Mainfreight funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mainfreight M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mainfreight
What does Mainfreight do?
Mainfreight provides end-to-end supply chain logistics services across international air and ocean freight forwarding (LCL, FCL, customs clearance, perishable handling), domestic and transborder road/rail transport (LTL, FTL, dangerous goods, metro cartage, wharf cartage, home delivery), and third-party warehousing (3PL inventory management, pick & pack, distribution) supported by an integrated technology platform (Mainchain portal, MIMs warehouse system, AMR robotics, mobile app, Maintel emissions dashboard). Operations span 27 countries through 331+ branches with approximately 600,000 sqm of warehousing in Australasia, serving enterprise importers, exporters, and contract logistics customers.
Is Mainfreight a public or private company?
Mainfreight is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Mainfreight founded?
Mainfreight was founded in 1978. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Mainfreight based?
Mainfreight is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Mainfreight make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Air Freight Services are the primary driver. The others are ocean Freight Services, domestic Transport and warehousing / 3PL Services.
Who are Mainfreight's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, CEVA Logistics and Toll Group. Broad incumbents are Nippon Express, DB Schenker, DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, DSV A/S and Maersk Logistics & Services. Sinotrans is listed as a regional player.
Does Mainfreight have an API?
Yes. Mainchain customer portal supports EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) integration capabilities enabling direct connection between customer systems and Mainfreight for: export shipment bookings, purchase orders, shipment status, invoices, documents, reports, and notifications. This allows total visibility and control within the customer's own business environment.
What industry is Mainfreight in?
Mainfreight's product category is Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAG, Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance), with a secondary code of TLAIACAA, Ambient General Merchandise Warehousing (Dry Storage). Its NAICS code is 488 and its SIC code is 4731.