2XL nv
2XL nv (trading as ECS) is a Belgium-based private intermodal transport and supply chain logistics provider operating road, rail, and short sea services across 35+ European countries, primarily serving the UK-Ireland to mainland Europe trade lane with Europe's largest claimed reefer fleet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersZeebrugge, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 2XL nv does
2XL nv, doing business as ECS (legal name: ECS European Containers NV), is a Belgium-headquartered (Zeebrugge) private intermodal transport and integrated supply chain logistics provider. The company combines road, rail, and short sea transportation through an owned network of ferry connections, rail infrastructure, and strategic hubs covering 35+ European countries, with a primary focus on the UK-Ireland to mainland Europe trade lane. Service lines comprise full-loads transport, supply chain logistics (including 160,000 sqm of ambient and 10,000 sqm of temperature-controlled warehousing and cross-docking), temperature-controlled transport using what the company describes as Europe's largest fleet of reefer containers and fridge trailers, Brexit-era customs and border-crossing services, and equipment rental.
The underlying platform is asset-based rather than purely digital: ECS owns its reefer fleet, warehousing footprint, rail connections, and ferry infrastructure, and exposes operational capability to customers through dedicated online portals (separate portals for intermodal transport and supply chain) that provide real-time shipment visibility. The business model is B2B enterprise, with revenue earned primarily on a transaction-fee basis (per-load transport, warehousing, equipment rental) supplemented by professional-services revenue from customs brokerage. The GTM motion is enterprise field sales, with a quote-based pricing model and dedicated sales contacts targeting manufacturers, retailers, and logistics partners; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
Quantitative operating signals include 70,000+ annual container movements, 45% of land miles carried by rail, 104,000 tons of CO2 saved annually, and a self-reported on-time performance of +95% for container and truck loads. The company is privately held, with 101-250 employees, no disclosed parent company, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity in the available data. A new CEO, Richard de Haas, was appointed on 16 December 2025.
2XL nv firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 2XL nv
- Legal name
- ECS European Containers NV
- Website
- https://2xl.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- 2XL nv (trading as ECS) is a Belgium-based private intermodal transport and supply chain logistics provider operating road, rail, and short sea services across 35+ European countries, primarily serving the UK-Ireland to mainland Europe trade lane with Europe's largest claimed reefer fleet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
2XL nv industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Intermodal Transport & Logistics
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Water Transportation (483)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Temperature-Controlled Intermodal (Reefer Container/Trailer) (TLADAFAH), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)
Keywords
Where 2XL nv is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zeebrugge
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
2XL nv business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Full Loads Transport: Transport of full container loads via road, rail and short sea, providing reliable transport solutions for customers moving goods between UK/Ireland and European mainland
- Supply Chain Logistics: Tailormade and cost-efficient one-stop-shop supply chain solutions including warehousing (160,000 sqm ambient, 10,000 sqm temperature-controlled) and distribution services
- Temperature Controlled Transport: Specialized transport services using Europe's largest fleet of reefer containers and fridge trailers for temperature-sensitive goods
- Brexit & Customs Services: Customs clearance and border crossing services ensuring goods cross borders seamlessly post-Brexit
- Equipment Rental: Rental and provision of intermodal equipment including containers and trailers
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
2XL nv product offering
Product offeringCore offering
2XL nv (operating as ECS European Containers NV) provides integrated supply chain logistics and intermodal transport solutions, combining road, rail, and short sea transport across 35+ European countries with a specialization in the UK-Ireland to mainland Europe trade corridor. The company also offers temperature-controlled transport via Europe's largest reefer fleet, 170,000 sqm of warehousing, customs brokerage for Brexit-related border crossings, and intermodal equipment rental.
Product overview
ECS (European Containers NV) operates as an integrated supply chain logistics and intermodal transport solutions provider. The company offers a portfolio of core logistics services including Full loads transport (road, rail and short sea), Supply chain logistics (tailormade solutions), Temperature controlled transport (reefer containers and fridge trailers), Brexit & customs services, and Equipment (fleet). Services are delivered through an extensive intermodal network with strategic hubs covering over 35 European countries, combining state-of-the-art fleet with rail connections and ferry services for integrated door-to-door solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Full loads transport
- Supply chain logistics Tailormade and cost-efficient one-stop-shop supply chain solutions including 160,000 sqm of ambient warehousing, 10,000 sqm of temperature-controlled warehousing, and distribution services for enterprise customers.
- Temperature controlled transport Specialized transport services for temperature-sensitive cargo using Europe's largest fleet of reefer containers and fridge trailers, serving food, pharmaceutical, and other perishable goods shippers.
- Brexit & customs services Customs brokerage and border crossing services ensuring goods cross borders flawlessly post-Brexit, with expertise in UK-EU trade lane procedures.
- Equipment rental and fleet services Provision and rental of a state-of-the-art fleet of intermodal vehicles and containers, including reefer containers and trailers, to support intermodal transport operations across the European network.
Quantifiable outcome
- 45% of land miles are rail-related, saving 104,000 tons of CO2 annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 2XL nv
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
2XL nv technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
2XL nv partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
2XL nv competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- STEF: European leader in temperature-controlled transport and logistics with significant reefer fleet and cold-chain warehousing across France, Iberia, Italy, and Benelux. Direct overlap with ECS's temperature-controlled transport offering, though STEF's footprint is more weighted to Southern Europe.
- DHL Freight: One of Europe's largest road and intermodal freight networks with customs and warehousing capabilities. Competes with ECS across road, rail, and contract logistics segments, with broader geographic and service coverage.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder and logistics provider with significant European road, rail, and sea freight forwarding, plus integrated customs services. Comparable to ECS's full-load forwarding and customs brokerage offering, but at much larger global scale.
- DFDS: Large European ferry and logistics operator with extensive UK-Continental Europe shipping routes plus integrated road transport and logistics services. Comparable to ECS in the UK-mainland corridor and short-sea intermodal model, but at meaningfully larger scale and broader scope.
Regional players
- Wincanton: UK-headquartered contract logistics and transport provider with warehousing, distribution, and intermodal capabilities serving British retailers and manufacturers. Comparable as a UK-side intermodal/logistics counterpart to ECS's mainland operations.
Emerging players
- John G Russell (JGR) - UK multimodal logistics: UK-headquartered multimodal logistics provider with rail-connected container terminals serving UK-Ireland-Continental Europe flows. Similar niche positioning to ECS on the UK-mainland intermodal lane, with a smaller reefer exposure.
- Waberer's (or European mid-tier intermodal operators): European intermodal and full-load operator with rail/road combined transport services, overlapping with ECS's FCL intermodal value proposition. Comparable as a regional intermodal freight specialist targeting industrial shippers.
Direct peers
- H.Essers: Belgian-headquartered logistics provider offering intermodal transport, warehousing, and chemical/pharma-specialized services across Europe. Closely comparable to ECS as a Benelux-rooted, asset-heavy intermodal operator with multimodal capabilities.
- Samskip: Dutch multimodal logistics provider with strong short-sea, rail, and road services connecting UK/Ireland, Scandinavia, and Continental Europe. Directly competes with ECS in UK-mainland intermodal container flows and reefer transport.
Others
- Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle Freight: Operates the Channel Tunnel rail freight service connecting UK and Continental Europe. Provides core rail infrastructure used by intermodal operators including ECS for cross-Channel container movements.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
2XL nv social profiles
Digital presence2XL nv financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
2XL nv leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
2XL nv funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
2XL nv 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 2XL nv
What does 2XL nv do?
2XL nv (operating as ECS European Containers NV) provides integrated supply chain logistics and intermodal transport solutions, combining road, rail, and short sea transport across 35+ European countries with a specialization in the UK-Ireland to mainland Europe trade corridor. The company also offers temperature-controlled transport via Europe's largest reefer fleet, 170,000 sqm of warehousing, customs brokerage for Brexit-related border crossings, and intermodal equipment rental.
Is 2XL nv a public or private company?
2XL nv is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was 2XL nv founded?
2XL nv was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is 2XL nv based?
2XL nv is headquartered in Zeebrugge, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does 2XL nv make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Full Loads Transport is the primary driver. The others are supply Chain Logistics, temperature Controlled Transport, brexit & Customs Services and equipment Rental.
Who are 2XL nv's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are STEF, DHL Freight, Kuehne+Nagel and DFDS. Wincanton is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are John G Russell (JGR) - UK multimodal logistics and Waberer's (or European mid-tier intermodal operators). Direct peers are H.Essers and Samskip. Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle Freight is listed as an others.
Does 2XL nv have an API?
No public API is recorded for 2XL nv.
What industry is 2XL nv in?
2XL nv's product category is Intermodal Transport & Logistics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAA, FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding, with a secondary code of TLADAFAH, Temperature-Controlled Intermodal (Reefer Container/Trailer). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.