Herbert Kircher GmbH

What Herbert Kircher GmbH does

Herbert Kircher GmbH is a family-owned German transport and logistics company headquartered in Kupferzell, in the Hohenlohekreis region of Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1930 as an agricultural wood-transport business by Karl Kircher, the company was formally incorporated as a GmbH in 1980 by Herbert and Elisabeth Kircher and is currently managed by Peter Kircher, Franz Peter Kircher, and Hans Micha Kircher. The company operates four core service lines: temperature-controlled food and cold-chain logistics (Kühl- und Lebensmittellogistik) covering temperatures from +25°C to -25°C, curtain-side general cargo transport (Transport unter Plane) using megatrailers with rear portals up to 3.40 meters, special and heavy transport (Spezial- und Schwertransporte) for loads up to 60 meters in length and 70 tonnes in weight including permit acquisition and escort services, and contract warehousing (Lagerlogistik) from a 4,800 m² heated logistics hall and 3,000 m² outdoor storage facility. Primary customer verticals include food and beverage (frozen, fresh, dairy, beverages, packaged meat), construction and building materials, industrial and manufacturing, and customers requiring third-party storage.

The technology stack is built around fleet telematics installed in every truck since 2010, integrated transport dispatching and telematics software implemented in 2011, and a warehouse management system deployed alongside the dedicated logistics hall that opened in 2019. The company maintains a fleet of approximately 50 Euro 6 tractor units and 130 trailers, an in-house workshop, and ISO 9001:2015 certification achieved in 2022. Regulatory oversight is provided by the Bundesamt für Güterverkehr.

Revenue is generated through B2B contract-based transport services (per shipment or contract) and managed warehouse and logistics services. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales with no intermediaries, supported by a digital presence across a corporate website, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, plus apprenticeship-recruitment partnerships with Azubiyo, Provadis Hochschule Frankfurt, and IHK Heilbronn. The company retains no external investors, has no subsidiaries, and reports no public revenue figures.

Name

Herbert Kircher GmbH

Legal name

Herbert Kircher GmbH

Website

https://kircher-transporte.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Herbert Kircher GmbH is a family-owned German transport and logistics provider in Kupferzell offering refrigerated, curtain-side, and special/heavy haulage alongside contract warehousing. It serves food and beverage, construction, and industrial clients with a fleet of ~50 tractor units and 7,800 sqm of storage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Road Freight Transport and Logistics Services

NAICS

Specialized Freight Trucking (4842), Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Goods Transport (Deep-Frozen) (TLADAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Prepared Meals & Ready-to-Eat Storage (TLALACAB), Chilled/Refrigerated Food Warehousing (0–5°C) (AFAOAFAD), Temperature-Controlled E-commerce & DTC Parcels (TLAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Refrigerated freight transport
• Heavy haulage logistics
• Warehouse logistics services
• Curtain-side road transport
• Special transport escort

Headquarters

HQ city

Kupferzell

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transport Services: Core revenue from transport services including refrigerated transport, curtain-sided transport, and special/heavy transport. Charged per shipment or contract basis.
2. Warehousing and Logistics: Storage and logistics services from company-owned warehouse facilities including block storage, high-bay racking, and outdoor storage.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Herbert Kircher GmbH is a road freight transport and logistics company offering four core services: temperature-controlled/food logistics (+25°C to -25°C) for frozen and fresh goods, curtain-side general cargo transport, special and heavy transport (loads up to 60 m in length and 70 tons) with permit acquisition and escort vehicles, and warehouse logistics from a 4,800 m² heated warehouse plus 3,000 m² outdoor storage. The company serves B2B customers in food & beverage, construction, and industrial sectors across Germany using a fleet of approximately 50 tractor units and 130 trailers.

Product overview

Herbert Kircher GmbH operates as a comprehensive transportation and logistics service provider with four core service offerings: Kühl- und Lebensmittellogistik (cold chain logistics), Transport unter Plane (curtain-side transport), Spezial- und Schwertransporte (special and heavy transport), and Lagerlogistik (warehouse logistics). The company maintains a modern fleet of approximately 50 tractor units and 130 trailers, including specialized refrigerated vehicles, curtain-side trailers, megatrailers, semi-low loaders, tele-saddle trailers, and self-steering dollies. A proprietary workshop facility supports vehicle maintenance, while integrated telematics and warehouse management software enable operational efficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kühl- und Lebensmittellogistik (Refrigerated and Food Logistics)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GAiN (Global Aid Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian aid partnership providing practical logistics support including truck transport, technical assistance, and warehouse facilities. Supports GAiN operations in Ukraine, Israel, and Armenia with regular transport of food, hygiene products, medicine and other essential supplies. Company also organizes, collects and stores goods for transport.
• Provadis Hochschule FrankfurtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual study program partnership offering Bachelor of Science in Transport and Logistics Management. Students gain practical experience through company rotations while studying at Frankfurt campus. Company covers tuition fees, travel and accommodation costs for the 3 weeks per semester on-site attendance.
• Unicorns Schwäbisch HallminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term sponsorship of American football team supporting regional sports and cultural development.
• EC Zeltlager Schwäbisch HallminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual transport support for youth camp equipment, transporting growing camping gear to Schwäbisch Hall every summer.
• IHK HeilbronncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized training company (Ausbildungsbetrieb) certified by IHK Heilbronn for vocational education in logistics professions including Spedition, Fachlagerist, and Berufskraftfahrer.
• AzubiyominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline platform partnership for apprenticeship recruitment and employer branding, featuring company profile and job listings for training positions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Emons Spedition GmbH: Mid-sized German multi-modal logistics and transport company with comparable regional/national footprint and mixed service portfolio (general cargo, special transport, warehousing). Closely comparable in scale and family-influenced operating model.
• Streck Logistik GmbH: Regional German transport and logistics provider in southern Germany with general cargo, temperature-controlled transport, and warehousing services — similar scale and service mix to Kircher.
• Nagel-Group: German family-owned logistics company specializing in temperature-controlled food distribution and deep-frozen storage across Europe. Most direct comparable on the refrigerated/cold-chain food logistics axis where Kircher competes.
• Heinrich Koch Logistik GmbH: Mid-sized German logistics company offering road transport and warehousing with regional concentration. Comparable scale and family-business operating model.
• B+S Logistik GmbH: German transport and logistics company focused on refrigerated and frozen food distribution with own fleet and warehousing. Closely comparable in core cold-chain competency and customer segment.
• IDS Logistik GmbH: German full-service logistics provider offering road transport, contract logistics, and warehousing with national coverage. Comparable in service breadth, larger in geographic reach.

Broad incumbents

• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Large Germany-headquartered global logistics provider with extensive road freight, air, sea, and contract logistics operations. Overlaps heavily with Kircher's general cargo and cold-chain services but at substantially greater scale.
• Rhenus Logistics: Major German multimodal logistics group with warehousing, specialized transport (including heavy/special haulage) and contract logistics. Comparable service portfolio to Kircher's, including special/heavy transport capability, but at corporate scale.
• Dachser SE: One of Europe's largest family-owned logistics providers with road haulage, warehousing, and contract logistics including temperature-controlled food logistics (Dachser Food Logistics). Dominant competitor in the same verticals Kircher serves.

Regional players

• Spedition Kübler GmbH: Baden-Württemberg-based regional haulier and logistics provider offering general cargo, temperature-controlled transport, and warehousing in southern Germany — same regional geography and similar service mix as Kircher.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Kirchertransporte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spedition-kircher
• Instagraminstagram.com/spedition_kircher

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Herbert Kircher GmbH