Kühne GmbH

What Kühne GmbH does

Kühne GmbH is a family-owned moving and logistics company headquartered in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, founded in 1984 and operating under the trade name DMS Kühne. The company delivers a focused suite of project-based relocation and transport services, organized into seven service lines: library relocations (Bibliotheksumzüge), corporate and office relocations (Objektumzüge), storage logistics (Lagerlogistik), medical equipment transport (Medizinservice) including MRI machines, special transports (Spezialtransporte) for technical large-scale equipment, warehousing, and trade show logistics (Messespedition). It holds TÜV-certified quality management and complies with ADSp 2017 and ALB sector codes. No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; service delivery is human-driven, relying on certified crews, specialized equipment, and on-site planning.

The company's revenue model is project-based professional services, with quote-driven pricing determined by scope, volume, distance, and specialized handling requirements. Customers initiate engagement through a Blitzanfrage quick-inquiry system on the website, by phone, or by email, after which the company conducts on-site assessments and issues custom proposals. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no self-serve automated transaction layer. Named enterprise customers include Messe Dortmund (the official logistics partner since 1985), the University Library Stuttgart (845,000 media items relocated in early 2026), and E.ON (2,100 workstations relocated via the DMS working group).

Kühne serves a mix of institutional and corporate verticals, with primary emphasis on libraries and educational institutions, corporate and business clients, and healthcare and medical facilities, and secondary exposure to trade show organizers and industrial manufacturers. The company operates primarily from the Dortmund metropolitan area (covering Bochum, Herne, Essen, Düsseldorf, and other NRW cities) while marketing national and international reach including projects originating from Regensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Italy. As a privately held, owner-managed family business with 71 employees, Kühne has no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity.

Name

Kühne GmbH

Legal name

Kühne GmbH

Website

https://kuehne-dms.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kühne GmbH is a family-owned Dortmund-based moving and logistics specialist delivering project-based library, corporate, medical equipment, special transport, warehousing, and trade show logistics services to institutional and enterprise clients across Germany and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Relocation and Logistics Services

NAICS

Transportation and Warehousing (48-49), General Warehousing and Storage (49311), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Loading/Unloading with Company Truck (In-Town Transport) (HSAKAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Relocation Management (End-to-End) (HSAKACAE), Industrial Plant Relocation & Machinery Moving (TLADAGAG)

Keywords

• Relocation logistics
• Library moving services
• Medical equipment transport
• Trade show logistics
• Special transport services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Moving and Logistics Services: Kühne GmbH generates revenue through one-time project-based service fees for moving, transport, and logistics services. Pricing is quote-based and determined by project scope, distance, volume, and specialized requirements. Services include library moves, office relocations, medical equipment transport, trade show logistics, warehousing, and special transports.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kühne GmbH provides project-based relocation and logistics services for corporate, institutional, and event clients. Its seven core service lines are library relocations (Bibliotheksumzüge), corporate/office relocations (Objektumzüge), storage logistics (Lagerlogistik), medical equipment transport (Medizinservice), special transports (Spezialtransporte), warehousing, and trade show logistics (Messespedition). Services cover planning, de-/reassembly, transport, storage, and on-site logistics management for clients across Germany and internationally.

Product overview

Kühne GmbH is a family-owned moving and logistics company offering a comprehensive suite of relocation and transport services. The core offerings include library relocations (Bibliotheksumzüge), corporate object relocations (Objektumzüge), storage logistics (Lagerlogistik), medical equipment transport (Medizinservice), special transports (Spezialtransporte), warehousing, and trade show logistics (Messespedition). Since 1996, the company has operated from Dortmund (NRW) as a TÜV-certified quality provider, serving customers from local to international levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bibliotheksumzüge (Library Relocations) Specialized library moving service for university libraries, public libraries, and educational institutions, covering transport, shelf planning, and inventory management for collections of hundreds of thousands of media items including cleaning and complete shelf/occupancy planning.
• Objektumzüge (Corporate and Office Relocations) End-to-end corporate and office relocation service covering the complete transfer of business operations, including dismantling of equipment, transport, and reinstallation at the destination site.
• Lagerlogistik (Storage Logistics) Short-term and long-term secure storage solutions for household goods and business inventory, providing professional management during relocations or extended storage needs.
• Medizinservice (Medical Equipment Transport) Specialized transport service for sensitive medical equipment including MRI machines, with de- and reinstallation capabilities for large medical devices aimed at hospitals, medical clinics, and healthcare facilities.
• Spezialtransporte (Special Transports) Special transport services for technical large-scale equipment requiring specialized handling, logistics expertise, and project-specific planning.
• Warehousing Warehouse management and storage services allowing corporate clients to focus on their core operations while Kühne professionally handles goods storage with secure facilities.
• Messespedition (Trade Show Logistics) Trade show logistics service covering setup, breakdown, and on-site handling of exhibition materials under tight deadlines in confined exhibition spaces, including truck scheduling, forklift operations, and pallet management.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ satisfied logistics customers since 1996
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Messe Dortmund (Dortmund Exhibition Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Since 1985, DMS Kühne has been the official logistics partner of Messe Dortmund. The partnership involves comprehensive exhibition logistics including truck scheduling, forklift operations, pallet movement, packaging sorting, and storage. Every morning during trade shows, trucks arrive on-site at minute intervals while forklift operators coordinate hall movements and pallets change locations in seconds, with DMS Kühne coordinating all activities until show opening.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dachser: German-headquartered global logistics provider with strong road freight, warehousing, and contract logistics capabilities. Overlaps with Kühne on storage and special/commercial cargo handling but operates at much higher scale across multiple industries.
• Santa Fe Relocation: Global mobility and relocation services provider serving corporate and government clients with international household goods, office, and special-cargo moves. Comparable to Kühne on international relocation and corporate move management.
• DB Schenker: One of Europe's largest land-based freight and logistics providers, offering commercial relocation, special transport, and warehouse services. Overlaps with Kühne in corporate/object moves and special heavy transport but operates across the full logistics value chain rather than focusing on owner-managed specialty moving.
• DHL Freight (Deutsche Post DHL): Pan-European road freight and contract logistics arm of Deutsche Post DHL, with operations in warehousing, special transport, and dedicated customer solutions. Comparable to Kühne on warehousing and freight movement but at far larger scale and with a more standardized offering.
• Crown Worldwide Moving & Storage: Global relocation and moving specialist with strong institutional/government and library move heritage. Comparable to Kühne on library and high-value object relocation capabilities but serving a broader international footprint.

Regional players

• Menk Möbel-Logistik: Family-owned German moving and storage company with national coverage, focused on private and corporate moves plus furniture storage. Operates in the same moving and storage category as Kühne but with a less pronounced specialty-transport positioning.

Direct peers

• HASENKAMP Industrieumzüge: German logistics specialist focused on industrial relocations, machinery moving, and project cargo across Europe. Closely comparable to Kühne's Spezialtransporte and Medizinservice offerings in scope and customer profile.
• Staufen Umzüge & Logistik: German specialty mover handling office and library relocations, sensitive equipment transport, and corporate moves. Comparable to Kühne on the library/institutional and corporate relocation verticals.
• Hermes Einrichtungs-Service (Otto Group): German two-person, white-glove delivery and assembly specialist for furniture, appliances, and bulky goods, operated within the Otto Group. Direct comparable to Kühne on heavy/bulky goods handling, warehouse logistics, and end-customer delivery.
• Rudolph & Sohn Möbelspedition: Long-established, family-owned North German mover offering office, private, and special-transport services with similar verticals to Kühne. Comparable in scale, ownership structure, and service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/K%C3%BChne-GmbH-107328508339249
• Instagraminstagram.com/kuehne_gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kuehne-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Kühne GmbH