Simpex Express Limited

What Simpex Express Limited does

Simpex Express Limited is a UK-headquartered express freight transport and customs clearance provider, founded in 2009 in Birmingham and operating under founder Simon Beechener as Managing Director. The company offers an integrated logistics platform spanning five core service lines: Express Freight (time-sensitive dedicated road transport), Road Freight (groupage, part load, full load across Europe), Air Freight (via Birmingham International Airport), Sea Freight (LCL, FCL, TEU globally), and Customs Clearance (provided through its wholly-owned subsidiary Samphire Customs, AEO-authorised on both UK and EU sides of the Channel via Dover and Lesquin, France offices). The technology stack is conventional for the sector: satellite GPS tracking, digital consignment scanning, customs declaration systems, real-time shipment tracking, and a customer-facing carbon footprint calculator, supported by a 24/7 out-of-hours operations team.

The business model is transaction-based, quote-driven freight forwarding with no standardised public pricing tiers; revenue is generated per shipment based on vehicle type, distance, weight, urgency, and customs complexity, with premium pricing for specialist services (ADR/hazardous goods, temperature-controlled, abnormal loads, high-security). The go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven: direct engagement via phone, email, and website quote forms from Birmingham and Leeds offices, supplemented by physical presence at industry trade shows (Transport Logistic Munich, Multimodal NEC Birmingham). Customer segments span UK and European businesses requiring time-critical cross-border movement (manufacturing, automotive, exhibitions, aerospace, chemicals) as well as other freight forwarders using Simpex as a sub-contracted carrier. The company has grown through four acquisitions between 2019 and 2024 (Samphire Customs, PJL Freight Solutions, Knight Star Freight, ACT Forwarding & Logistics), expanding both service capability and geographic reach while remaining privately held with no external institutional funding. Distribution is direct-only with no intermediaries or marketplace channels, and the integrated transport-plus-customs offering is used by 60-63% of clients, up from 20% in 2021.

Name

Simpex Express Limited

Legal name

Simpex Express Limited

Website

https://simpex.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Simpex Express Limited is a UK-based express freight forwarder founded in 2009, offering integrated time-critical road, air, sea freight and in-house customs clearance across the UK, Europe, and worldwide for over 1,800 business clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding Services

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Couriers and Messengers (492)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Air Courier Services (4513), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Air Express Carriers (Air + Ground) (TLADAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), Express / Time-Definite Air Cargo Carriers (TLADAAAB), Airport & Intercity Same‑Day Hand‑Carry / Next‑Flight‑Out (NFO) (TLAAADAL)

Keywords

• Express freight forwarding
• Road freight services
• Customs clearance services
• Air freight forwarding
• Sea freight forwarding

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham, West Midlands

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 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. Express Freight Transport: Time-critical and dedicated express transport services across the UK, Europe, and worldwide. Revenue earned per shipment based on vehicle type, distance, weight, and urgency. Includes co-load/semi-express shared van options for cost savings.
2. Road, Air & Sea Freight: Full-service international freight forwarding. Revenue generated per shipment for groupage, part load, full load, FCL, LCL, and TEU container options. Pricing varies by mode, volume, and destination.
3. Customs Clearance Services: In-house customs clearance provided through Samphire Customs for imports, exports, ATA Carnets, T1 transit documents, and SmartBorder processing. Revenue earned per declaration or as part of bundled transport+clearance packages.
4. Specialist Transport Services: Specialised services including abnormal loads, temperature-controlled transport, ADR/hazardous goods (with in-house DGSA), tail-lift vehicles, and high-security express solutions. Premium pricing for specialist requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Simpex Express Limited provides time-critical express road freight, road, air and sea freight forwarding, and in-house customs clearance services for businesses across the UK, Europe, and worldwide. The company combines dedicated vehicles (vans to articulated trailers), specialist options (ADR/hazardous, temperature-controlled, tail-lift, abnormal loads), and customs capabilities on both sides of the UK-EU Channel via its AEO-authorised Samphire Customs subsidiary. All services are sold directly to business customers through Birmingham and Leeds offices, supported by 24/7 out-of-hours operations and real-time shipment tracking.

Product overview

Simpex Express Limited is a full-service logistics provider offering an integrated transport and customs platform. The core offerings include Express Freight (time-sensitive road transport), Road Freight, Air Freight, Sea Freight, and Customs Clearance services. The company has grown through acquisitions including Samphire Customs (2019), PJL Freight Solutions (2023), and Knight Star Freight (2023). Service options include Dedicated Express Vans for exclusive vehicle use and Co-load Express Vans for shared cost-effective transport. All services benefit from in-house customs clearance provided through Samphire Customs, operating on both sides of the UK-EU Channel with AEO-authorised status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ExpressVan: A sub-brand focusing on core express van services, with its own dedicated website at expressvan.co.uk.

Products and services

• Express Freight Time-sensitive express transport service using dedicated vehicles (vans, 7.5t, 12t, 18t, and articulated trailers) for UK and European destinations, offering same-day and time-critical shipments. Backed by in-house customs processing in the UK and France.
• Road Freight European road freight services including groupage, part load, full load, specialised transport for abnormal loads, permits, escorts, tail-lift vehicles, temperature-controlled, and hazardous goods movements managed by an in-house DGSA.
• Air Freight Global air freight express services for small to large consignments, handling imports and exports through Birmingham International Airport with access to major airline cargo capacity, consolidation rates, and competitive spot rates.
• Sea Freight Global sea freight services offering flexible LCL, FCL, and TEU container options, plus breakbulk, project cargo, and roll-on/roll-off shipments with export packing, cross-trade support, and specialised documentation.
• Customs Clearance In-house customs clearance services including export documentation (EADs, T1s), import clearances, ATA Carnets, and SmartBorder processing (Regime 40 and 42), provided through sister company Samphire Customs with AEO-authorised offices in Dover (UK) and Lesquin (France).
• Dedicated Express Vans Dedicated express van service for time-critical shipments with exclusive vehicle use and no additional stops or hubs, featuring small vans, box vans, fridge vans, Luton vans, curtain-sided vans, and specialist equipment including tail-lifts and ADR-compliant vehicles.
• Co-load Express Vans Cost-effective shared van service for smaller shipments (1-2 pallets or up to 600kg) combining multiple shipments in one vehicle for UK and Europe, reducing costs and carbon footprint.

Quantifiable outcome

• 63% of clients use combined transport and customs clearance services (up from 20% in 2021)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PLOTT (Creative Agency)minorOthers · 1 January 2024Brand and web agency that designed Simpex's main website and the expressvan.co.uk sub-brand. Conducted team photoshoot and developed SEO-targeted copywriting. Anna Plotnek, Managing Director of PLOTT, is a fellow Chamber member.
• TransaidminorOthers · 1 January 2020Simpex is a Corporate Member of Transaid since 2020. The company has pledged to donate at least £1 from every booking to support Transaid's international development work in transport-related challenges in economically developing countries. Transaid was founded by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron HRH The Princess Royal.
• Samphire CustomscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2019Samphire Customs (now also called Samphire Cargo, recently renamed Samphire Customs) was acquired by Simpex in 2019 in anticipation of Brexit. It is a customs clearance specialist with AEO status, offices in Dover and Lesquin, France. Samphire provides in-house customs expertise that is integral to Simpex's end-to-end transport and customs services. The acquisition was described as a 'no-brainer' by Managing Director Simon Beechener.
• Access Freight Systems LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Access Freight Systems Ltd from Bangladesh, offering a seamless door-to-door forwarding service between Bangladesh and the UK, covering all Incoterms. The partnership provides clients with clear communication and full transparency throughout every stage of the journey. Managing Director Mrs. Ayesha Akhter visited the Leeds office.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simpex

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Simpex Express Limited