Hirata Transportation Co.

What Hirata Transportation Co. does

Hirata Transportation Co., Ltd. (平田運輸株式会社) is a privately-held Japanese trucking and logistics company headquartered in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture, operating three branches across the Kansai, Chugoku, and Chubu regions. Its core business is general cargo freight transportation — including charter transport (チャーター便) and scheduled/contract transport (定期便) — serving B2B customers in automotive parts manufacturing, beverage distribution, and general manufacturing across routes spanning Hyogo, Okayama, Gifu, Aichi, Hiroshima, and Kagawa prefectures. The fleet ranges from 2t light vehicles to 13t large trucks, wing vehicles, dump trucks, and flat-body trucks, with specialized forklift handling expertise developed through automotive parts work.

The company has built a differentiated sustainability stack on top of the core freight business. The Ecogistics Project (エコジスティクスプロジェクト) pairs outbound product delivery with metal scrap collection on the return leg, reducing empty runs and CO2 emissions; this program won the 2025 (Reiwa 7) Climate Change Action Environmental Minister's Award. The completed KASAI SUSTAINABLE BASE (KSB) — a large wooden-construction logistics facility unveiled in February 2026 — functions as both operational asset and sustainability education venue, featuring biodiversity trails, native plantings sourced from Expo 2025 Luxembourg Pavilion materials, and CO2-absorbing timber construction. Supplementary community-facing initiatives include the Happy Flight Project (balloon-themed branded trucks with proceeds donated to children's welfare in Kasai City) and a four-party PET bottle cap horizontal recycling partnership with Kasai City, Nihon Yamamura Glass, and the Kasen City Social Welfare Council.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based per-shipment fees for freight services and separate fees for metal scrap collection and sales. The go-to-market is direct B2B sales to enterprise manufacturers, with no third-party distribution or reseller channels. Customer acquisition is driven by direct outreach, industry reputation, safety record, and — increasingly — sustainability credentials and certifications (Hyogo Prefecture Eco-Friendly Business Award, Climate Change Action Minister's Award). Marketing leverages a long-running company blog (since 2017), social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), earned media in regional and national trucking publications, radio appearances, and event participation. The company is led by President Yu Hirata (平田優宇) and operates with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or public listing.

Name

Hirata Transportation Co.

Legal name

平田運輸株式会社

Website

https://hirata-express.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hirata Transportation Co., Ltd. (平田運輸株式会社) is a privately-held Japanese trucking and logistics company headquartered in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture, operating three branches across Kansai, Chugoku, and Chubu. It provides charter and scheduled freight services to B2B enterprise customers in automotive parts manufacturing, beverage distribution, and general manufacturing, complemented by metal scrap recycling and award-winning sustainability initiatives including the Ecogistics Project and KASAI SUSTAINABLE BASE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyogo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: Core trucking and freight transportation services including charter transport (チャーター便) and scheduled/contract transport (定期便). Operates 4t trucks, large trucks, wing vehicles, dump trucks, flat-body vehicles. Serves automotive parts manufacturers and other B2B customers. Revenue from per-shipment/per-contract fees.
2. Metal Scrap Recycling Services (資源リサイクル): Collection and sale of metal scrap (鉄くず), including ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Combined with transport logistics under the Ecogistics Project to create return-load efficiency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hirata Transportation Co. is a regional Japanese trucking and logistics company that provides freight transportation services (charter and scheduled routes) and metal scrap collection and sales, primarily serving manufacturing customers including automotive parts makers across the Kansai, Chugoku, Tokai, and Hokuriku regions of Japan. The company operates a diverse fleet ranging from 4t to large 13t vehicles and combines its transportation and recycling businesses under the Ecogistics Project to reduce empty runs and CO2 emissions.

Product overview

Hirata Transportation Co. operates as a logistics company offering freight transportation and metal scrap recycling services, with a strategic focus on sustainability through its unique multi-modal approach. The core business consists of transportation services handling various cargo types (automobile parts, beverages, machinery) via charter and scheduled routes across Kansai, Tokai, and Chugoku regions. The company differentiates itself through its sustainability initiatives: the Ecogistics Project combines product delivery with metal scrap collection to reduce CO2 emissions, while KASAI SUSTAINABLE BASE (KSB) represents an innovative wooden logistics facility that serves as an environmental education hub. Additional offerings include the Happy Flight Project for community contribution and pet bottle cap recycling partnerships for circular economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ecogistics Project (エコジスティクスプロジェクト): A sustainable logistics initiative combining product transportation with metal scrap collection to reduce empty running and CO2 emissions.
• KASAI SUSTAINABLE BASE (KSB)
• Happy Flight Project (ハッピーフライトプロジェクト)

Products and services

• Transportation Services (輸送サービス) Core logistics and freight transportation services including charter and regular delivery routes, handling cargo such as automotive parts, beverage pallets, machinery, and plastics across the Kansai, Tokai, Chugoku, and Hokuriku regions using a fleet of 4t, 7t, large, wing (W) vehicles, dump trucks, flat-body trucks, and 13t large vehicles.
• Resource Recycling Services (資源リサイクルサービス) Metal scrap (ferrous and non-ferrous) collection and sales service that works in conjunction with transportation operations to reduce empty runs and support circular economy outcomes for industrial scrap generators.
• KASAI SUSTAINABLE BASE (KSB) A new sustainable logistics base in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture, featuring large-scale wooden construction using CO2-absorbing Hyogo-prefecture timber, biodiversity walking paths, native plantings received as legacy materials from the Expo 2025 Luxembourg Pavilion, rainwater filtration, and a learning trail and garden. Functions as both a working logistics center and a sustainability education hub.
• Ecogistics Project (エコジスティクスプロジェクト) An integrated logistics-and-recycling service that combines outbound product delivery with metal scrap collection on return trips in a single route, reducing empty runs, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions for enterprise shipping customers.
• PET Bottle Cap Horizontal Recycling (ペットボトルキャップ水平リサイクル) Collection and logistics service for used PET bottle caps from schools, businesses, and partners (including Ricoh Japan) for horizontal recycling - converting caps back into new caps or upcycled products such as planters and soap dishes, with proceeds supporting children's welfare via the Kasen City Social Welfare Council.
• Happy Flight Project (ハッピーフライトプロジェクト) Community contribution initiative featuring balloon-themed branded PR trucks that promote Kasai City's 'balloon town' image while generating donations to the city for children's educational and welfare activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ecogistics Project achieves empty-run reduction and CO2 savings by combining product delivery with metal scrap collection on return trips.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, minor and core.

• Kani Police Station (岐阜県可児警察署)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Traffic safety partnership signed March 17, 2026. Hirata Transportation provides wrapping trucks for traffic safety awareness campaigns, participates in drunk-driving prevention campaigns, and provides dashcam footage to support police traffic safety efforts. Addresses high drunk-driving citation rates in the Kani jurisdiction area.
• Nichirin Racing (ヒメジニチリンレーシング)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 March 2026Hirata Transportation sponsors motorcycle racer Adachi Katsunori and the Himeji Nichirin Racing team competing in the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race. Supports regional community activities including school lectures on perseverance and not giving up. Promotional partner for the company's community engagement initiatives.
• Ricoh Japan Hyogo Branch (リコージャパン株式会社兵庫支社)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Ricoh Japan delivered approximately 11kg of PET bottle caps (~5,500 caps) to Hirata Transportation. Ricoh is registered as a Kasen City SDG Partner and has been conducting ESG diagnostic assessments with the company. The partnership supports the 4-party recycling agreement and broader sustainability goals.
• Kasen City (加西市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Kasen City and Hirata Transportation signed a partnership agreement for PET bottle cap horizontal recycling, involving also Yamamura Glass and the Kasen City Social Welfare Council. The 4-party agreement aims to collect caps from schools and businesses, turn them back into new caps or upcycled products, with proceeds supporting child welfare. The city also partners on the Happy Flight Project donating to local children's facilities.
• Nihon Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd. (日本山村硝子株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Partner in the PET bottle cap horizontal recycling initiative. Receives collected caps from Hirata Transportation's logistics routes and processes them into new caps or upcycled products (e.g., planters, soap dishes). Awarded 'very good condition' praise for the quality of sorted caps delivered.
• Kasen City Social Welfare Council (加西市社会福祉協議会)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Partner in the 4-party PET bottle cap recycling agreement. Proceeds from cap recycling support welfare activities for children and families in Kasen City.
• Funai Soken Logistics (船井総研ロジ)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Funai Soken includes Hirata Transportation in its 'Advanced Logistics Company Inspection Seminar' (先進物流企業視察セミナー), hosting ~90 logistics company executives at KSB. Hirata Transportation's case study was featured in a Funai Soken book on subsidy utilization strategies, referencing the company's Business Restructuring Subsidy (事業再構築補助金) success.
• Luxembourg Pavilion / Luxembourg EmbassysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg Pavilion (Expo 2025 Osaka) sustainability award recipient. Hirata Transportation received plants and materials from the Luxembourg Pavilion as Expo legacy items, now installed at KSB. Pavilion director and embassy officials visited KSB in May 2026, calling it 'beautiful' and 'perfect,' and noting the transfer was 'very important for future relations.'
• Public Interest Foundation Hyogo Environmental Creation Association (公益財団法人ひょうご環境創造協会)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarding body that featured Hirata Transportation in the 'Eco Hyogo' environmental information magazine (June 2026 issue), covering the company's environmental management and sustainability initiatives.
• Kotani Corporation (株式会社コタニ)supportingOthersKotani Corporation is credited as the founding inspiration for Hirata Transportation. Its president, Kotani, taught the philosophy 'Handle products like jewels (宝石を扱うように製品を扱う),' which has become Hirata Transportation's quality principle. The company is a major automotive parts manufacturer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Konoike Transport: Japanese trucking and logistics company serving manufacturing customers with specialized cargo handling. Directly comparable to Hirata's forklift-handling expertise and automotive parts customer segment.
• Seino Holdings: One of Japan's largest less-than-truckload trucking groups, operating nationwide charter and scheduled freight services. Directly comparable to Hirata's charter and scheduled-route trucking business, though at much larger scale.
• SENKO Group Holdings: Mid-to-large Japanese logistics company with trucking, warehousing, and sustainability-oriented operations. Comparable to Hirata's freight and recycling business model, with similar multi-region B2B customer focus.
• SBS Holdings: Japanese logistics holding company with truckload, distribution, and logistics services. Comparable to Hirata's regional trucking and pallet transport model for manufacturing customers.
• Maruwa Unyu Kikan: Mid-sized Japanese regional logistics company operating trunk-route freight and warehouse transport. Comparable to Hirata's regional scheduled/trunk freight operations across Kansai and Chubu corridors.
• Fukuyama Transporting: Major Japanese trucking carrier focused on general cargo, inter-regional freight, and logistics centers. Comparable to Hirata's general freight trucking model across Kansai/Chugoku corridors, with overlapping automotive parts customer base.
• Sankyu: Japanese logistics group with strong industrial freight and plant logistics focus. Comparable to Hirata's B2B manufacturing customer base and charter freight services for automotive and machinery parts.

Broad incumbents

• Nippon Express Holdings: Japan's largest multimodal logistics company with global forwarding, trucking, and warehousing. Broad incumbent providing benchmark pricing and service capabilities that Hirata competes against in the Kansai manufacturing freight market.
• Yusen Logistics: Major Japanese-origin global logistics company with contract logistics and freight forwarding. Broad incumbent in the same logistics space, with overlapping automotive and manufacturing customer base across Japan.
• Yamato Holdings: Japan's largest door-to-door delivery group with extensive logistics network. Broad incumbent in the same transportation industry, serving many overlapping B2B manufacturing customers with parcel and freight services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hirata0111
• Instagraminstagram.com/hirataexpress/?hl=ja
• TikToktiktok.com/@hirataexpress

Compliance2 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 Hirata Transportation Co.