What emons spedition does

Emons Spedition is a German family-owned freight forwarding and multimodal logistics company founded in 1928 and headquartered in Cologne. The company operates across road, rail, air, and sea transport modes, serving enterprise freight shippers, private customers, and hazardous goods handlers through 120+ international locations in 16 countries. Its operating footprint includes 1,000+ trucks across Europe and Asia, 370,000 m² of warehouse space, and a wholly owned rail system (ProLok) using its own locomotives and wagons with daily departures from terminals in Dresden, Chemnitz, and Leipzig. Reported turnover for FY2024 was €662 million with 3,750 employees worldwide.

The company's product portfolio is organized around five core transport modes plus customs, warehousing, and digital layers. Road transport offers LTL/FTL, charter, and dangerous goods services with a 2-year average truck fleet age. Rail transport via the ProLok system provides first/last mile rail connectivity to Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Rotterdam. Air freight delivers worldwide full-service and weekly car transportation; sea freight handles FCL/LCL with AEO-F certification. Customs operations run on digital ATLAS interfaces with in-house customs warehouses. The 370,000 m² of warehouse space supports KANBAN, production outsourcing, and DE-ECO-070 organic-certified storage. The digital layer comprises MyEmons (customer portal for order entry, tracking, labels, dangerous goods database), Connect (cloud-based shipping software connecting e-commerce shop systems), Cargo International (consumer-facing online shipping agency), and DFÜ (EDIFACT electronic data interchange). Sub-brands include Emons Air & Sea, Emons BEWARE (specialized dangerous goods and special transports), and the LDB Gruppe (Munz-LDB) partnership for hazardous goods in Southern Germany.

Emons operates a hybrid go-to-market model with transaction-fee revenue from freight forwarding, managed services from warehousing/logistics, professional services for customs, and subscription/recurring digital services. Enterprise customers are acquired through direct field sales across 120+ locations, inside sales via hotlines and freight request forms, and EDI-based self-service via MyEmons and Connect. Private customers and SMBs are reached through the self-serve Cargo International platform. Recent strategic activity has focused on geographic expansion (Pall-Ex Iberia acquisition in 2026, Wolf Spedition stake in 2026), vertical specialization (LDB Gruppe hazmat partnership in 2025, BEWARE rebrand in 2026), and regional network densification (Urmitz expansion in 2026). The company is privately held, family-owned, and managed by CEO Ralf Wieland and Managing Director Thorsten Heuser, with no external institutional capital or public listing.

Name

emons spedition

Legal name

Emons Services GmbH

Website

https://emons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Emons Spedition is a German family-owned freight forwarding and multimodal logistics company founded in 1928, offering road, rail, air, and sea transport, warehousing, customs, and digital shipping services across 120+ locations in 16 countries, serving enterprise shippers and private customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding and Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), General Freight Trucking (4841), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (48423)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL) (TLACABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Cargo Air Freight Forwarding (Airport-to-Airport / Door-to-Door) (TLACAAAA), Time-Critical & AOG (Aircraft on Ground) Specialized Forwarding (TLACAJAI)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding
• Multimodal transport
• Road freight
• Rail freight
• Customs clearance

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Core freight forwarding business covering road, rail, air, and sea transport with multimodal capabilities. Services include LTL/FTL road transport, charter services, dangerous goods handling, and special vehicle transport.
2. Customs Services: In-house customs processing through AEO-certified facilities with digital ATLAS settlement and customs warehouse services
3. Logistics & Warehousing: Warehouse logistics with 370,000 m2 storage space, KANBAN services, and fulfillment capabilities including hazmat storage (Munz-LDB partnership)
4. Digital Services: Digital platform services including MyEmons portal, Connect shipping software, and EDI data exchange for enterprise customers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Emons Spedition provides multimodal freight forwarding and logistics services across road, rail, air, and sea transport modes. The company moves cargo for enterprise clients and private customers using a fleet of 1,000+ vehicles, owned rail locomotives and wagons (ProLok), and 370,000 m² of warehouse space. Supporting services include customs clearance (AEO-F certified), hazardous goods handling, warehousing/KANBAN fulfillment, and digital tools (MyEmons portal, Connect shipping software, Cargo International online agency).

Product overview

Emons Spedition is a German logistics and freight forwarding company founded in 1928, offering a comprehensive multimodal transport and logistics service portfolio. The core offering includes four main transport modes: Road (with 1,000+ vehicles, LTL/FTL, dangerous goods), Rail (own locomotives via ProLok system with daily departures), Air (worldwide full service), and Sea (FCL/LCL with AEO-F certification). Supporting services include Customs (own warehouses, digital ATLAS), Logistics (370,000 m² warehouse space, organic certified), and Digital Solutions. Digital platforms include MyEmons (customer portal for order entry and tracking), Connect (e-commerce shipping software), Cargo International (consumer-facing online shipping), and DFÜ (EDIFACT electronic data interchange). Sub-brands include BEWARE (specialized dangerous goods/special transport) and the Munz-LDB partnership (South Germany hazardous goods logistics).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Emons Air & Sea: Air and sea freight forwarding services operated by Emons Air & Sea GmbH
• Cargo International
• MyEmons
• Emons Connect
• Emons BEWARE
• ProLok

Products and services

• Road Transport National and international road freight transport using a fleet of over 1,000 vehicles with average truck age of 2 years. Offers LTL/FTL transportation, charter services, dangerous goods transport, special vehicles with lifts, and truck-mounted forklifts for restricted-access delivery.
• Rail Transport (ProLok) Rail freight transport with owned locomotives and wagons under the ProLok system for first and last mile delivery. Daily departures with terminals in Dresden, Chemnitz, and Leipzig, connecting to Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Rotterdam. Handles large-scale projects and special transports.
• Air Freight Worldwide air freight services with full service from pickup to delivery. Includes weekly car transportation services combined with road and rail transport, serving destinations such as Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
• Sea Freight International sea freight with FCL and LCL options from and to overseas ports. Offers door-to-door service with crosstrading capabilities, dangerous goods handling, and project loading. Operated by Emons Air & Sea GmbH with AEO-F certification.
• Customs Services Customs clearance services with own customs warehouses, AEO certification, digital ATLAS interfaces, training, and in-house customs advice for international trade.
• Logistics & Warehousing Warehouse and distribution logistics with 370,000 m² of warehouse space, organic certification (DE-ECO-070), KANBAN 24-hour service, and production outsourcing capabilities for complex supply chain requirements.
• Digital Solutions Digital logistics services including shipment tracking, digital freight management, and technology-driven optimization of transport processes for Emons customers.
• MyEmons Customer Portal Online customer portal for order entry, shipment tracking, shipping label printing, address management, loading lists, templates, and dangerous goods database access. Free to use for Emons customers.
• Connect Shipping Software Cloud-based shipping software for large shippers that connects e-commerce shop systems with Emons. Enables automated order import and label printing within minutes of setup, using MyEmons credentials.
• Cargo International Online Transport Agency Digital online shipping agency under Emons Group serving private customers and occasional shippers with national and international parcel, pallet, and oversize cargo shipping since 2009. Offers online booking, price calculation, and shipment management.
• BEWARE Specialized Dangerous Goods Logistics Specialized logistics service for demanding goods including dangerous goods, batteries, oversize cargo, and special transports. Offers safe, compliant, and individually tailored logistics solutions under the BEWARE sub-brand.
• Munz-LDB Hazardous Goods Logistics Partnership Strategic partnership service between Emons and LDB Gruppe offering certified hazardous goods warehouses with 30,000 pallet spaces in Southern Germany (Baden region), contract packaging, quality controls, and specialized fleet with jumbo vehicles, lifting platforms, and truck-mounted forklifts.
• Other Specialized Transport Services Additional logistics services including exhibition and event logistics, vehicle transport, and specialized transport solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standard delivery time of 24-48 hours for road transport
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wolf SpeditionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Emons took a participation stake in Wolf Spedition, expanding network capabilities in the freight forwarding sector.
• Pall-Ex IberiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Emons acquired Pall-Ex Iberia network, expanding palletized freight network capacity in the Iberian Peninsula.
• LDB Gruppe (Munz-ldb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership between Emons and LDB Gruppe combining global transport strength with regional specialized logistics in Southern Germany. Offers certified hazardous goods warehouses, custom contract packaging, and specialized vehicle fleet for national routes. Partners share infrastructure including 30,000 pallet spaces and compliance expertise.
• Cargo InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital online transport agency as part of Emons Group serving private customers and occasional shippers. Provides online booking, price calculation, and shipment management for packages, pallets, and bulky goods. Operates as white-label digital channel for Emons services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DACHSER: German family-owned logistics company specializing in road transport and contract logistics with European-wide distribution networks. Highly comparable to Emons on family ownership, road/LTL focus, and warehouse logistics capabilities.
• DB Schenker: German-headquartered global freight forwarder and contract logistics provider (owned by Deutsche Bahn until its 2024-2025 sale process). Directly comparable multimodal European freight forwarding and customs capabilities, though at substantially larger scale.
• Rhenus Logistics: German family-owned multimodal logistics provider offering road, air, sea, and rail transport along with warehousing and customs. Closely comparable business model and European mid-market enterprise customer overlap.
• Zufall Logistics Group: German mid-market family-owned logistics company offering road, sea, and air freight plus warehousing and customs. Highly comparable as a German private freight forwarder with similar family-business structure and multimodal European focus.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Osnabrück-based global freight forwarder with comparable multimodal (road, air, sea, rail) capabilities and a strong European mid-market enterprise customer base. Directly comparable in service mix, geographic footprint, and family-owned heritage to Emons.

Regional players

• GLS (General Logistics Systems): European parcel and logistics services provider (owned by Royal Mail/IDS group) with strong German/European ground distribution networks. Comparable on parcel, pallet, and European distribution, but parcel-focused rather than multimodal freight forwarding.
• Hermes Logistics (Hermes World): European parcel and logistics network (now part of Evri). Comparable regional last-mile and palletized distribution capabilities in Germany and parts of Europe, though more parcel-weighted than Emons.

Broad incumbents

• DSV A/S: Danish global freight forwarding and logistics group (formerly UTi, Panalpina, Schenker). Operates road, air, and sea freight forwarding at significantly larger scale; a key M&A consolidator in the same market as Emons with overlapping European mid-market focus.
• UPS Supply Chain Solutions: Global logistics and freight forwarding arm of UPS, offering multimodal forwarding, contract logistics, and customs. Comparable multimodal capabilities but operates at substantially larger scale with broader North American/Asia tilt.
• Kuehne + Nagel: Swiss-headquartered global freight forwarder and contract logistics provider with one of the largest air and sea forwarding operations worldwide. Overlaps with Emons on air/sea freight and customs brokerage, though at materially larger scale and with deeper multinational accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EmonsLogistics
• Facebookfacebook.com/emons.logistic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emons-spedition-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/emons_logistics

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 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 emons spedition