con cargo
Con Cargo is a Melbourne-based freight forwarding and customs brokerage firm established in 1970, serving Australian importers with air/sea freight, customs clearance, tariff classification, and delivery logistics, operating with 51-100 employees under Managing Director Tony Mercaldi.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What con cargo does
Con Cargo (trading as Consolidated Cargo and Customs Services) is a Melbourne-based freight forwarding and customs brokerage firm established in April 1970, serving businesses and individuals importing goods into Australia. The company operates from Ascot Vale, Victoria, with a mailing address in Footscray, and is registered as a privately held for-profit entity with no external investors, parent company, or PE backing. Its offering spans five integrated service lines: air and sea freight forwarding for import/export cargo, customs clearance brokerage navigating Australian customs and AQIS quarantine procedures, customs tariff classification using Australian Customs Services Tariff Codes, end-to-end delivery services (including under bond and free store warehousing, crane and specialist handling, unpacking, storage, distribution, and insurance arrangements), and redistribution of Eagle Datamation International's (EDI) Australian Tariff Code Lookup software that enables duty-rate search across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, and Dubai.
The underlying operational model is human-expertise-led rather than technology-led. Managing Director Tony Mercaldi, with over 40 years of industry tenure, personally classifies each shipment using Australian Customs Services Tariff Codes as required by Customs Law. The firm's regulatory standing rests on membership in the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Council of Australia and demonstrated compliance with Australian Quarantine Inspection Services (AQIS) and Australian Trade Modernisation Legislation. Headcount is reported in the 51-100 range, with no public social profiles, app, API, or SDK presence.
The business model is quote-based professional services with multi-year contract cadence; no public pricing, no disclosed revenue figures, no funding history, and no M&A activity are on record. Go-to-market is direct, serving importers in the Melbourne metropolitan area through personalized service and a basic website/phone contact channel. The software product extends nominal geographic reach to New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, and Dubai without establishing operational offices in those markets. No growth signals (hiring trends, expansion announcements, product launches, or investor activity) are observable in the source material.
con cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- con cargo
- Legal name
- Consolidated Cargo and Customs Services
- Website
- https://concargo.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Con Cargo is a Melbourne-based freight forwarding and customs brokerage firm established in 1970, serving Australian importers with air/sea freight, customs clearance, tariff classification, and delivery logistics, operating with 51-100 employees under Managing Director Tony Mercaldi.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
con cargo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Freight Forwarding Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Customs & Regulatory Filing Documentation (Entry/Exit Summaries, Declarations, ENS/AMS/ACI) (TLACAHAE), Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD), FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA), Air Freight Consolidation (Air Consol) (TLACALAB)
Keywords
Where con cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
con cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services: Air and sea freight solutions for import and export cargo
- Customs Brokerage Services: Customs clearance services including goods classification using Australian Customs Services Tariff Codes, quarantine processing, and duty minimization
- Delivery and Logistics Services: Delivery, warehousing (under bond or free store), crane/specialist handling, unpacking, storage, distribution, and insurance services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional freight forwarding and customs brokerage services |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
con cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Con Cargo (Consolidated Cargo and Customs Services) provides end-to-end freight forwarding and customs brokerage services in Melbourne, Australia. The company arranges air and sea freight for import and export cargo, classifies goods against Australian Customs Services Tariff Codes, manages customs clearance and AQIS quarantine procedures, and delivers shipments with warehousing, crane/specialist handling, and insurance support.
Product overview
Consolidated Cargo and Customs Services operates as a freight forwarding and customs brokerage company offering an integrated suite of services for importers. The core offering consists of four main service lines: Freight Forwarding (air and sea freight solutions for import/export cargo), Customs Clearance (brokerage services navigating Australian customs and quarantine requirements), Customs Tariffs and Import Duty Rates (tariff classification to determine duty payable), and Delivery Services (warehousing, distribution, and specialized handling). Additionally, the company provides access to a software product — the Australian Tariff Code Look Up System — developed by Eagle Datamation International, which enables clients to search tariff rates across multiple countries. The company was established in April 1970 and is headquartered in Ascot Vale, Melbourne.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Minimum amount of duty and tax applicable - guaranteed
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use con cargo
Customer profileSegments1 record
con cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
con cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Council of AustraliacoreIndustry association membership providing regulatory credibility, professional standards compliance, and industry representation for customs brokers and freight forwarders in Australia.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
con cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DHL Global Forwarding: Global freight forwarding and customs clearance arm of Deutsche Post DHL, offering air, ocean, and customs services worldwide. Comparable to Con Cargo as a customs broker and forwarder but operating at massive scale with full multimodal global networks.
- Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with global air, sea, and customs brokerage capabilities. Overlaps with Con Cargo's core offering of air/sea forwarding and customs clearance for importers, but at far greater scale and network breadth.
- Toll Holdings: Major Australian-headquartered logistics provider with global forwarding capabilities across air, ocean, and customs. Directly comparable geographic anchor (Australian market) but operates at substantially larger scale than Con Cargo with full multimodal networks.
- CEVA Logistics: Global logistics provider offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and customs services. Comparable service mix to Con Cargo (forwarding plus customs brokerage), but with global infrastructure and far broader geographic reach.
- Expeditors International: Global logistics company specializing in international freight forwarding and customs brokerage for importers and exporters. Highly comparable service offering to Con Cargo across air, ocean, and customs clearance, but operating at global scale.
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Global freight forwarder with established operations in Australia offering air, sea, road, and customs solutions. Overlaps with Con Cargo's service portfolio but with significantly broader international network coverage.
- Yusen Logistics: Global logistics provider offering air/sea forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehousing services. Comparable service mix to Con Cargo including import-focused customs clearance, with far broader geographic and operational scale.
- Mainfreight: Australasian-headquartered global logistics company with freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehousing capabilities. Directly comparable to Con Cargo as an Australasian-anchored forwarder with customs expertise, but operating at significantly larger scale.
- DSV: Global freight forwarder formed via the acquisition of UTi, Panalpina, and DB Schenker, offering air, sea, road, and customs services. Comparable to Con Cargo as a full-service importer forwarder, but at enterprise scale with global procurement leverage.
- Scan Global Logistics: Global freight forwarder with strong APAC presence offering air, ocean, and customs brokerage services. Overlaps with Con Cargo's air/sea forwarding and customs clearance offering, but with broader international network and larger operational footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
con cargo social profiles
Digital presencecon cargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
con cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
con cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
con cargo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about con cargo
What does con cargo do?
Con Cargo (Consolidated Cargo and Customs Services) provides end-to-end freight forwarding and customs brokerage services in Melbourne, Australia. The company arranges air and sea freight for import and export cargo, classifies goods against Australian Customs Services Tariff Codes, manages customs clearance and AQIS quarantine procedures, and delivers shipments with warehousing, crane/specialist handling, and insurance support.
Is con cargo a public or private company?
con cargo is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was con cargo founded?
con cargo was founded in 1970. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is con cargo based?
con cargo is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does con cargo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services are the primary driver. The others are customs Brokerage Services and delivery and Logistics Services.
Who are con cargo's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne+Nagel, Toll Holdings, CEVA Logistics, Expeditors International, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Yusen Logistics, Mainfreight, DSV and Scan Global Logistics.
Does con cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for con cargo.
What industry is con cargo in?
con cargo's product category is Freight Forwarding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACABAG, Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance), with a secondary code of TLACAHAE, Customs & Regulatory Filing Documentation (Entry/Exit Summaries, Declarations, ENS/AMS/ACI). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.