Freight forwarders are a valuable tool in the transportation industry. They find the best deals and routes for your shipments using their trusted connections. Because of this, you can be confident in the company handling your shipment when you’re working with the largest freight forwarders. Whether you have tight deadlines or specified shipment requirements, these freight forwarders are the ones you can rely on to get your shipment where it needs to be.
Quicklook: Largest Freight Forwarders in the US
- Best For Fast and Competitive Quotes: DHL
- Best For Tailored Supply Chain Programs: Expeditors International
- Best For Reducing Downtime: C.H. Robinson
- Best For Managing Shipments: UPS Supply Chain Solutions
- Best For Container Logistics: Maersk
5 Largest US Freight Forwarder Options
The largest freight forwarders in the U.S. have many years of experience in the industry. They have delivered vital freight to many businesses all over the country, and today, you can read all about the five largest U.S. freight forwarder companies in the U.S.
DHL Supply Chain and Global Forwarding
Founded in 1969, DHL is a world-leading freight forwarding company. DHL employs 380,000 people in a total of 220 countries and territories. Also, DHL helps companies expand their operations and deliver freight across multiple borders. Plus, the company delivers a total of 1.8 billion parcels per year.
Best For: Fast and Competitive Quotes
Location:
- Founded in San Francisco, CA
- Headquartered in Plantation, FL
Revenue: $28.453 billion
Volume: 70,3550,000 metric tons
Number of Employees: 380,000
Employment Types: DHL offers many employment opportunities, with both part-time and full-time options.
- Delivery drivers
- Postal workers
- Warehouse assistants
Services:
- Express
- Global Forwarding
- Freight
- Supply Chain
- Ecommerce Solutions
- Private customer services
Company Benefits:
- 401(k) plan
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Paid vacation
- Paid time off
- Health insurance
Special Features:
- Global reach and local knowledge
- Same-day deliveries
- Sustainable supply chain management
Expeditors International
Expeditors International is a Seattle-based freight forwarding company. The global logistics company has delivered freight to customers since 1979. Expeditors International helps shippers keep up with the fast-paced nature of the supply chain. The company has more than 350 locations in over 100 countries.
Best For: Tailored Supply Chain Programs
Location: Seattle, Washington
Revenue: $16.5+ billion
Volume: 27,119,850 metric tons
Number of Employees: Over 19,000 employees
Employment Types: Expeditors International offers many employment opportunities with the choice between part-time and full-time positions.
- Global business operations
- Import
- Ground network services
- Order management
- Transcon services
Services:
- Supply chain
- Transportation
- Customs and compliance
- Warehousing and distribution
Company Benefits:
- Health care
- Education reimbursement
- Paid time off
Special Features:
- SaaS offerings
- Trade management software
- Curated subsidiaries
C.H. Robinson
C.H. Robinson has experienced success in a tight trucking market, and the company has adapted to global disruptions. Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson knows what it takes to be competitive, and the company has been a leading innovator in the industry. Over 100,000 companies choose C.H. Robinson for their freight shipping needs, including Microsoft, General Mills and Lowe’s.
Best For: Reducing Downtime
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Revenue: $23+ billion
Volume: 29,025,000 metric tons
Number of Employees: 15,000
Employment Types: C.H. Robinson offers many employment opportunities, ranging from part-time and full-time positions.
- Logistics associates
- Carrier representative
- Operations
- Forwarding coordinators
- Customs entry writers
Services:
- Supply chain and logistics
- Freight services
- Warehousing
- Consolidation
- Temperature-controlled loads
Company Benefits:
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Disability and life insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Stock options
- Equity incentive plan
Special Features:
- Supply chain consulting
- Reduced need for multiple providers
- Adaptability to global disruptions
- Advanced technology
UPS Supply Chain Solutions
With over 100 years of experience, UPS is one of the most recognizable American brands. As one of the largest freight forwarders in the United States, UPS has been a leader in supply chain management solutions since being founded in 1907. UPS delivers more than 25 million packages per day and serves over 220 countries and territories. UPS has the reach you would expect of a leading freight forwarder.
Best For: Managing Shipments
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Revenue: $97.3 billion
Volume: 15,868,880 million metric tons
Number of Employees: 534,000
Employment Types: UPS offers many employment opportunities, with both part-time and full-time positions available.
- Warehouse workers
- Drivers
- Technicians
- Dockworkers
- Hazmat drivers
Services:
- Freight distribution
- Supplier management
- Freight consolidation
- Cargo insurance
- Financial services
- Industrial 3D printing
Company Benefits:
- Flexible hours
- Health insurance
- Paid vacation
- Paid time off
- Union protection and pensions
Special Features:
- UPS Forwarding Hub
- Up-to-the-minute customs clearance expertise
- Market updates
Maersk
Maersk is a Danish company with a strong U.S. presence. This integrated container logistics company has over 100,000 employees in 130 different countries. With an expansive warehouse capacity all over the world, Maersk continues to meet the needs of customers with ease. Maersk offers the industry expertise that is required to ensure that supply chain management is always more than viable.
Best For: Container Logistics
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Revenue: $61+ billion
Volume: 9,770,942 metric tons
Number of Employees: 100,000+
Employment Types: There are both part-time and full-time options available with Maersk.
Services:
- Supply chain management
- Warehousing and distribution
- Cargo insurance
- Value protection
- EDI solutions
Company Benefits:
- Life insurance
- Medical care
- Retirement savings
- Paid vacations and holidays
Special Features:
- Digital solutions
- Financial services
- Extensive routes
What Is Freight Forwarding?
Freight forwarding services allow freight forwarders to coordinate the storage and shipping of products from one location to another. Freight forwarding companies plan cost-effective transportation routes to save shippers money.
How Does Freight Forwarding Work?
Freight forwarding involves deciphering the best route for freight. Freight forwarders involve single or multiple carriers depending on costs, destination, speed and more.
Shipping can require various forms of transportation, including ground, air, marine or rail transportation. Some freight forwarding companies will ask LTL truck drivers to bring their cargo to a truck designated as a full truckload.
Carrying more freight on a full truckload instead of across several LTL trucks reduces costs. Freight forwarders will cover insurance and advise on required documents and transportation rules in specific countries.
What To Consider With Freight Forwarding
Freight forwarding can have many advantages, but not all freight forwarding companies are equal in available services or quality. Before reviewing our considerations, consider your objectives.
A freight forwarding company may be a great career path for a truck driver. Many businesses utilize freight forwarding companies for cost-effective, high-quality shipping solutions.
Transportation
Some supply chain companies ship goods internationally. These companies cannot use freight forwarders that only ship freight by land.
They need air and marine transportation. Truck drivers are best suited where the freight forwarders provide land transportation services. If a freight forwarder only accepts sea and air transportation, truck drivers should look elsewhere for employment.
Warehousing and Storage
Warehousing and storage can affect a company’s total incurred costs. There may be cases where you need to store your shipment for either a short or long period of time.
While the largest freight forwarders will offer both short- and long-term storage solutions, the costs will need to be considered. The longer your cargo stays in storage, the more you’ll pay for the freight forwarding service.
Network
Freight forwarders tap into networks across the world. The largest freight forwarders will have an expansive network able to meet your needs with ease.
Review a freight forwarding company’s network and be sure they cover all of your required destinations. Companies primarily use freight forwarders to gain network connections they can’t access on their own.
Customs
Many companies require their freight to be delivered across country borders. Freight forwarders must know and be able to handle specific customs for exporting and importing. This issue isn’t as imperative for companies that only ship goods domestically.
Speed
Some companies need their cargo immediately. Receiving freight a few days late can interrupt business operations, supply chain management, and in turn, the ability to serve clients.
The largest freight forwarders have networks and locations that improve efficiency and costs. Make sure a freight forwarder can deliver freight on time. There will always be a risk of delays due to weather and events outside of their control.
Maximize Your Savings With a Leading Freight Forwarder
The largest freight forwarders can generally offer you the most competitive shipping rates that are currently available. This means you can partner with a reliable company while getting cost-effective and dependable shipping solutions.
Talk about the best of both worlds. Plus, these companies have the industry expertise you need, and they work to ensure that your shipments are transported without any issues. When you want to maximize your savings and minimize the hassle, utilizing freight forwarders is a wise move.
FAQ
A freight forwarder is the intermediary that connects a company with a shipment that is in need of transportation. The carrier will then provide shipment services that take the package to the final destination.
DHL is currently the largest freight forwarder globally.
While freight forwarders utilize logistics companies, they are not the same.
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