15 Logistics Companies Bringing the Global Economy to Our Doorsteps
It may not feel much like it these days, but even in the era of the next-day delivery, there’s still a long and sometimes arduous process behind every online order. While technologies like machine learning and real time analytics have certainly simplified things, there are still a lot of moving parts during the process packages take to safely reach their destinations. The good news is that, for professionals joining the logistics industry, all that hard work pays off in full.
The shipping and freight industry is one of the most competitive and lucrative sectors in the world, and it’s estimated that United States logistics companies rake in over $1.5 trillion every year. While truck drivers and forklift operators are essential to the future of the logistics industry, there’s more than enough room for software engineers, developers, and product designers: whether you’re engineering GPS tracking devices or building mobile apps for employers to communicate with their drivers, technology skills are highly sought after and integral to the success of any shipping company. Whatever it is that you’re looking for, these 15 logistics companies will make sure it arrives safely at your door.
Logistics Companies You Should Know
- KeepTruckin
- Postmates
- Volans-i
- Convoy
- Flexport
- FCStone Merchant Services
- Rent The Runway
- SwagUp
KEEPTRUCKIN
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: San Francisco
What they do: KeepTruckin is an innovator in the fleet management space, offering trucking and shipping companies management software to track their cargo and drivers, maintaining safety and efficiency. Their comprehensive product suite, which includes dashcams, GPS trackers, and fuel maintenance technology, provides shipping companies with the tools necessary to secure their shipments and keep their customers happy.
POSTMATES
Founded: 2011
Headquarters: San Francisco
What they do: Postmates connects their customers with on-demand food delivery from a variety of restaurants in their area, connecting diners to a network of drivers and restaurants in every state across the country. Founders Bastian Lehmann, Sean Plaice and Sam Street established Postmates with the goal of connecting customers across the country with meals on demand, and today their fleet of over 500,000 couriers delivers meals directly to homes all across the United States.
VOLANS-I
Founded: 2015
Headquarters: San Francisco
What they do: Volans-i's specialty is in aircraft logistics, and their team builds and operates a national fleet of unmanned aircraft for use in the commercial and defense sectors. Their drone delivery services are quality tested and utilized for projects in California and Arizona, as well as internationally. Specifically focused on parts delivery and critical services, Volans-i connects their clients with supplies essential to their operations, whether they are building machinery or performing critical rescue missions.
CONVOY
Founded: 2015
Headquarters: Seattle
What they do: Convoy is a global logistics company that emphasizes sustainability, working to transport freight across the world while committing to a zero-waste priority. The global transport industry is notoriously energy inefficient, and Convoy aims to provide alternatives to traditional trucking and shipping methods that have a forward focus on protecting ecosystems and reducing global emissions. Their mobile platform allows companies the ability to quickly book cargo loads and maximize their earning potential, all while making the industry more efficient by reducing the need for extraneous, cargoless travel.
FLEXPORT
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: Seattle
What they do: Flexport's mission is to streamline the workflows of shipping companies on an international scale. The company offers a platform powered by data science that makes it possible for companies to easily maintain oversight across their supply chains. Their integrated web application provides businesses with the ability to centrally track their provided services, offering more insight into when and how their cargo reaches distribution facilities.
HAPPY RETURNS
Founded: 2015
Headquarters: Los Angeles
What they do: There are many companies managing order fulfillments, but not as many focusing on reverse fulfillments, even though a smooth returns process is a big part of ensuring customer satisfaction. Happy Returns helps brands take control of their returns operations in a cost-effective manner, helping not only ensure customer happiness but also helping companies retain profit and perform operations sustainably.
ARRIVE LOGISTICS
Founded: 2014
Headquarters: Austin
What they do: Arrive Logistics aims to raise the standards for what it means to be a logistics broker, partnering with shipment companies to deliver brokerage services complete with extensive technological and budget support. Bringing in over $80 million each year, Arrive Logistics benefits by offering an extensive suite of fleet options including small trucks, dry vans, temperature controlled containers, and intermodal transport.
SHIPWELL
Founded: 2016
Headquarters: Austin
What they do: Companies with large fleets to manage often suffer from lack of visibility into the scope of their operations, causing important processes to fall through the cracks. Shipwell helps prevent these issues by providing technologies that automate repetitive processes and utilize machine learning to quickly discover issues and facilitate communication between carriers and brokers. Based out of Austin's downtown district, Shipwell manages a national fleet of over 80,000 trucks, generating millions of dollars in profit and tracking over 22 million miles traveled.
PROJECT44
Founded: 2014
Headquarters: Chicago
What they do: Project44 primarily delivers supply chain management technology to freight companies throughout the United States and beyond, focusing on how technology can enhance supply chain visibility and increase collaboration between third-party logistics providers. The company's scalable, cloud-powered platform helps their clients maximize their profitability and efficiency by tracking ETA's and departures for all their fleets, as well as providing real-time data on shipments to help companies course-correct where necessary.
FCSTONE MERCHANT SERVICES
Founded: 2015
Headquarters: Seattle
What they do: FCStone Merchant Services supports the revenue aims of logistics companies throughout the United States, delivering a combination of expert services and technologies that help their clients maximize their profits and maintain their margins. The company's software platforms provide tools for profit optimization and market insights to logistics companies dealing in metals, energy, produce, fuels and other commodities. FCStone maintains a national footprint, with offices and employees working from eight cities across the country.
RENT THE RUNWAY
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: New York
What they do: Rent The Runway is transforming the way people engage with fashion by providing everyday users with access to high-end, designer clothing on demand. Their platform offers customers the ability to rent items at lower prices than purchasing. Items are selected from an existing inventory, shipped to, and sent back once the user is done with the item. The system allows users to select items for special events or temporary use without breaking the bank.
SWAGUP
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: New York
What they do: SwagUp helps companies of all sizes add merchandising to their branding efforts by creating and distributing branded "swag" packs for events, conferences, new hire onboarding and other needs. Their digital platform allows clients to choose and customize their ideal products, and from there, SwagUp handles the distribution and shipping of those products through their national network of fulfillment centers, ensuring that customers receive their products on time and in high quality.
TRANSFIX
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: New York
What they do: Trusted by industry leaders like Unilever and Target, Transfix is one of the country's biggest logistics providers, with a team of industry experts constantly imagining new ways for companies to take control of their supply chains. Transfix serves as a trucking brokerage company, connecting their clients to available cargo carriers via a mobile application that allows users to track their shipments and receive alerts for their deliveries.
DRAY ALLIANCE
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Los Angeles
What they do: Dray Alliance's tech team aims to integrate digital technologies into the last-mile delivery industry, offering technology solutions to reduce the time it takes for shippers to connect to their fleets. Focusing mainly on ocean and rail cargo, Dray Alliance markets a web and mobile dashboard with which logistics companies can perform GPS tracking, document sharing and approvals all in real time.
CLUTTER
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: Culver City
What they do: Clutter's mission is to make self-storage more efficient, offering their customers an option to have their storage and moving needs taken care of at once. Their services are available at budget-friendly prices, and their web platform allows customers the option to pick and customize what services they require and when they need them by.