Turn this list into pipeline.
Freight Forwarding Companies in Manchester: 77 Active Firms (2026)
Freight forwarding companies arrange cargo movement, customs paperwork and multimodal transport for businesses in the Manchester area.
Buying centres tend to sit with logistics, supply-chain, procurement and finance teams, especially where shipment reliability affects production schedules, stock availability or customer delivery promises. The commercial buyer is usually a business shipper rather than a consumer: industrial groups, retailers, ecommerce operators and manufacturers that need someone to coordinate carriers, warehouses and documentation. Engagements range from ad hoc export or import support to repeat lane management, customs administration and multimodal coordination. The sales motion is therefore relatively operational, with evidence of carrier relationships, documentation discipline and exception handling often mattering as much as headline price.
Read more
Manchester has 77 actively trading freight forwarding companies, giving the area a compact but identifiable local cohort rather than a broad national pool. Reported headcount stands at 1,877 people, reflecting the labour-intensive nature of forwarding even where firms do not own the transport assets. Sixteen companies have turnover above £5M, so sizeable operators exist, but they sit alongside many smaller agency-style or specialist forwarders. Another 18 firms were incorporated since 2022, suggesting continued formation at the edge of the market, often around customs handling, ecommerce fulfilment links or narrower trade-lane expertise.
Customs work sits close to the commercial proposition for Manchester forwarders, not as a back-office add-on. Cross-border shippers need correct declarations, commodity coding, duty handling, evidence packs and document retention, while domestic work still depends on clear liability terms and traceable handovers between shipper, carrier and warehouse. Market structure is correspondingly intermediary-heavy: many operators coordinate capacity supplied by hauliers, airlines, shipping lines or warehouse partners rather than carrying every movement themselves. That model keeps capital requirements lower than asset ownership, but it pushes operational risk into documentation accuracy, partner selection and exception management when cargo is delayed, misdescribed or rerouted.
Entry appears possible for specialists with trade-lane knowledge, customs capability or a tight customer niche, but scaling beyond a small operator base tends to be harder. Buyers usually want responsiveness, documentation accuracy and carrier access, while larger shippers may also press for better shipment visibility and cleaner audit trails. That favours forwarders able to standardise operational processes without losing the judgement needed for exceptions. Consolidation may continue where owner-managed firms face margin pressure, technology spending or succession issues, although local customer relationships still give smaller operators a reason to persist.
77
Active firms
2026
16
Over £5M
reported revenue
18
Incorporated since 2022
newer firms
Key facts
About 20% of the trading cohort reports turnover above £5M (16 of 77 firms) — the rest sits below that revenue band.
23% of the cohort was incorporated since 2022 (18 firms), so a sizeable share is in its first few filing cycles.
Manchester-area freight forwarders sit between shippers, carriers and border processes, with customs paperwork and multimodal transport central to the service mix.
Business buyers tend to use these firms for regular commercial freight flows rather than occasional brokerage work.
The local market includes mid-sized specialists and larger operators, which points to varied procurement routes by shipment complexity and account size.
Top Manchester freight forwarding companies
M. & W. FREIGHT LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging international shipping by sea, air and road. Offers customs clearance, warehousing and distribution, supply chain management,…
Serves businesses needing domestic and international logistics support, including importers/exporters, e-commerce sellers using FBA, and companies with supply chain, warehousing and distribution…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
RAPID CARGO (UK) LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services by air, sea and land. Handles import and export customs clearance, warehousing and storage, cargo consolidation, courier deliveries,…
Serves businesses and individuals needing international cargo movement, including importers/exporters, supply chain teams, and shippers of full or part loads, project cargo, vehicles, personal…
Financial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
FIRSTPLUS LOGISTICS LTD
Trajectory
2y · 2024–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services including international shipping by air, sea, and land. Handles cargo transport, customs clearance, packaging, warehousing, inventory storage, and…
Serves businesses needing domestic and international logistics, including import managers, logistics directors, retailers, e-commerce operators, automotive firms, and medical supply chains requiring…
Financial Health
StrongStrong
Location
Cargo Overseas Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides digital freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging air, sea and road shipments. Offers online freight quoting, real-time shipment tracking, automated UK customs entry, and supply…
Serves B2B clients with global supply chains, from SMEs to multinational PLCs, including importers, exporters and businesses managing purchase orders and freight movements across air, sea and road.
Financial Health
StableStable · Profitable · 4% CAGR over 2y
Location
ELM CONSOLIDATORS LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding, logistics and supply chain management services, arranging sea, air and road transport of cargo. Handles import and export shipments, customs clearance and distribution,…
Serves businesses importing and exporting goods, especially food and drink, wine, agriculture and pharmaceutical firms with international supply chains across UK, European and global routes.
Financial Health
StableStable · -9% CAGR over 2y
Location
M & W AIRFREIGHT LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides international air freight forwarding and logistics services for businesses, handling general, high‑value and time‑critical cargo. Services include customs clearance, HMRC bonded warehousing,…
Serves businesses of all sizes with international shipping needs, including fashion and sports brands, e-commerce operators, and companies moving general, high-value or time-critical freight across…
Financial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
SOS AIR CARGO LIMITED
Trajectory
4y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including air, sea and road transport. Specialises in handling and exporting dangerous goods, and offers import coordination, cargo…
Serves businesses requiring international import/export freight, especially shippers of dangerous goods, across air, sea and road logistics routes worldwide.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · -3% CAGR over 3y
Location
HERBERT WATSON FREIGHT SERVICES LIMITED
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including sea, air, and road freight, multi-country cargo consolidation, warehousing and distribution, customs clearance, shipment…
Serves B2B importers, exporters and retailers with international supply chains, including businesses moving high-volume cargo, consolidating orders from Asia and other markets, and supplying…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -12% CAGR over 2y
Location
GLOBAL UKS LTD
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services for international shipments, including sea and air freight, cargo handling, customs clearance, warehousing, and door‑to‑door delivery. Also arranges…
Serves B2B importers, exporters and companies needing domestic or international cargo movement, customs support and warehousing, with emphasis on customers shipping to and from India.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 29% CAGR over 2y
Location
Hexagon International Freight Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services including European and worldwide air, sea and road transport, UK haulage, warehousing and storage, and customs clearance. Handles shipments such as…
Serves B2B customers in chemicals, automotive, industrial machinery, medical supplies, textiles, paper and plastics, including firms moving goods across the UK, Europe and worldwide.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 10% CAGR over 4y
Location
Hexagon International Transport Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight and logistics services including European road transport, air and ocean shipping, UK haulage, warehousing and storage, and customs clearance. Handles distribution of…
Serves B2B shippers in chemicals, automotive, industrial machinery, medical supplies, textiles, paper and plastics sectors, particularly companies moving goods across the UK, Europe and worldwide.
Financial Health
StableStable · -4% CAGR over 4y
Location
ALARABIA CARGO LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international cargo logistics services including air and sea freight, container shipping, customs clearance, export packing, warehousing, dangerous goods handling, and project logistics for…
Serves UK-based businesses and individuals sending commercial or personal cargo to GCC countries, Libya, Egypt, Jordan and Malaysia, including customers with dangerous goods, project cargo or car…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 3% CAGR over 4y
Location
AFS GLOBAL LTD
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides international freight forwarding services, arranging sea, air and road transport for import, export and cross‑trade shipments. Manages carriers, customs clearance and shipping documentation…
Serves UK businesses that import, export or cross-trade goods, including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers with international supply chains, from first-time shippers to established…
Financial Health
StableStable · -6% CAGR over 2y
Location
UGL Worldwide Logistics Ltd
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including air cargo and ocean freight shipping. Acts as a non‑vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) and offers shipment tracking,…
Financial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
LGL WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides freight logistics and transport services including road, air and sea shipping, express van deliveries and time‑critical transport. Arranges international freight movements, shipment tracking…
Serves businesses with domestic and international freight needs, including supermarket chains, chemical distributors, automotive suppliers and cosmetics manufacturers requiring road, air, sea or…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 93% CAGR over 4y
Location
GAC LOGISTICS (UK) LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides shipping and logistics services including ship agency, bunker fuel supply, husbandry and launch services, freight forwarding, land transportation, project logistics, ship spares logistics…
Serves B2B customers needing shipping, logistics and marine support, including organisations in aerospace, automotive, cruise, dry cargo, energy, entertainment/events, marine leisure, offshore,…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -5% CAGR over 2y
Location
Key Cargo International Ltd
Trajectory
3y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides international freight forwarding services, arranging air, ocean and road transport for import and export shipments. Handles container shipping, trailer freight and specialist cargo including…
Serves businesses across a broad range of industries, particularly UK companies needing international import/export logistics for general, specialist, hazardous, perishable, oil and gas, and…
Financial Health
StableStable · 4% CAGR over 2y
Location
UCARGO PACIFIC LOGISTICS LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging air, sea, and road transport for international shipments. Manages cargo movement including heavy lift and industrial loads, and…
Serves UK and international businesses with cargo transport needs, especially in canning and packaging, heavy lift and industrial sectors, plus general freight customers requiring air, sea or road…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 13% CAGR over 2y
Location
GCA JEWELLERS & CO LIMITED
Trajectory
1y · 2025–NowProvides customs clearance and logistics services for high‑value goods, including gems, jewellery, gold and silver bullion, and fine art. Handles freight forwarding, secure transport, shipping…
Serves B2B customers handling high-value goods, including gems and jewellery companies, bullion and precious commodity traders, fine art owners, luxury goods businesses, and exhibitors needing…
Financial Health
Insufficient historyInsufficient history
Location
Maltacourt Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services including ocean, air and road freight transport, cargo shipping, warehousing and distribution, and customs brokerage, coordinating the…
Serves B2B customers such as importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors and retailers with international logistics needs across Canada, the UK, the United States and Australia.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · -14% CAGR over 2y
Location
The Cardinal
Trajectory
2y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsOperates as a holding and management entity for affiliated logistics businesses, providing international freight forwarding, supply chain management and third‑party logistics services, and…
Serves businesses needing global logistics support, including clients seeking customised freight, supply chain and 3PL arrangements across international markets.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 11% CAGR over 1y
Location
Carola Trading Produce Ltd
Trajectory
2y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsImports and wholesales fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from Italian farmers and wholesale markets. Supplies mixed pallets of produce and offers logistics support, including groupage transport,…
Serves B2B fresh produce buyers needing mixed pallets of Italian fruit and vegetables, plus third-party businesses requiring groupage, logistics and customs support for produce imports.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing · 0% CAGR over 1y
Location
TLB GLOBAL LOGISTICS LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 8% CAGR over 4y
Location
Tuscor Lloyds (UK) Limited
Trajectory
2y · 2024–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging air and sea cargo transport, container shipping, breakbulk and out‑of‑gauge shipments, ship chartering, and cross‑trade…
Serves retailers, manufacturers and other businesses with international cargo shipping needs, including firms moving containerised, breakbulk or out-of-gauge freight across global trade routes.
Financial Health
StableStable · Profitable · 0% CAGR over 1y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2019–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services including ocean and air freight, European intermodal transport by rail, road and barge, port and stevedoring services, customs clearance,…
Serves B2B importers, exporters and industrial shippers needing UK, Ireland, European and global freight support, including project cargo owners, beverage companies, and food, chemical, bulk liquid…
Financial Health
StrongStrong
Location
COUNTRYWIDE FREIGHT GROUP LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight transport and logistics services between the UK and Ireland, including parcel and pallet distribution, groupage shipping, full and part loads, supply chain management, customs…
Serves businesses of all sizes shipping between the UK and Ireland, including firms distributing parcels, pallets, full or part loads to trade customers and consumers.
Financial Health
StableStable · Profitable · -12% CAGR over 2y
Location
The Green Van Group Ltd
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides logistics and distribution services including palletised freight transport, national and international haulage, and warehousing. Operates pallet networks, shared and dedicated storage, and…
Serves UK businesses needing logistics, palletised freight, warehousing and import/export support, including large companies, manufacturers and drinks distribution firms with national or…
Financial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 3y
Location
AAI GLOBAL LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides third‑party logistics and freight forwarding services, managing international transport of goods by sea, air, road and courier. Offers cross‑trade shipments, air charter, warehousing,…
Serves businesses with import/export freight needs, including companies moving trade goods across global markets and clients requiring door-to-door logistics, warehousing and distribution across…
Financial Health
StableStable · -13% CAGR over 5y
Location
Awr International Ltd
Trajectory
3y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides export packing and multimodal freight forwarding services, handling inbound and outbound shipments by air, sea and road. Manufactures packing cases and pallets, and offers warehousing,…
Serves B2B industrial exporters and manufacturers, including aerospace, pharmaceutical and engineering firms, needing logistics support for equipment, project cargo and out-of-gauge loads.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 6% CAGR over 3y
Location
Dsa Global Logistics Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services including sea and air freight, road transport, customs clearance, container shipping (FCL/LCL), warehousing, cargo insurance, packing,…
Serves businesses needing international freight and supply chain support, including importers, exporters and companies moving cargo by sea, air or road within the UK and overseas.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 32% CAGR over 4y
Location
C & R GLOBAL LOGISTICS LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services including air, sea and road freight, courier shipping, customs clearance, trucking, and warehousing. Supports import and export shipments with…
Serves businesses needing international and domestic logistics support, including manufacturers and import/export companies in sectors such as chemicals and glass fibre.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 37% CAGR over 4y
Location
AAI FREIGHT SERVICES LTD
Trajectory
4y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides third-party logistics and freight forwarding services, arranging international transport of goods by sea, air, road and courier. Also offers cross-trade shipping, warehousing, distribution,…
Serves B2B clients importing or exporting goods worldwide, including manufacturers, traders and distributors needing international freight, warehousing and door-to-door logistics across major trade…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · 18% CAGR over 2y
Location
Grace Overseas Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services including road, sea and air freight, ISO bulk tanker transport, express delivery, customs handling, and warehousing and fulfilment with inventory…
Serves businesses needing domestic and international freight, warehousing and fulfilment, including importers, exporters, manufacturers and distributors handling general cargo, bulk chemicals,…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 12% CAGR over 4y
Location
Eurofracht Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging road trailer transport, express deliveries and UK haulage, as well as international air and sea freight. Handles pallet, part‑load and…
Serves UK businesses from small firms to global organisations, especially importers and exporters moving pallets, part loads, full trailers, containers or air cargo to Austria, Europe and worldwide.
Financial Health
StableStable · -4% CAGR over 4y
Location
SIMS LOGISTICS (BIRMINGHAM) LIMITED
Trajectory
2y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsProvides logistics and freight services including UK and European road haulage, palletised distribution, hazardous goods transport, freight forwarding by air and sea, and warehousing and storage.…
Serves B2B customers with local, national and international distribution needs, including manufacturers, distributors, e-commerce sellers delivering into Amazon, and businesses shipping hazardous or…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Growing · 0% CAGR over 1y
Location
Express Global Shipping Ltd
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including air, ocean, road and rail transport, customs clearance, warehousing and last‑mile delivery, supporting import and export…
Serves B2B importers, exporters and supply chain teams in sectors including automotive, chemicals, electronics, exhibitions, fashion and retail, food and beverage, marine parts, pharmaceuticals and…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 58% CAGR over 2y
Location
Ital Logistics
Provides freight forwarding and transport services including driver‑accompanied road freight and groupage shipments across Europe, particularly Italy. Also offers sea and air freight, express…
Sells to businesses needing freight and logistics services, especially importers, exporters and shipping teams moving consignments between the UK, Italy and wider Europe, plus firms requiring sea,…
Financial Health
Insufficient historyInsufficient history
Location
OPUS MOVING AND HANDLING LIMITED
Trajectory
1y · 2025–NowProvides logistics and supply chain services including warehousing, distribution, freight forwarding and transportation. Supports e‑commerce fulfilment, cold chain logistics and automotive supply…
Serves businesses with logistics needs, including online retailers, companies shipping temperature-sensitive goods, and automotive firms requiring supply chain support for domestic and international…
Financial Health
Insufficient historyInsufficient history
Location
OPTIMUM FREIGHT SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging air, sea and road transport for international shipments. Manages full and less‑than‑container sea freight, airfreight, road haulage and…
Serves businesses managing supply chains, import/export activity and product movement, including UK importers and companies with goods requiring air, sea, road or 3PL logistics support.
Financial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
M & M Worldwide Logistics Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides logistics and freight forwarding services including road, ocean, and air cargo transport. Offers import and export support, customs clearance, shipment tracking, and tailored transportation…
Serves businesses, shippers and senders needing domestic and international freight, import/export support, customs clearance, warehousing or distribution across road, ocean and air logistics.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 6% CAGR over 4y
Location
Eagle International Logistics Ltd
Trajectory
4y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including air freight, air charter, sea freight (FCL and LCL), rail freight, and road haulage. Also offers customs support, import…
Serves UK businesses importing or shipping goods internationally, including fashion and fast-fashion companies, fastener suppliers, and other product importers using China, Turkey, India and Pakistan…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 54% CAGR over 3y
Location
ROUTE SYSTEMS LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging import, export and cross‑trade shipments by sea, air and road. Also offers warehousing, container handling, and transport…
Serves businesses with international cargo movements, including importers, exporters and cross-trade shippers needing land, sea or air freight support across over 70 countries.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
Ally Global Forwarding Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, offering end‑to‑end supply chain management, shipment coordination and transport through a network of logistics partners, supported…
Serves B2B customers needing global logistics and supply chain support, particularly businesses shipping goods internationally through freight forwarding networks.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 63% CAGR over 4y
Location
A K W Global Logistics
Trajectory
4y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides logistics and supply chain services including road haulage, warehousing, contract packing, freight forwarding, e‑fulfilment and two‑person distribution. Handles palletised and groupage…
Serves B2B customers across the UK and Europe, including FMCG and drinks manufacturers, retailers, and logistics partners with warehousing, haulage, fulfilment and distribution requirements.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · -6% CAGR over 5y
Location
Tuscor Lloyds Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowProvides international freight forwarding and logistics services, arranging air and sea transport for containerised, breakbulk and out-of-gauge cargo. Also handles ship chartering, cross-trade…
Serves B2B shippers, especially retailers, manufacturers and companies moving containerised, breakbulk, out-of-gauge or cross-trade cargo across global trade routes.
Financial Health
Insufficient historyInsufficient history
Location
BAKERGG LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides customs clearance and brokerage services for importers and exporters, alongside freight forwarding by air, sea and road. Offers warehousing, container storage, e‑commerce logistics and…
Serves B2B importers, exporters and freight professionals, including companies in metals, packaging, plastics, furniture, automotive, retail, e-commerce, music, steel and luxury goods sectors.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
CARGO 2 GO FRANCHISING LIMITED
Trajectory
2y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsProvides same-day courier and dedicated transport services, offering rapid UK collection and delivery using vans through HGVs. Also arranges international freight by road, air and sea, including…
Serves UK businesses of all sizes, from local firms to multinationals, needing time-critical courier and freight support, including automotive companies, importers/exporters and organisations moving…
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed
Location
Operates temperature-controlled warehouses and provides cold chain logistics services for food and perishable products, including storage, distribution, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and…
Serves food manufacturers, seafood importers, retailers, foodservice operators and other businesses with temperature-controlled or perishable products needing cold-chain warehousing, transport and…
Location
One Point Logistics Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides logistics and freight services including general and contract haulage, pallet distribution, courier and time‑critical deliveries, event logistics, sea and rail freight, secure warehousing,…
Serves B2B clients, from emerging firms to established businesses, in retail/e-commerce, automotive, aviation/aerospace, heavy equipment and high-tech/home equipment sectors, with UK, European and…
Financial Health
StableStable · -11% CAGR over 2y
Location
Ital Logistics
Provides international freight forwarding and logistics services, including driver‑accompanied road freight and groupage transport between Italy and other European countries, as well as sea and air…
Serves businesses importing or exporting goods between the UK, Italy and wider Europe, including firms needing European route coverage, worldwide shipping connections, or dangerous goods logistics…
Location
Unlock all 77 leads
Showing 50 of 77 — +27 more with verified decision-maker contacts, live data, and CRM sync.
How Manchester freight forwarding companies work and how to sell to them
What they do
Revenue usually comes from a mix of freight margin, shipment fees, customs clearance charges, documentation work and handling-related add-ons. Many Manchester forwarders buy capacity from hauliers, airlines, shipping lines or warehouse partners, then sell coordination and assurance to shippers that do not want to manage every carrier relationship themselves. Pricing is often per consignment, pallet, container, shipment weight or trade lane, with duties, storage, insurance and surcharges passed through separately. The service is operational rather than purely advisory: quoting, booking, document checking, cargo tracking, exception management and post-shipment paperwork all sit inside the commercial proposition.
Who they sell to
Most customers are business shippers with recurring movement of goods: manufacturers, industrial suppliers, retailers and ecommerce operators. The buying group typically includes logistics managers, supply-chain directors, operations leaders, procurement and finance, with owner-managers involved where the shipper is smaller. Spot work can be won through referrals or direct sales after a specific import, export or delivery problem; repeat lane agreements usually need evidence of service levels, carrier access and cost control. Larger customers may use tenders or RFPs, while mid-market buyers often move faster if a forwarder can solve a current customs, delay or capacity issue.
What they buy
Most Manchester freight forwarders tend to spend on systems and services that reduce manual coordination between shipper, carrier, warehouse and finance teams. Relevant categories include transport management software, customs declaration tooling, document management, shipment visibility, rate management, customer portals, CRM, billing, accounting, credit control and analytics. Cyber security, cloud hosting, telephony, insurance, legal support and outsourced finance can also matter because forwarding involves customer data, liability terms and cash tied up in duties or carrier payments. Recruitment support is a plausible fit where firms need customs clerks, operations coordinators, sales staff or multilingual trade-lane specialists.
Why and how to sell to them
Buying intent often appears when forwarders add trade lanes, win larger shipper accounts, take on more customs work or struggle with manual exception handling. Margin pressure makes generic efficiency claims easy to ignore, so outbound tends to work better when it links to concrete problems: fewer rekeyed shipment details, faster quote-to-invoice cycles, cleaner audit trails, better credit control or clearer customer updates during delays. Leadership change, hiring in operations or customs, new warehouse relationships and higher tender activity can all signal a review point. Messages should respect the operational tempo; proof around uptime, implementation effort and service accountability usually carries weight.
How this list is built
Data sources
This list is built from UK Companies House filings, XBRL accounts data, and semantic analysis of each company's public website. Revenue and headcount figures come from the most recent filed accounts; where the company has not filed, values are estimated using a model trained on filed history and peer benchmarks and are labelled as estimates.
Classification
Rather than relying solely on SIC codes, Firmbase classifies each company semantically: the company's website is crawled, an AI model reads what the company actually sells, and the company is placed into the relevant industry and subsectors. SIC codes are used as one signal but not the only one. This means a company that registered under a generic SIC code but pivoted into (for example) fintech is correctly identified as fintech, not as its original SIC category.
Freshness
The underlying company data is refreshed from Companies House continuously; filings appear in the list within days of submission. The curated list ordering is regenerated when the underlying data moves meaningfully (company count changes by more than 5%, a new company enters the top-ranked segment, or the filed-revenue numbers for the top firms change). You can see the last-updated timestamp near the top of the page.
Also in Manchester
Related directories
Frequently asked questions
How many freight forwarding companies are there in the Manchester?↓
What counts as a freight forwarding company in this list?↓
Which are the largest freight forwarding companies in the Manchester?↓
What do freight forwarding companies in the Manchester actually do?↓
How does Manchester freight forwarding compare internationally?↓
How is this list built and how fresh is the data?↓
How big are the typical freight forwarding companies in the Manchester?↓
Are these mostly new or established freight forwarding companies?↓
What SIC codes does this use?↓
What buying signals should I look for?↓
Push these 77 companies into your pipeline.
Find the right decision-makers, see verified company data, and export your list in seconds.