Mainfreight

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New Zealand logistics company

title: "Mainfreight" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["companies-based-in-auckland", "companies-listed-on-the-new-zealand-exchange", "companies-in-the-s&p/nzx-50-index", "road-transport-in-new-zealand", "transport-companies-established-in-1978", "transport-companies-of-new-zealand", "1978-establishments-in-new-zealand"] description: "New Zealand logistics company" topic_path: "geography/new-zealand" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainfreight" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary New Zealand logistics company ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

Field	Value
name	Mainfreight Limited
logo	Mainfreight logo.svg
former_name	Mainfreight Transport Limited
type	Public
traded_as
industry	Logistics
founded
founder	Bruce Plested
hq_location_city	Auckland
hq_location_country	New Zealand
num_locations	336
num_locations_year	2024
area_served	27 countries
key_people	Bruce Plested (Chairman, Founding Owner)
Don Braid (Global Managing Director, CEO)
services	Transport, Logistics, Freight Forwarding, Supply Chain Management
revenue
operating_income
num_employees	10,664
num_employees_year	2024
subsid	Daily Freight (NZ), Carotrans (Worldwide), Owens (AU/NZ), ChemCouriers (AU/NZ) Mainfreight Europe (EU), Mainfreight Americas (USA), Mainfreight Asia, Mainfreight India
website	www.mainfreight.com
footnotes
::

Mainfreight Limited is a New Zealand logistics and transport company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Mainfreight commenced operations in Auckland in 1978 and is the country's largest logistics company. It has been listed on the New Zealand Exchange since 1996.

History

Mainfreight New Zealand (NZ)

Mainfreight was founded on 6 March 1978 by Bruce Plested who started the company with just $7,200 and a 1969 Bedford truck. In 1979, Bruce Plested partnered with Neil Graham, with Graham based in Christchurch and Plested in Auckland.

When the company was founded it entered a highly regulated transport market. A licence from New Zealand Railways Corporation was needed to carry freight over 150 km. When deregulation of land transport occurred in October 1982, Mainfreight quickly took advantage of the opportunities presented and won a large share of the freight market. Whilst describing the foundation of Mainfreight in 2000, Plested said to the New Zealand Herald, "We moved all our freight by sea between Auckland, and Christchurch and Dunedin, and we worked weekend shifts to make sure we loaded and unloaded the ship using the whole of the seven days - we found that was faster and more reliable than our big competitors."

Subsidiaries

Mainfreight Australia

The Australian domestic freight and logistics division started operating as Mainline Distribution in 1989 with the opening of their first branch in Sydney.

The company partnered with agents and third parties to provide any coverage into Northern Territory, Tasmania, and most rural areas of Australia.

Mainfreight International

Mainfreight International was Mainfreight's first international sea and airfreight business and was started in 1984 by Bruce Plested's brother Gerald. They established agencies in the early days with Australian, Pacific Island and United States freight forwarders and the established agents in most major trading partner countries of New Zealand.

Mainfreight Americas (USA)

Mainfreight started operating in the United States after its purchase of CaroTrans International in 1999 and expanded in 2007 from the acquisition of Target Logistics.

In 2008, 34 United States locations were re-branded as Mainfreight USA. The Mainfreight Americas network has grown now to having 79 branches located throughout Canada, Mexico, United States, and Chile. In 2023 the Mainfreight USA transportation sector set a new milestone by obtaining their Motor Carrier Authority license leading them to expand their LTL (Less-than-Truckload) ground shipping operations.

Mainfreight Asia

After the full acquisition that took place August 2007, Mainfreight Asia quickly gained momentum in the Air and Ocean sector, driving business in China and Southeast Asia. With well-established locations that include China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and Korea, the Mainfreight global network continues to expand year over year. Mainfreight’s newest regions, Asia, Europe and The Americas (spanning from Canada to South America), are expected to grow exponentially as the world trade shifts towards other developing countries.

Mainfreight Europe

In 2011, Mainfreight Limited acquired the business of Wim Bosman Group providing further opportunities to expand their international global presence with branches located throughout Europe. Mainfreight branches are located throughout France, Poland, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Italy, and Belgium.

In 2022 due to the political conflicts and sanctions in place between Russia and Ukraine, Mainfreight suspended all domestic operations in the two territories.

Acquisitions

Halford International

On 11 June 2007, Mainfreight Limited signed a call option deed to acquire all of the shares of Halford International Pty Limited (Halford International), an Australian-based, privately owned, international freight forwarder and logistics provider. The purchase acquired network offices throughout Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Asia, and the United States.

Owens Group

In 2003 Mainfreight bought Owens Group, one of New Zealand's largest trucking firms. This takeover was in response to the purchase of Tranz Rail by Australian transport firm Toll Holdings. With the takeover of the Owens Group in 2003 they purchased Owens International Australia. In 2006 the New Zealand Mainfreight International and Owens International businesses were also merged to make Mainfreight Owens International Ltd (now Mainfreight International).

Wim Bosman Group

In March 2011, Mainfreight entered the European market with the acquisition of Netherlands-based company Wim Bosman Group for €120 million; or $227 million.

Headquartered in 's-Heerenberg, The Netherlands, Wim Bosman is privately held and operates more than 1,000 transport units, manage more than 275,000m2 of cross-docking facilities and warehouse area, and employ roughly 1,414 staff within 14 branches located in The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Romania, Poland, and Russia.

Within its announcement, Mainfreight stated, "Wim Bosman is a well respected, profitable organisation which will provide Mainfreight with a significant European presence and opportunity to further grow its supply chain logistic services throughout the world."

In June 2013, Mainfreight launched a lawsuit seeking €11 million or $18 million against Wim Bosman Group's former owners. The lawsuit claimed that Wim Bosman, the former owner, had prior knowledge of a large client, Giant Bicycles, intentions to end corporate ties with the group. In August 2013, Mainfreight and the family of Wim Bosman reached an out of court agreement for compensation to the tune of €8.2 million or $14 million.

Since 2011, Mainfreight, under the Wim Bosman name, have opened new branches in Bergen op Zoom in The Netherlands, Cluj-Napoca in Romania, Frankfurt and Gelsenkirchen in Germany, London in United Kingdom, and Poznań/Luboń in Poland. Mainfreight also renamed Wim Bosman branches in the countries France, Poland, Russia and Ukraine under the Mainfreight name.

Others

Lep New Zealand

Between 1994 and 1997 Mainfreight started acquiring former competitors, such as, Daily Freightways and Chem Couriers in 1994, a 75% shareholding in Lep New Zealand in 1996, and Combined Haulage and Senco Haulage in 1997. In 1998, Mainfreight acquired Australian freight forwarder ISS Express lines, subsequently establishing an Australian international freight business.

In April 2007, Mainfreight announced its intentions to sell its Pan Orient Project Logistics business and its 75% interest in Lep Australia and New Zealand to global logistics company Agility Group for A$83 million. The transaction was completed on 6 June 2007.

Target Logistics

In September 2007, it was reported by Business Wire that Mainfreight had signed a merger agreement with NYSE American-listed Target Logistics for $2.50 a share; for a total of US$54 million. Target operate domestic and international time-sensitive freight-forwarding and logistics services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Target Logistic Services. Target has offices in 35 cities throughout the United States and an international network of agents in over 70 countries.

CaroTrans South America

In May 2011, Mainfreight established a CaroTrans branch in Santiago, Chile. This endeavor launched the first permanent investment into South America. In 2020, CaroTrans Chile was re-branded as Mainfreight Chile.

DCB International

In November 2014, Mainfreight acquired a regional air and sea freight company located in Dunedin. Founded in 1969 as Dunedin Customs Brokers Ltd, DCB International provides international air and sea freight services from Dunedin. DCB had a staff base of five employees on the date of acquisition, however, staff was expected to rise to seven employees.

References

(June 25, 2024). "Annual Report 2024".
(June 27, 2023). "Annual Report 2023 - Mainfreight Limited".
(1 October 2015). "Mainfreight co-founder Neil Graham dies". The [[National Business Review]].
(30 June 2000). "Mainfreight always moving forward". [[New Zealand Herald]].
"Road transport regulation a controversial measure to protect railways".
"We are your global supply chain partner".
"Mainfreight's History".
"Mainfreight Transport - Motor Carrier Authority".
"Situation in Ukraine and Russia".
(11 June 2008). "Mainfreight announces agreement to acquire Halford International".
[https://www.owens.co.nz/nz/en/nz-home/about.aspx Company Profile] Owens
(8 March 2011). "Mainfreight sets course for Europe". The New Zealand Herald.
(7 March 2011). "Mainfreight breaks into Europe with $227m acquisition". The New Zealand Herald.
(26 June 2013). "Mainfreight sues for $18m after shock client loss". The New Zealand Herald.
(26 August 2013). "Mainfreight gets $14m payout - drops Euro claim". The New Zealand Herald.
(21 November 2016). "The Wim Bosman Group becomes Mainfreight". Meinfreight News.
"Mainfreight sells Pan Orient Project Logistics and its 75% shareholding in LEP (New Zealand and Australia) for over A$83 million". Mainfreight NZ.
"Mainfreight Limited (Mainfreight) completes sale of Pan Orient Project Logistics". Mainfreight NZ.
(17 September 2007). "Target Logistics, Inc. Agrees to be Acquired by Mainfreight Limited".
(27 May 2011). "Mainfreight dips toes into Chile". The New Zealand Herald.
(12 November 2014). "Mainfreight buys Dunedin firm". [[Otago Daily Times]].

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