Milestones

In 2023, CargoLine celebrated its 30th birthday. The general cargo cooperation has been a pioneer more than once, be it with regard to the market launch of new services, the early focus on digitalization, helpful functions relating to shipment tracking and management, the founding of start-ups or the topic of cybersecurity. In addition, CargoLine has been making constant and measurable improvements in the area of sustainability since 2011. Discover the milestones of 30 years of intercontinental transport and contract logistics for yourself. Come with us on a journey through CargoLine’s company history – from 1993 to today!

1993

Foundation of CargoLine by seven transport and logistics services providers

1996

The hub in Eichenzell starts operation. CargoLine is the first cargo network to introduce key account management

1998

Revenues exceed one billion Deutsche marks

1999

Implementation of Cepra II (tracking & tracing for every package)

Introduction of the guaranteed deadline delivery service NightLinePlus by 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 noon or 6–10 p.m.

2000

Establishment of the swap body pool

2002

Certification of the CargoLine products including for short line hauls according to DIN EN ISO 9001

2003

Introduction of ServiceLine: free delivery to the point of use, carrying the consignment to its destination, setup, unpacking, removal of packaging materials and more

CargoLine celebrates its 10th anniversary

2004

Opening of the regional hub in Sehnde and Göppingen, connecting the international partners to the central hub in Eichenzell

2005

All partners are HACCP-certified

2006

Revenues exceed one billion euros and Germany-wide direct line hauls top 1,000 per day

Five ABX branches find a new home in CargoLine; additional ABX enterprises are taken over by CargoLine partners or continued as joint ventures

Forwarders and young professionals for the first time elect CargoLine as the only cargo cooperative among the top 10 in the category Forwarding & Contract Logistics of the German magazine Logistik inside

2007

Establishment of the European hub in Hauneck in order to handle the increased international shipping volume

CargoLine is the only cooperative network where all partners go online with uniform websites

2008

Environmental certification according to DIN EN ISO 14001

CargoLine transports more than ten million shipments per year

Introduction of NightLineFix (premium guaranteed deadline service)

Revenues totalling 1.3 billion euros mark the best turnover in the history of CargoLine to date

2009

With the cooperation arrangement with Militzer & Münch the mutual procurement and distribution is expanded to the CIS and the Maghreb countries as well as the Near and Middle East, among other territories. CargoLine thus covers all of Europe

Introduction of NightLineEurope NextDay, the only regularly scheduled overnight service in the cargo freight industry

Implementation of a compliance software

The network joins the “Schutz- und Aktionsgemeinschaft zur Erhöhung der Sicherheit in der Spedition” (s.a.f.e.), an association working to increase safety and security in freight companies

CargoLine develops a central dispatch system as part of a research project

Sale of the ABX branches to DSV, placement of own partners at these sites

2010

The increase in the number of shipments by 13.3 per cent compared to the previous year is considerably greater than the economic growth rate in Germany

2011

Establishment of an own advanced education and training academy and an e-learning portal

Expansion of the contract logistics business field

With revenues of approximately 1.4 billion euros, CargoLine exceeds its record earnings of 2008

The central office is moved from Dietzenbach to Frankfurt am Main

2012

CargoLine is the first cargo cooperative to implement a system to ensure information security that meets the ISO/IEC 27001 standards

The assessment of the greenhouse gas balance (the network carbon footprint) based on actual data is completed and CargoLine is certified according to DIN EN 14064

It is now possible to determine the emissions per shipment (product carbon footprint) according to DIN EN 16258 (CO2 shipment calculator)

Programming of an app for shipment tracking

Certification according to the IFS Logistics standard

The European hub is moved to a larger facility in the direct vicinity of the central hub

A new corporate strategy, a new partner structure and corporate goals are passed

2013

Cepra II is replaced by Cepra 3.0

CargoLine introduces ThermoLine, its service for frost-safe transports

Between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013, CargoLine manages to reduce its CO2 emissions by 7.34 per cent compared to the previous reporting year

2014

CargoLine publishes its first ever Sustainabilty Report

The network opens up to B2C shipments (B2CLine)

With NightLineEurope Priority, Fix and Receipt, new services for cross-border shipments are introduced

2018

B2CLine (early notification by text and/or email + delivery free curbside) is joined by B2CLine Plus (early notification by text and/or email + delivery free place of use with 1 man + pallet exchange) and B2CLine Premium (early notification by text and/or email + delivery free place of use with 2 men + pallet exchange)

In order to respond faster to future customer demands and to be free to choose the best software for each requirement, CargoLine’s centralised software architecture is replaced by a modular one

CargoLine turns 25! Read the anniversary interview!

2019

CargoLine founds its own online freight forwarder, Cargoboard; introduces SeaLine, CargoLine’s LCL transport offering

2021

Founds Cargo Digital World AG (CDW) with the aim of developing disruptive digital services for the logistics value network

2023

CargoLine celebrates its 30th anniversary!

The network starts to cooperate closely with environmental agency myclimate Germany and launches its climate protection products NightLineEco and NightLineBalance, thus helping reduce CO2 emissions in Uganda and Indonesia

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