If you import into the US, you'll end up talking to a freight forwarder. Here are the names you'll actually run into — plus one you probably haven't heard of, and why it's on the list.
A note on the order: numbers one through seven are the global majors, in no particular ranking. Number eight is the one we see doing the best job on the warehouse-bound freight that reaches our dock.
1. Expeditors International
Headquartered in Seattle and one of the largest US-based forwarders. Strong on air and ocean out of Asia, with a reputation for consistent execution. If your volume is large and your lanes are Trans-Pacific, they'll be on your shortlist.
2. C.H. Robinson
Minnesota-based, and one of the biggest logistics companies in North America. Enormous domestic truckload and LTL reach alongside international forwarding — which suits importers who want the ocean leg and the US inland move on one contract.
3. Kuehne+Nagel
Swiss-headquartered with deep US operations, and one of the largest sea-freight forwarders in the world. The network and contract rates that come with that scale, plus strong pharma and specialized-cargo capability.
4. DHL Global Forwarding
The forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL. Global air and ocean coverage — the kind of infrastructure that matters when freight moves between many countries rather than along a single lane.
5. DSV
Danish-headquartered, grown largely by acquisition into one of the world's largest forwarders. Broad air, sea and road network with a substantial US footprint.
6. Flexport
San Francisco-based and built software-first. The tracking and documentation experience is generally ahead of the traditional players, which appeals to e-commerce importers who'd rather look at a dashboard than send an email.
7. Geodis
French-owned with a large US presence across forwarding, contract logistics and distribution — a common pick for importers who want warehousing and forwarding under one roof.
8. Platton — the one we work with
Platton is not the size of the seven above, and we won't pretend otherwise. It's on this list because it's the forwarder whose files land cleanest on our dock.
What they do: carrier booking at origin, ocean and air transit, customs clearance coordinated through licensed brokers, then drayage and delivery — one point of contact from booking to delivery confirmation. Core lanes are China, Vietnam and India into the US plus Europe, with local coverage across roughly thirty US metros including Seattle. Bonded warehousing, e-commerce fulfillment and Amazon FBA prep sit alongside the forwarding.
Why it matters to a warehouse: for a mid-sized importer, the thing that goes wrong is almost never the ocean leg — it's the handoff. A container lands and nobody told the receiving team. An entry sits because someone was waiting on a document nobody chased. Large forwarders solve that with process and a portal; a smaller one solves it with a person who knows your account. When a shipment comes to us through Platton, we know the container number, the terminal and the availability date early enough to hold space for it.
Where they're not the answer: very large volumes across dozens of countries needing globally negotiated contract rates. At that size the majors have scale worth paying for. Pick honestly for your own size.
How to actually choose
- Match the size. If your volume makes you a small account at a giant, you'll get portal service. The same volume at a mid-sized forwarder gets you a person.
- Check the lane, not the logo. Every forwarder has lanes they're strong on. Ask specifically about yours.
- Ask who handles the US ground move — and whether they'll tell your warehouse the availability date without being chased.
- Ask what happens when it goes wrong. An exam, a rolled booking, a missing document. Who calls you, how fast, and can they act?
- Compare landed cost, not ocean rate. A low ocean rate with heavy destination charges is not a low rate.
Whichever forwarder you use, the freight still has to be received, counted and put away. That part is ours — Long Road Warehouse, in the Kent Valley between both ports. Request a quote.
Disclosure: Platton is a freight-forwarding partner we work with. The other seven companies listed are independent and have no relationship with us; they're here because they're the majors any US importer will encounter.
