IC Transport 50: world’s largest specialized transport companies

Kahl in Germany moved a transformer using a girder bridge and two tractor units in a combination weighing a total of 502 tonnes. Photo: Kahl

Working with the full list of 79 entries for this year’s IC Transport 50, the total index figure has broken the 2 million tonnes barrier for the first time.

The total capacity of all the specialized transport equipment owned by all those companies is an impressive 2,069,217 tonnes, up by 5 per cent on the 1,967,780 tonnes of 2021.

It is even more impressive as there are three fewer companies in it this year, which is back down to the 2020 number. Five companies dropped out of the table and two were added. For a consistent approach, however, let’s look at some of the figures from the top 50.

This year’s top 50 total Index of 1,930,745 was up a healthy 4.47 % on the 1,848,104 of 2021. While there is a clear rise in the total capacity, changes in the equipment mix are less clear.

Modular equipment was up by just 0.6 % to 1,157,823 tonnes. Mind you, that is still nearly 7,000 tonnes more capacity than the year before.

Looking at specialized trailers there was a 12.5 % increase, totalling just over 85,000 tonnes, of extra capacity added during the year.

It should be noted that last year saw an uncharacteristic 10 % dip, presumably due to the covid pandemic, so this year could be taken as more of a correction than a double-digit percentage rise.

The same could be said for the number of depots, back up this year to 2,477, just above the 2020 total of 2,381, following a dip last year to 1,574. Employees were up too, by just over 6 %, to 49,530 in the top 50 companies.

Similarly, there was a 5.4 % increase in the number of tractor units, to a grand total of 26,105.

Who are the world’s largest specialized transport companies?

An unchanged top three is led by Mammoet which, despite a very slightly lower total than last year, enjoys a slightly increased lead by virtue of a marginally larger reduction for Sarens in second place.

Fagioli increased its fleet capacity and is closing on the heels of Sarens but not enough to alter position.

Looking at the rest of the top 10, Daseke has gained two places, not by expanding its fleet but as a result of the two companies previously immediately ahead of it reducing their capacity, pushing Landstar from 5th to 6th and All Erection from 4th to 7th.

Top 10 largest specialized transport companies

NTC from India also dropped a place, displaced by Maxim Crane from the USA which climbed an impressive five places from 10th. Barnhart in 9th similarly lost a place too, as did ATS Specialized rounding out the top 10.

Heading a bunch of relative newcomers to the table in the high 30s to mid-40s, is this year’s highest new entry, Integrated Logistics from Kuwait, in 44th place.

Trans-United from the USA has entered the top 50 at 49th, moving up from 52nd place last year and up from 60th a couple of years before that. Locar from Brazil has made a return to the top 50, where it was for many years before sitting just outside it for the last three years.