Michael GoldsmithFreight Forwarder Strategy & Import Risk
The DSV-Schenker merger has reshaped the global freight forwarding market. DSV completed its acquisition of Schenker in 2025, creating one of the largest transport and logistics providers in the world. For some shippers, that scale may bring broader network reach. For many small and mid-sized importers, however, bigger does not automatically mean better service.
When a major freight forwarder absorbs another global network, importers should pay close attention to service continuity, account support, systems integration, pricing, routing flexibility, and how quickly problems are resolved. A larger provider may have more resources, but it may also become harder for smaller accounts to get personalized attention when shipments need quick decisions.
The key question for importers is not whether a global forwarder is big enough. It is whether the forwarder is responsive enough, flexible enough, and familiar enough with your business to protect your supply chain when something changes.
What Happened With the DSV-Schenker Merger?
DSV completed its acquisition of Schenker after a major transaction involving Deutsche Bahn’s global freight forwarding and contract logistics business. The combined organization now has a larger global footprint across air freight, ocean freight, road transport, contract logistics, and supply chain services.
For the logistics industry, this is a major consolidation event. For importers, it is a reminder to review how dependent they are on any single provider and whether their current freight partner still delivers the communication, transparency, and flexibility their business needs.
Large mergers can take time to stabilize. Even when leadership teams communicate a strong long-term strategy, customers may still experience changes in contacts, systems, processes, pricing models, escalation paths, or service priorities during the transition.
Why Freight Forwarder Consolidation Matters to Importers
Freight forwarder consolidation matters because importers rely on forwarders for much more than booking cargo. A forwarder may coordinate supplier communication, customs documentation, sailing schedules, air freight options, warehouse handoffs, delivery planning, and shipment visibility.
When a provider changes its structure, importers may need to ask practical questions:
- Will my account contact stay the same?
- Will service teams remain local, regional, or centralized?
- Will shipment tracking systems change?
- Will rates, fees, or minimums change?
- Will my business still receive fast responses?
- Will smaller or specialized shipments receive the same attention?
- Will exceptions be handled by people who understand my cargo and priorities?
If the answer to those questions is unclear, importers should review their logistics relationships before disruption affects inventory, production, or customers. Dedola’s guide to five indications it might be time to switch freight forwarders can help businesses evaluate whether a provider is still the right fit.
How Restructuring Can Affect Importer Service
Large mergers often involve restructuring. That can include new reporting lines, updated account assignments, office consolidation, system changes, revised workflows, and shifting responsibilities between teams.
For importers, the biggest risk is the loss of continuity. If the people who know your business move to another role or leave the organization, your shipments may be handled by teams that do not yet understand your products, suppliers, routing preferences, documentation requirements, or delivery constraints.
This can create issues such as:
- Slower responses to urgent shipment questions
- Repeated explanations of the same account details
- Missed customer-specific handling instructions
- Less proactive communication about delays
- More difficulty escalating time-sensitive problems
- Confusion over who owns each part of the shipment
Strong logistics support depends on memory, context, and accountability. Importers should not have to reintroduce their business every time an issue arises.
Could System Integration Lead to Shipment Delays?
System integration is one of the most important parts of any freight forwarder merger. Global providers rely on software for quoting, booking, tracking, customs documentation, customer portals, invoicing, warehouse coordination, and milestone visibility. When systems are merged or replaced, there can be a learning curve for both internal teams and customers.
Importers should watch for signs that a provider’s systems are affecting service quality, including:
- Delayed shipment updates
- Inconsistent milestone tracking
- Changes in invoice format or fee visibility
- Confusion over booking references or document uploads
- Longer response times for status requests
- Difficulty accessing historical shipment data
- Unclear escalation paths when portal information is incorrect
Not every system change creates disruption, but importers should avoid assuming the transition will be invisible. If shipment visibility is critical to your operation, ask your provider how tracking, documentation, billing, and customer support will be handled during and after integration.
For broader context on timing risk, Dedola’s guide to key factors that affect freight transit time explains why shipment delays often come from several points in the supply chain, not just the ocean or air portion of the move.
Customer Service Risk: Will Your Business Become Just Another Account?
One of the biggest concerns with very large logistics providers is customer service standardization. Centralized service models can work for simple shipments, but they may create frustration for importers that need fast answers, nuanced routing decisions, or help with unusual cargo requirements.
Small and mid-sized importers should be especially cautious if they notice:
- Account contacts changing frequently
- Support requests moving through generic queues
- Slow responses to urgent shipment issues
- Less willingness to discuss alternative routing
- Limited explanation of fees or service options
- Difficulty reaching decision-makers
- A lack of understanding of product-specific requirements
The best freight forwarder is not always the largest one. It is the one that communicates clearly, understands your business, and helps you make informed decisions before a shipment becomes a problem. Dedola covers related selection criteria in its article on 10 must-have qualities in a top-notch freight forwarder.
The Risk of Reduced Flexibility
Large freight forwarders often rely on standardized processes because they manage high shipment volume across many offices and countries. Standardization can create efficiency, but it may also reduce flexibility for importers that need customized planning.
Flexibility matters when importers need to:
- Split urgent cargo between air and ocean freight
- Adjust routing because of port congestion
- Coordinate multiple suppliers into one shipment plan
- Review alternative sailing or flight options
- Handle specialty products with unique documentation needs
- Respond quickly to supplier delays
- Balance cost, timing, and customer commitments
For example, an importer may need air freight for a small urgent portion of an order while sending the rest by ocean freight. A forwarder that understands the importer’s business can help compare options and build a practical plan instead of forcing every shipment into the same process.
Could Consolidation Affect Freight Costs?
Consolidation can affect freight costs in several ways. A larger forwarder may have strong buying power, but customers may also face new pricing structures, revised fees, changed service tiers, or less room for customized solutions. The effect on any importer depends on shipment volume, trade lanes, cargo type, service needs, and account priority.
Importers should look beyond the base freight rate. A low quote does not always mean a lower landed cost if the service comes with weak communication, unclear fees, missed cutoffs, avoidable storage, or poor exception management.
Before choosing a provider on price alone, review Dedola’s article on red flags associated with unbelievably low freight rates.
Questions Importers Should Ask After a Freight Forwarder Merger
If your freight provider is going through a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or system transition, ask direct questions before your next critical shipment moves:
- Account ownership: Who is my primary contact, backup contact, and escalation contact?
- Service continuity: Will any office, team, or process changes affect my shipments?
- System access: Will tracking, documentation, or billing systems change?
- Rate structure: Will pricing, fees, credit terms, or minimums change?
- Shipment visibility: How will updates be provided if systems are being integrated?
- Exception handling: Who makes decisions when cargo is delayed, rolled, or rerouted?
- Special requirements: Will my product-specific instructions remain documented and visible?
- Backup options: What happens if space, equipment, or routing is unavailable?
The answers can help you decide whether your current provider is still aligned with your business or whether it is time to compare alternatives.
How Dedola Helps Importers Avoid Big-Forwarder Friction
Dedola Global Logistics supports importers that need responsive communication, flexible freight planning, and a logistics team that understands their business. Instead of treating shipments as isolated transactions, Dedola helps importers connect supplier coordination, freight mode selection, customs documentation, tracking, and delivery planning.
Dedola can support importers with:
- Ocean freight planning and coordination
- Air freight options for urgent shipments
- Supplier and purchase order coordination
- Customs documentation review
- Shipment milestone visibility
- Routing and timing recommendations
- Drayage, delivery, and warehouse coordination
- Support for importers managing specialized or recurring shipments
Dedola also works with importers in industries where timing, compliance, and product requirements matter, including medical supplies and devices freight shipping, aftermarket auto parts imports, and sustainable fashion and apparel freight shipping.
Bigger Networks Do Not Replace Personal Service
The DSV-Schenker merger shows how quickly the freight forwarding landscape can change. Large logistics providers may offer scale, but scale alone does not guarantee fast communication, flexible problem-solving, or account-level attention.
Importers should review whether their freight partner still provides the service level their supply chain requires. If your business depends on reliable updates, tailored routing, practical advice, and fast support when problems arise, the right forwarder should feel like an extension of your team, not a distant help desk.
Need a More Responsive Freight Forwarding Partner?
If your current logistics provider has become harder to reach, less flexible, or less familiar with your business, Dedola can help you review your freight process and identify better ways to manage imports, documentation, routing, and delivery.
Contact Dedola Global Logistics
Frequently Asked Questions About Freight Forwarder Mergers
How can a freight forwarder merger affect importers?
A freight forwarder merger can affect importers through account changes, system integration, revised pricing, slower communication, service restructuring, and reduced flexibility. The impact depends on how well the provider manages the transition.
Did DSV complete its acquisition of DB Schenker?
Yes. DSV completed its acquisition of Schenker in 2025, creating a much larger global transport and logistics organization.
Should small and mid-sized importers avoid large freight forwarders?
Not always. Large freight forwarders can be useful for some importers, but small and mid-sized businesses should make sure they still receive responsive communication, clear visibility, flexible options, and account-level support.
What should importers ask during a logistics provider transition?
Importers should ask who owns the account, whether systems or billing will change, how shipment visibility will be handled, who manages escalations, and whether pricing or service levels will be affected.
Why might a smaller freight forwarder be better for some importers?
A smaller or more specialized freight forwarder may offer more personalized service, faster responses, flexible routing, and a better understanding of the importer’s suppliers, products, timelines, and delivery needs.
Can Dedola help importers switch freight forwarders?
Yes. Dedola can help importers review current freight challenges, compare routing and service options, coordinate supplier communication, and build a more responsive import process.
