Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.8bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Water transport costs skyrocketed due to pandemic-related supply chain bottlenecks
- Global pandemic restrictions and lockdowns caused significant supply chain issues. As a result, the cost of ocean cargo container freight soared above pre-pandemic rates. Freight forwarders’ commission-based fee structure meant that rising transport costs automatically increased industry revenue, causing a major spike in 2021-22.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Water transport costs are projected to normalise, leading to falling profit margins
- Record water transport costs, passed on to clients automatically through commission-based fee structures, have supported industry revenue and profitability for the past few years.
Biggest companies in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
Mainfreight | 744.3 | |
DHL Holdings (New Zealand) | 394.3 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Road freight forwarding, Rail, water and air freight forwarding and Customs agency services. Road freight forwarding is the largest segment of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand.
Trends and Insights
Supply chain bottlenecks have led to soaring prices for rail, water and air freight forwarding services
- Industry firms in this segment purchase space from freight transport providers and organise the transportation of goods on behalf of clients.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Industry firms primarily provide advice on import and export procedures and documentation, and transport goods for other enterprises.
What's included in this industry?
Customs agency servicesRoad freight forwardingRail, water and air freight forwardingCompanies
MainfreightDHL Holdings (New Zealand)Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (FTA)BULK FREIGHTCUSTOMS BROKERAGEIndustry Code
ANZSIC 5291 - Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Soaring water transport costs caused spiking revenue and profit margins for the industry in 2021-22. As freight forwarders tend to charge fees on a commission basis, rising w...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Water transport costs have outpaced growth in all other areas. Water freight forwarding has been the fastest growing product segment as ocean cargo container freight costs ha...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The Auckland region accounts for more than half the industry’s enterprises. Freight forwarders and customs agents benefit from being close to key ports of entry and the headq...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Specialty services and company-owned warehousing services provided a competitive edge to larger companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain disruptions during the pa...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Rising ocean container freight prices have lifted commission-based revenue for freight forwarders. The pandemic has created significant supply chain issues and soaring ocean ...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Mainfreight's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of DHL Holdings (New Zealand)'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Mainfreight, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for DHL Holdings (New Zealand), and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Larger companies have invested in expanding their warehousing facilities. Increased capital expenditure on company-owned facilities has increased capital intensity in the ind...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
A tight labour market and strong growth in export and import volumes have supported growth in wage costs. Firms have increased employment and offered competitive wages to ret...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand in 2024?
The market size of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand is $1.8bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand industry in 2024?
There are 779 businesses in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services market in New Zealand?
The biggest companies operating in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services market in New Zealand are Mainfreight and DHL Holdings (New Zealand)
What does the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand include?
Customs agency services and Road freight forwarding are part of the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services in New Zealand?
The company holding the most market share in New Zealand is Mainfreight.
How competitive is the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Customs Agency and Freight Forwarding Services industry in New Zealand.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Road Freight Transport in New Zealand
- Rail Transport in New Zealand
- Water Freight Transport in New Zealand
Complementors
- Stevedoring and Water Transport Support Services in New Zealand
International industries
- Freight Forwarding Brokerages & Agencies in the US
- Freight Packing & Logistics Services in the US
- Third-Party Logistics in the US
- Product Returns Management Services in the US
- Freight Forwarding Brokerages & Agencies in Canada
View all industries in New Zealand
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in New Zealand include:
- Statistics New Zealand
- New Zealand Company Register
- Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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