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Unlocking Success Through Strategic Leadership

Branch Start-ups for Freight Forwarders

Opening a new freight forwarding branch starts with the people who will build it. Freight Appointments recruits the branch managers, operators and salespeople who take a new location from an empty office to a profitable team.

Your New Branch Is Only as Strong as Its First Hire

A new branch has no team, no customers and often no premises. The first person you appoint has to find the office, win the first accounts and recruit the operators and sales team underneath them, usually with limited support from head office.

Many experienced branch managers have only ever run an established operation. Building one from scratch takes a different kind of leader, and hiring the wrong one can stall an expansion for months. Our branch start-up recruitment is built to find the people who have done it before, or who have the commercial drive and local network to do it now.

Five Branch Start-ups for Gebrüder Weiss

Gebrüder Weiss needed leaders who could open new US branches in key freight hubs. We recruited branch managers and start-up teams in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix, making 23 placements across operational and leadership roles. Every branch start-up hire remains in place.

We engaged more than 100 freight forwarders to find leaders with US air and ocean freight experience who could take ownership of a new location from day one. What started as individual hires has become an ongoing partnership, with 18 placements made since December 2022 and more start-ups planned.

Read the Case Study

Expanding into a new city such as Houston, Hamburg or Melbourne means hiring without an existing local network. We already know the freight forwarding leaders in these markets, so we can approach proven branch managers before you advertise and build the team around them once they are in place.

When a major account needs local support, your new branch has to be ready quickly. We recruit branch managers and operators who can take on that customer’s freight from day one, while building the relationships to win new business in the area.

Many candidates have only managed an established branch. We assess whether a branch manager has opened or grown a location, recruited their own team and won business without an existing customer base, so you appoint someone who can build rather than simply run.

A new site with no leader is a cost with no return. We restart stalled branch start-ups by approaching passive candidates directly through our freight forwarding network, and can run the search confidentially under NDA to present two or three vetted candidates.

Multi-location expansion needs a recruitment partner who knows your business and the leaders who succeed with you. That is how our work with Gebrüder Weiss supported branch start-ups in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix, with every start-up hire still in place.

Looking to open a New Freight or Logistics Branch?

Freight forwarders come to us at different stages of a branch start-up. Some have chosen the city and need a leader to open it. Others have a site ready and a search that has stalled.

Whatever the reason for your expansion, we recruit the branch managers and start-up teams who turn a new location into a trading branch, across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia.

Building Your New Branch on the Right Relationships

A new freight forwarding branch has none of the advantages of an established one. There is no local reputation, no referral network and no team to recommend people they have worked with. Job adverts reach candidates who are actively looking, while the branch managers and operators who could build your new location are usually busy succeeding somewhere else.

Our recruiters work in the same freight markets year after year, building relationships with forwarding professionals long before a role exists. When you open a branch in Chicago, Frankfurt or Sydney, we already know who has built a team before, who has the customer relationships to bring in early business and what it would take for them to move. We also stay close to your leadership team throughout, so every hire reflects how your business works, not just the job description.

Explore Our Freight & Transportation Recruitment Sectors

Explore Freight Forwarding & Logistics
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Aerospace & Defence Recruitment

We recruit specialist talent across aerospace, government and defence logistics, connecting employers with experienced professionals across sales, operations, compliance, management and senior leadership.

Explore Aerospace & Defence
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Automotive Recruitment

From inbound logistics to finished vehicle transportation, we help automotive logistics businesses recruit experienced professionals across commercial, operational, management and leadership roles.

Explore Automotive

Energy Recruitment

We connect energy logistics businesses with professionals experienced in complex, time-sensitive and project-driven supply chains, from sales and operations through to senior management.

Explore Energy

General Cargo Recruitment

Our recruiters support freight forwarding businesses handling general cargo, helping them hire skilled professionals across air freight, ocean freight, sales, operations and leadership.

Explore General Cargo

High-Tech Recruitment

We recruit for technology and electronics logistics, connecting businesses with professionals experienced in high-value, sensitive and time-critical supply chains across commercial and operational roles.

Explore High-Tech
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Pharmaceuticals Recruitment

We help pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics businesses recruit professionals with experience in temperature-controlled, regulated and time-sensitive supply chains across operations, sales and leadership.

Explore Pharmaceuticals

Project Logistics Recruitment

From oversized cargo to complex global projects, we recruit experienced project logistics professionals across operations, business development, chartering, management and senior leadership.

Explore Project Logistics
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Time Critical Recruitment

We connect time-critical and expedited logistics businesses with professionals who understand urgent freight, specialist transport and high-pressure operations across sales, operations and leadership.

Explore Time Critical
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Transportation Brokerage Recruitment

We recruit experienced freight brokerage and 3PL professionals across sales, account management, carrier sales, operations, branch management and executive leadership.

Explore Brokerage
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Asset-Based Transportation Recruitment

We help trucking companies and asset-based carriers recruit talent across transportation sales, dispatch, fleet operations, safety, terminal management and senior leadership.

Explore Asset-Based

How We Support Your Logistics Branch Start-up

We start by understanding why you are opening the branch, which freight it will handle and what the first year needs to deliver. A Laredo cross-border operation needs different leadership from a Miami air freight gateway.

That brief shapes the profile of your branch manager, the salary and incentives needed to attract them, and the order in which the rest of the team should be hired.

We adapt our approach to suit you.

Once your new branch is trading, we keep recruiting with you, adding operators, account managers and team leaders as volumes grow. Each hire builds on what we already know about your business, your culture and the people who succeed in your branches.

When you are ready to open your next location, the groundwork is already done. That is how our partnership with Gebrüder Weiss grew from individual hires into branch start-ups in El Paso, Miami, Laredo, Denver and Phoenix, with more planned.

Finding Your First Boots on the Ground

Your branch manager is the most important hire you will make for the new location. We approach proven freight forwarding leaders in the local market, most of whom are not actively looking, and assess whether they can build a branch rather than simply run one.

For business-critical appointments, we can run the search confidentially under NDA and present two or three carefully vetted candidates.

Building the Team Around Them

Once your branch manager is in place, we work with them to recruit the import and export operators, customs specialists and salespeople the branch needs to start trading.

Because we already know the branch’s goals and culture, each hire is aligned with the person they will report to, and your new manager spends time winning business rather than screening CVs.

One Recruitment Partner for Every Branch Hire

Freight Appointments is a specialist freight forwarding and logistics recruitment agency, so your branch start-up is handled by recruiters who know the industry rather than a generalist team. Our Executive Search, Middle Management, Sales & Commercial and Operations recruitment cover every role your new branch needs, from branch manager to import and export coordinator, across air, ocean, road and specialist sectors such as pharmaceuticals and project logistics.

Our reputation is built on long-term relationships with forwarders and candidates across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia. We have placed more than 800 successful candidates, earned over 160 five-star Google reviews and remain an active presence at key freight industry events, which keeps us close to the people you will want leading your new location.

What Our Freight & Logistics Clients Say

"Working with Freight Appointments was a refreshing experience in a tough job market. In these current times working with a highly motivated, professional and responsive recruiter is not so easy to come across. Thanks Lewis and Freight Appointments! I look forward to working with you again."

Brett M

"At a delicate time in both my personal and professional life, Mica appeared like my lucky star. Never forgot about me even if months went by. When I was ready, we had a wonderful intro meeting, and the rest is history. Within a week I was assigned 5 interviews and on the 3rd one I clicked. The time frame was 2 weeks and a day from initial contact to verbal hiring agreement. I am very happy where I am and owe this young woman so much. Passionate, fun, professional and focus. Never had I had the opportunity to work with such a talented recruiter. I hope she gets noticed because she stands out from the crowd. Gracias Mica, lo mejor del mundo siempre. We shall always keep in touch."

Marc M

"I had a wonderful experience using this service. Thomas was absolutely great every step of the way. Very responsive and knowledgeable as well as being assertive in knowing my value. Thank you for your assistance I would definitely recommend anyone out there looking for placement go here. You will be meet with kindness and respect. 10 out of 10"

Nequita O

"I had reached out to Danny for assistance in finding me new job opportunities and right from the beginning he was very helpful and supportive. He took the time to find out what I required as well as my strengths to find opportunities that would be a good fit not only for myself but for the companies as well. I would highly recommend Danny- the right choice"

Susan I

"Clara has been a great help for me in looking for my next venture. From day one she has been very helpful. She listened to what I was looking for and matched me up with exactly what I needed. She makes the interview appointments and follows up to be sure all went well. She is there every step of the way and beyond. Thank you Clara for a job well done!"

Christal P

"Danny is great to work with. He is patient , as I was very selective where I went , he clearly saw the big picture and never tried to direct me to an employer for his benefit. He understood his success comes with the right employer/employee placement. Not a short term quick sale. Equally important, he followed up after the placement to ensure I was OK at my new job , questions etc"

Romesh G

"I give Lewis my highest recommendation. He was and is first class, professional and thorough. Through his hard work and due diligence, I found myself in a role that I couldn’t be more pleased with."

Corey M

"First class professional, we talked about one role and ended up taking a different route that exceeded all of my expectations. I cannot thank Lewis enough in what he did for my career."

Neil G

"I had the great pleasure of working with Elliot ! He immediately went into action with presenting me with the best job that fits my resume. I interviewed one day and the next day got the email stating I got hired that was 7 months ago! Elliot thank you for your recommendation and assistance i really like my current employer."

Tanisha W

"Jack worked well for me to connect me with a great local match and advocate for my best. He was easy to get in touch with, kept me updated with the process, and was super professional. Please use Freight Appointments if you are looking for the best option for employment in brokerage/logistics."

Patrick N

"I am very pleased working with Alfie Banwell of Freight Appointments. I thank Alfie for connecting me with an excellent employer. Alfie is very professional, detail oriented and has excellent communication skills. He is very easy to talk to and understood my career goals and expectations. He communicated those clearly to the employer. He helped and guided me in navigating the interview stages, offer letter and acceptance. He followed through every step of the way and produced positive results. He is also very kind and patient. Thank you so much Alfie and Freight Appointments. Alfie, thank you for believing in me. You were an excellent recruiter."

Anna M

"I have a great experience with Elliot at Freight Appointments. He was very positive, informative and supportive of what I was looking for. I ended up staying my current employment, but he will be my preferred contact if I do need to find other opportunities for employment."

Sophy K

"Had the opportunity to work with Elliot and it was a great experience. Almost a year ago, Elliot was the link between me and my current employer. Great recruiter, very professional and detail oriented and highly knowledgeable. I'm very thankful for the way he worked with me around my resume and interview preparing by making sure that all my qualifications and skills were a fully exposed and a matching-factor to get the right fit for me, as well as for my employer. Thanks for your work Elliot and Freight Appointment team!"

Manuel H

"My experience with Sam was exceptional. He was easy to talk to. He gave me the impression he wanted to help me. He listened to my needs. I wasn't sent on wild goose chases to job interviews for positions I didn't want. He also has amazing follow-up. He wanted to know my interview experiences. 10/10 recommend Sam Jelbert."

Holly O
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Can’t Find Salespeople for Your New Branch?

Experienced freight salespeople with a strong book of business are rarely on the market, and few will risk moving to a branch with no established customers. As well as approaching proven business development managers directly, we can help you identify commercially minded operators who already understand your freight and are ready to move into sales, giving your new branch a lower-risk route to building its commercial team.

Logistics Sales Recruitment
400+
Import, Export & Customs Specialists Hired
800+
Successful Candidates
160+
5* Google Reviews
$52000000
Worth/value of salaries negotiated

Whoever Your New Branch Needs, Wherever You’re Opening

From the branch manager who opens the doors to the coordinators who process its first shipments, we recruit every role a new freight forwarding branch needs across the US, Germany, Benelux and Australia.

The leaders who secure premises, recruit the team and own the P&L from day one. We look for branch managers with P&L exposure who can lead mixed sales and operations teams in a location that is still being built.

The commercial hires who win your new branch’s first customers. We recruit freight sales professionals who can open shipper relationships in a new market and build volume on the trade lanes your branch is there to serve.

The managers who set up processes, carrier relationships and service standards before volumes arrive. We source leaders with live forwarding management experience who can build an operation, not just maintain one.

The operators who keep freight moving once your branch starts trading. We recruit candidates with hands-on shipment control, documentation accuracy and carrier coordination experience who can work without an established team around them.

The specialists who keep a new branch compliant from its first clearance. We target qualified brokers and entry writers with active licences and proven compliance experience, which matters most when a branch has no in-house expertise to fall back on.

The hires who protect and grow the accounts your branch wins, price new business competitively and, as you add locations, oversee performance across several branches.

Planning a New Branch?

Tell us where you are opening, what freight the branch will handle and when you need to start trading. We will help you plan the hires and find the people to lead it.

‍Please note that any information provided is treated as strictly confidential.

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