Kuehne+Nagel International AG
Company History
Kuehne+Nagel History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1890 in Bremen, Germany
When was Kuehne+Nagel founded?
Kuehne+Nagel was founded in 1890 in Bremen, Germany by August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel, making it 136 years old.
- Founded
- 1890
- Founding place
- Bremen, Germany
- Founders
- August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel
- Headquarters today
- Schindellegi, Switzerland
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1890–2026)
- Current CEO
- Stefan Paul
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1890 | Founded in the Port of Bremen |
| 1969 | The Strategic Relocation |
| 1994 | The Swiss IPO |
| 2009 | Reinhard Lange becomes CEO |
| 2013 | Detlef Trefzger becomes CEO |
| 2018 | Acquisition of Quick International Courier |
| 2021 | The Apex International Acquisition |
| 2022 | Record freight-boom results |
| 2022 | Stefan Paul Becomes CEO |
| 2025 | Cost programme and dividend |
| 2026 | Guidance raised; Klaus-Michael Kühne dies |
- Where was Kuehne+Nagel founded?
- Kuehne+Nagel was founded in Bremen, Germany in 1890. wikidata.org
- Who founded Kuehne+Nagel?
- Kuehne+Nagel was founded by August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel.
- When did Kuehne+Nagel start?
- Kuehne+Nagel was founded in 1890.
- How old is Kuehne+Nagel?
- Kuehne+Nagel is 136 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1890 August Kühne and Friedrich Nagel founded a forwarding and commission business in the German port of Bremen, handling paperwork, customs and onward transport for importers and exporters. The Kühne family later took full control, moved the group's base to Switzerland, and under Klaus-Michael Kühne expanded it worldwide and listed it on the Swiss exchange in 1994.
Founders
August Kuehne
Kuehne + Nagel possesses a historic, foundational founding story, rooted in the mercantile power of 19th-century German seaport cities and positioned to exploit the explosion of early globalized trade. The company was founded in 1890 in the bustling port city of Bremen, Germany, by two ambitious merchants: August Kühne and Friedrich Nagel. At the time Bremen was a hub for lucrative raw materials imported into the rapidly industrializing German Empire. Kühne and Nagel did not want to build ships; they recognized that the true value lay in organizing the complex paperwork, customs clearing, and inland transportation for those shipments. Their foundational key move was focusing on specialized agricultural commodities. They dominated the import of raw cotton from the United States and lucrative sugar. The defining corporate pivot occurred in the mid-20th century under the aggressive, leadership of Klaus-Michael Kühne (August Kühne's grandson). Klaus-Michael recognized that traditional, local freight forwarding was dying. He executed an aggressive, strategy of global expansion, moving the corporate headquarters to Switzerland in 1969 and opening offices across Asia and the Americas. Klaus-Michael transformed a traditional, localized German forwarding agency into a globally integrated logistics leader. By heavily embracing digital IT systems in the 1990s long before his rivals, he ensured the Kühne family maintained lucrative control over the foundational nervous system of modern global trade. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Friedrich Nagel
Friedrich Nagel co-founded Kühne & Nagel in Bremen, Germany, in 1890 together with August Kühne. The firm began as a forwarding and commission agent handling customs, documentation and onward transport for goods moving through the port. While the Nagel name remains in the company's brand, it was the Kühne family that controlled and expanded the group over the following century. Friedrich Nagel was born in 1864.
Key Milestones
Founded in the Port of Bremen
Kuehne and Nagel launch the pragmatic forwarding agency, organizing agricultural imports.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe Strategic Relocation
Klaus-Michael Kuehne moves the corporate headquarters to Switzerland, establishing an advantageous tax structure.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe Swiss IPO
The firm lists on the SIX Swiss Exchange, raising capital for aggressive global acquisitions.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgReinhard Lange becomes CEO
Reinhard Lange became CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International in 2009. Chief executive of Kuehne+Nagel International from 2009 to 2013.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDetlef Trefzger becomes CEO
Detlef Trefzger became CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International in 2013. Chief executive of Kuehne+Nagel International from 2013 to 2022.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of Quick International Courier
Kuehne+Nagel International AG acquired Quick International Courier.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThe Apex International Acquisition
To dominate Asian air freight, Kuehne+Nagel acquires Asia-focused air forwarder Apex International.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRecord freight-boom results
Net turnover peaked at ~$47.3 billion (CHF 39.4 billion) as pandemic congestion lifted ocean and air rates; Stefan Paul became CEO in August.
Source: stockanalysis.comStefan Paul Becomes CEO
Stefan Paul succeeded Detlef Trefzger as chief executive in August 2022.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCost programme and dividend
Net turnover of ~$29.4 billion (CHF 24.5 billion), EBIT of ~$1.49 billion (CHF 1.242 billion), a Q4 cost-reduction programme and a proposed CHF 6.00 dividend.
Source: assets.kuehne-nagel.comGuidance raised; Klaus-Michael Kühne dies
Q2 EBIT rose 11% to ~$457 million (CHF 381 million) and 2026 recurring EBIT guidance was raised to CHF 1.35-1.55 billion. Majority owner Klaus-Michael Kühne died on 24 August 2026 at 89.
Source: assets.kuehne-nagel.comMajor Acquisitions
Quick International Courier
2018Attempting to establish a dominant position in the healthcare logistics sector, Kuehne+Nagel acquired Quick International Courier, a specialized provider of time-critical, temperature-controlled biological shipments. The strategic rationale was to build proprietary cold-chain capabilities serving the life sciences sector, which offered higher margins and more resilient demand than standard commercial freight.
Apex International
2021Kuehne+Nagel acquired Apex International, an Asia-based air freight forwarder strong on transpacific and intra-Asia lanes, to expand Air Logistics capacity and its e-commerce and high-tech customer base.
IMC Logistics (51% stake)
2024Kuehne+Nagel acquired a 51% majority stake in IMC Logistics, the largest marine drayage provider in the United States and a long-time partner, adding yard operations at key US port and rail hubs to its sea logistics network. The IMC brand was retained.
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Kuehne+Nagel Company History FAQ
When and where was Kuehne+Nagel founded?
Kuehne+Nagel was founded on July 1, 1890, in the historic port city of Bremen, Germany, by August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel, starting as a freight commission and forwarding firm specializing in cotton and ocean shipping.
How did Kuehne+Nagel expand across Europe in the early 20th century?
In 1902, the company opened its major branch in Hamburg, followed by expansions across German seaports, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Central European trade routes, establishing extensive warehouse storage and cargo handling.
When did Kuehne+Nagel expand internationally to Canada and the Americas?
In 1953, under the leadership of Alfred and Klaus-Michael Kuehne, the company opened its first overseas subsidiaries in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, followed by rapid expansions across the United States, Latin America, and Asia.
When did the company relocate its global corporate headquarters to Switzerland?
In 1969, Klaus-Michael Kuehne established the group's global holding headquarters in Schindellegi, Switzerland, providing a neutral, international financial foundation for global operations.
When did Kuehne+Nagel go public on the SIX Swiss Exchange?
In May 1994, Kuehne+Nagel completed its Initial Public Offering on the SIX Swiss Exchange, providing public market liquidity while Klaus-Michael Kuehne retained majority controlling ownership.
When did Kuehne+Nagel pioneer the myKN digital logistics platform?
During the 2010s, Kuehne+Nagel pioneered digital freight forwarding by launching myKN and Seaexplorer, giving global shippers real-time digital quotes, instant booking, predictive vessel tracking, and CO2 emissions analytics.
When did Kuehne+Nagel execute the Apex International acquisition?
In 2021, Kuehne+Nagel completed its acquisition of Apex International, cementing the Swiss group as the world's #1 air freight forwarder and dominant trans-Pacific e-commerce logistics leader.
What is Kuehne+Nagel's position and scale in global logistics today?
Today, Kuehne+Nagel operates in over 100 countries with nearly 80,000 logistics specialists across 1,300 locations, generating ~$29.4B (CHF 24.5B) in revenue as the world leader in ocean and air freight forwarding.
How did Kuehne + Nagel start?
Kuehne + Nagel was founded in 1890 in Bremen, Germany, by August Kühne and Friedrich Nagel. They started as a simple forwarding commission agency. Their massive, brilliant early move was heavily dominating the logistics of the global cotton trade. Because Bremen was a massive seaport, they rapidly expanded, opening massive offices in Hamburg and eventually establishing a total global presence.
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