Mainfreight tracking

What is Mainfreight?

Mainfreight Limited is a New Zealand-based global logistics and supply chain company founded on 6 March 1978 by Bruce Plested in Auckland. The business started with NZD $7,200 in capital and a single 1969 Bedford truck, and has since grown into a multinational freight provider with more than 330 branches across 27 countries. Mainfreight is publicly listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and is widely regarded as New Zealand's largest logistics company.

The company's growth over four decades has combined organic expansion with strategic acquisitions. Neil Graham joined as co-founder in 1979, taking charge of South Island operations from Christchurch while Plested managed the Auckland side. Deregulation of New Zealand's land transport sector in October 1982 opened the freight market to new competitors, and Mainfreight moved quickly to capture share from established carriers. The Air and Ocean division launched in 1984, Australian operations began in Sydney in 1989, and the company listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 1996. The 1999 acquisition of CaroTrans, a US-based LCL ocean freight consolidator, marked Mainfreight's entry into North America, followed by the 2007 purchase of Target Logistics, a freight forwarding business with offices in 35 US cities.

The European chapter began in March 2011 with the acquisition of the Wim Bosman Group, a Netherlands-based logistics provider, for 120 million euros. Wim Bosman operated more than 1,000 transport units, over 275,000 square metres of warehousing and cross-docking facilities, and 14 branches across six countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Romania, Poland and Russia. The brand was gradually rebranded under the Mainfreight name, with the formal change completing in November 2016. Bruce Plested was later admitted to the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his contribution to business and logistics in the country.

• Founded: 6 March 1978, Auckland New Zealand by Bruce Plested
• Co-founder: Neil Graham, who joined in 1979 to manage South Island operations from Christchurch
• Headquarters: Auckland New Zealand
• Stock exchange listing: New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX), publicly listed since 1996
• Global network: More than 330 branches across 27 countries on five continents
• Key subsidiaries: CaroTrans (US-based LCL ocean freight consolidator), Mainfreight 2Home (residential home delivery in New Zealand), Mainchain (proprietary customer portal)
• Industry: Logistics, supply chain management, freight forwarding, transport
• Corporate vision: The 100-year vision, a philosophical commitment to building a company designed to operate and thrive for a full century from its 1978 founding

Mainfreight's primary market is business-to-business freight, serving manufacturers, retailers, importers, exporters, and large-scale e-commerce operations. Services span road and rail transport, air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, managed warehousing, contract logistics, and e-commerce fulfillment. Through its 2Home division, the company also serves residential customers in New Zealand receiving large items such as furniture and appliances. The company's founder described the core competitive advantage of the business as trust, a philosophy that has shaped how Mainfreight approaches long-term customer relationships and operational consistency across all of its regions.

Which countries does Mainfreight deliver to?

Mainfreight's network of 27 countries operates through five regional divisions covering New Zealand Australia, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In New Zealand the company maintains a dominant domestic presence, delivering to more than 400 destinations daily through a nationwide linehaul network with over 28 branch locations. Key transport hubs are in Auckland Christchurch, Wellington, and Dunedin, and the full network serves both the North and South Islands through the general freight service and the specialist 2Home residential delivery offering.

In Australia, Mainfreight operates 74 branches across the country, with coverage extending from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Canberra to numerous regional locations. Operations began in Sydney in 1989 and have expanded steadily since. In the Americas, the network comprises 79 branches across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Chile, built from the 1999 CaroTrans acquisition and the 2007 purchase of Target Logistics, which brought offices in 35 US cities and an international agent network spanning more than 70 countries.

• New Zealand: More than 400 delivery destinations nationwide, with transport hubs in Auckland Christchurch, Wellington, and Dunedin across both the North and South Islands
• Australia: 74 branches across the continent, with operations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and regional locations nationwide
• United States, Canada, Mexico, and Chile: 79 branches across the Americas, with major warehouse and distribution facilities including a facility exceeding 300,000 square feet in Chicago
• Europe: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland Romania, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, with the Netherlands serving as the European headquarters
• Asia: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea, focused primarily on air and ocean freight forwarding

The European network, established through the Wim Bosman acquisition, is centered on the Netherlands, where Mainfreight operates three in-house customs offices located at 's-Heerenberg, Rotterdam, and Schiphol Airport. The Asian network, in which Mainfreight completed full ownership in 2007, is strategically positioned to serve the manufacturing and export supply chains of China and South East Asia, routing freight to Mainfreight's markets in Australia, New Zealand Europe, and the Americas. International shipments are managed through in-house teams in most key markets rather than through third-party subagents.

What are the Mainfreight services and delivery times?

Mainfreight's service range covers domestic road freight, express inter-island transport, residential home delivery, international air and ocean freight, warehousing, customs brokerage, and supply chain management. The original core of the business is domestic road freight in New Zealand and Australia, handling palletized goods, Full Truck Loads, also known as FTL, Less than Truckload, also known as LTL, consignments, dangerous goods, and general cargo. In New Zealand standard road transport delivers to more than 400 destinations in 2 to 6 business days, with South Island destinations typically toward the longer end of that range due to the Cook Strait crossing between the two islands.

For time-sensitive domestic freight in New Zealand the Mainfreight Platinum service offers a dedicated express option that launched in September 2014. This is an overnight inter-island road service operating five days per week between Auckland and Christchurch, with a committed delivery time of 48 hours between those two cities and 72 hours to other major inter-island destinations. Freight on the Platinum service is actively monitored throughout transit, with fixed departure times from both depots and guaranteed daily ferry bookings for the Cook Strait leg, reducing the risk of vessel capacity disruptions during peak periods.

International air and ocean freight is handled by the Air and Ocean division, managing imports, exports, and cross-trade shipments. Air freight is used for urgent consignments where ocean transit times are not suitable, with delivery speed driven by flight availability, customs clearance at destination, and the last-mile network in the receiving country. For ocean freight, Full Container Load, also known as FCL, services are available for larger volumes, while Less than Container Load, also known as LCL, consolidation allows smaller shippers to share container space and access ocean rates without filling an entire container. Shipments between Asia and Australia or New Zealand typically take around 10 to 20 days by ocean depending on routing, while trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trade lanes take longer.

• Domestic road and rail freight (NZ and Australia): FTL, LTL, palletized goods, dangerous goods, and general cargo, with New Zealand delivery in 2 to 6 business days to over 400 destinations
• Mainfreight Platinum (NZ express inter-island): 48-hour overnight service between Auckland and Christchurch, 72 hours to other inter-island destinations, operating five days per week
• Mainfreight 2Home: Two-person residential delivery for large items in New Zealand Monday to Friday, with SMS-based time window booking for recipients
• International air freight: Urgent consignments to destinations worldwide via the Air and Ocean division, with transit times driven by flight routing and destination customs clearance
• Ocean freight FCL: Full Container Load shipments on all major international trade lanes, for consignments large enough to fill a standard 20-foot or 40-foot container
• Ocean freight LCL: Less than Container Load consolidation for smaller shippers, with CaroTrans holding particular expertise on Americas trade lanes
• Warehousing and contract logistics: Managed warehousing, pick-and-pack, and omnichannel fulfillment in all major markets, including an SQF-certified facility in Chicago exceeding 300,000 square feet
• Customs brokerage: In-house licensed customs clearance in all key regions, without outsourcing to third-party brokers
• Mainchain portal: Proprietary online platform for booking, real-time tracking, supply chain reporting, and proof of delivery access, available at no additional cost to all account customers

Warehousing and contract logistics are available across all major markets, with Mainfreight managing dedicated customer warehouse space and associated logistics operations on an ongoing basis. This service is used by e-commerce businesses requiring third-party logistics support, among others. The Chicago facility alone exceeds 300,000 square feet and holds SQF certification. Customs brokerage is handled entirely by in-house licensed specialists, covering tariff classification, duty and tax calculation, quarantine requirements, free trade agreement assessments, and customs audit work that can identify historical duty refund opportunities for importers.

What are the Mainfreight rates and maximum dimensions accepted?

Mainfreight does not publish a fixed public rate card. Pricing is structured on a quote basis, negotiated individually according to the specific requirements of each customer and shipment. Business customers with regular freight volumes establish ongoing contract rates with a local account manager. The pricing reflects freight volume, the origin and destination, the service type, and any special handling considerations. New customers begin the process by contacting a local branch or submitting a quote request through the company's website.

For domestic road freight in New Zealand and Australia, charges are calculated based on the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight, also known as cubic weight, which is standard practice across the road freight industry. Additional surcharges may apply for fuel, tail-lift requirements, dangerous goods handling, residential delivery, and remote area delivery. For ocean freight, LCL shipments are rated on a per-cubic-metre or per-revenue-tonne basis, whichever is greater, while FCL shipments are priced as a flat rate per container for either a 20-foot or 40-foot unit. Air freight is rated on chargeable weight, based on the greater of actual weight or volumetric weight calculated using the standard air freight conversion factor.

• Pricing model: Quote-based and individually negotiated, with no publicly available rate card; new customers contact a local branch to begin
• Domestic weight calculation: Higher of actual weight or volumetric (cubic) weight, applicable to New Zealand and Australian road freight
• LCL ocean freight rating: Per cubic metre or per revenue tonne, whichever is greater
• FCL ocean freight rating: Flat rate per container, either 20-foot or 40-foot
• Air freight rating: Chargeable weight based on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is greater
• Additional surcharges: Fuel, tail-lift, dangerous goods, residential delivery, and remote area delivery may all attract additional charges
• 2Home weight and size limits: Applicable to items requiring two-person handling; specific maximum weight and dimension thresholds are confirmed with the relevant local branch
• Mainchain integration fee: A one-time setup fee applies for integrating Mainchain with a customer's own business systems; ongoing access to the portal and its analytics features is included with the account

The Mainchain portal includes a rate estimation tool within the Freman booking system, giving existing customers the ability to obtain indicative pricing before committing to a booking. For customers who need Mainchain integrated with their own enterprise or warehouse management systems, a one-time setup fee applies. Access to the portal's management dashboard, reporting, and analytics features is included as part of the ongoing account relationship at no additional charge.

What are the Mainfreight delivery options?

Mainfreight's standard delivery model is business-to-business freight, with consignments delivered to commercial premises during normal business hours. Delivery is made to the receiving dock or the nominated address of the consignee, and proof of delivery is captured digitally at the point of handover. This digital record is stored in the Mainchain portal, where both the sending business and the receiving customer can access it at any time without needing to contact a branch.

For residential deliveries through the 2Home service in New Zealand recipients receive an SMS message ahead of the scheduled delivery date, giving them the option to select from available time windows. This allows the recipient to plan their availability rather than waiting for an unannounced arrival. If the SMS channel is not available or the offered time slots are unsuitable, the message includes a landline number the recipient can call to arrange an alternative time directly. The 2Home service uses a two-person delivery team, which is necessary for large, heavy, or bulky items such as furniture, white goods, and large appliances that cannot be safely moved by a single person.

• B2B commercial delivery: Delivery to business premises during business hours, with digital proof of delivery available through the Mainchain portal
• Mainfreight 2Home residential: Two-person delivery in New Zealand Monday to Friday, with pre-delivery SMS allowing recipients to select a time window
• Proof of delivery access: Available at any time through the Mainchain portal for all shipment types, including both domestic and international consignments
• Redelivery: Arranged by contacting the local Mainfreight branch directly following a failed first delivery attempt
• Mainchain portal management: Allows business customers to book pickups, manage deliveries, redirect in-transit freight, and handle consignment changes from a single online interface

Redelivery following a failed delivery attempt is managed at the branch level. The recipient or the sending business contacts the local Mainfreight branch directly to reschedule. Mainfreight's customer service model places accountability at the branch level, meaning the team managing the local delivery run is expected to resolve issues directly rather than routing them through a central call center.

What should I do if my Mainfreight parcel is lost or damaged?

When a shipment arrives damaged or fails to arrive at all, customers must raise a formal freight claim through Mainfreight's established process. Claims are submitted through the company's help portal or via the customer's account manager. Throughout the investigation, all packaging materials and damaged merchandise must be kept in their original condition. Disposing of damaged goods or packaging before the claim is fully resolved can result in the claim being rejected, as the physical evidence is needed to assess the extent and probable cause of the damage.

Filing deadlines are strictly applied, and it is the claimant's responsibility to submit within the applicable window. For domestic US shipments, claims for damage, shortage, or non-delivery must be filed within 90 days of delivery. For concealed damage, where the problem is not visible at the time of handover but is discovered upon unpacking, the filing window is 7 days from delivery for domestic and international shipments and 3 days from delivery for ocean freight consignments. Claims submitted after these deadlines will not be processed regardless of the circumstances.

The burden of proof sits with the claimant. The customer submitting the claim must demonstrate that Mainfreight received the freight in good condition at the origin point and that the loss or damage occurred while the goods were in Mainfreight's custody and control. Supporting documentation must be assembled and submitted as part of the claim to allow Mainfreight to assess liability and determine the value of the loss.

• Claims submission channel: Through the Mainfreight help portal or via the customer's dedicated account manager
• Bill of lading or consignment note: Required to identify the specific shipment in the Mainfreight system
• Commercial invoice: Required to establish the declared value of the goods being claimed
• Mainfreight freight invoice: Required as part of the standard claim submission documentation
• Repair or salvage documentation: Required to support any claim for the cost of damage or total loss
• Filing deadline for US domestic claims: 90 days from delivery for damage, shortage, or non-delivery
• Filing deadline for concealed damage: 7 days from delivery for domestic and international shipments; 3 days from delivery for ocean freight
• Packaging retention requirement: All damaged goods and original packaging must be kept intact and unaltered until the investigation is fully complete

Does Mainfreight handle international shipments and customs formalities?

Mainfreight manages international freight through in-house teams in most key markets, covering both air and ocean modes for imports, exports, and cross-trade shipments. The company's licensed customs specialists handle tariff classification, import and export clearance, quarantine and biosecurity compliance, duty and tax calculation, and free trade agreement benefit assessments. Biosecurity compliance is handled with particular attention for shipments entering Australia and New Zealand both of which operate strict border controls for organic and biological materials requiring specific documentation and inspection at the border.

In Europe, Mainfreight holds AEO, Authorised Economic Operator, certification, a status granted by customs authorities to companies that meet high standards of compliance and supply chain security. This certification allows for expedited processing and reduced border controls for EU import and export shipments. The company operates three dedicated in-house customs offices in the Netherlands, at 's-Heerenberg, its main European logistics hub, at Rotterdam, one of Europe's principal seaports, and at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. These offices handle documentation and clearance for the full range of goods flowing through the European network.

The CaroTrans subsidiary brings focused expertise in LCL ocean consolidation on Americas trade lanes, managing the grouping of smaller shipments into shared containers, coordinating customs clearance, and overseeing deconsolidation at the destination port. For importers sourcing goods from Asian manufacturing origins, Mainfreight's offices in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and Korea can manage purchase order tracking from the factory, coordinate export bookings, handle export customs, and maintain the chain of custody through to final delivery at destination.

• AEO certification: Held in Europe, allowing expedited customs processing and reduced border controls for EU import and export shipments
• European customs offices: Three in-house offices in the Netherlands at 's-Heerenberg, Rotterdam, and Schiphol Airport
• Tariff classification: In-house determination of the correct HS codes for imported and exported goods
• Biosecurity and quarantine compliance: In-house management for all shipments entering Australia and New Zealand covering the strict biosecurity requirements of both countries
• Free trade agreement assessments: Analysis of applicable duty reductions under trade agreements relevant to the origin and destination countries
• Customs audit services: Internal review of past import activity to identify duty refund opportunities and historical compliance gaps
• LCL consolidation: Managed by the CaroTrans subsidiary, with particular expertise on Americas trade lanes
• Purchase order management at origin: Available for importers sourcing from Asia, covering factory-floor tracking through to final delivery

Understanding tracking statuses

When you track a Mainfreight shipment online, the system displays a series of status updates indicating the current position and condition of the freight at each stage of its journey. These statuses apply across domestic road consignments, international air freight bookings, and ocean freight movements, though the specific stages visible will vary by shipment type. Tracking can be performed using the consignment note number generated by the Freman system, a customer reference number linked at the time of booking, or for international shipments, the House Bill of Lading number. The table below explains what each status means.