In our last post, we celebrated that The Cooperative Logistics Network turns 10 this year. To mark its anniversary, The Cooperative published a special video that takes you on a journey through the milestones and achievements that have shaped the network into what it is today. This video reflects how the network has been unite independent freight forwarders through trust and collaboration during the last 10 years. What began as a simple belief has blossomed into a thriving global network where our members have handled thousands of shipments together, proving that collaboration is far stronger than competition. Antonio Torres, the President and Founder of The Cooperative, often shares, “Trust isn’t just the foundation of our network; it’s the engine driving every success story.” Those words resonate with every milestone we’ve achieved in the last 10 years.
Beyond the numbers—and there are plenty to celebrate—our story is about empowering small companies to achieve big things. Together, we’ve tackled large-scale international projects and opened doors to opportunities that once seemed out of reach.
As we continue celebrating our journey, we invite you to join us in recognizing the achievements that have defined The Cooperative over the past ten years.
Major Milestones: A Decade of Achievements
The Cooperative’s journey over the past decade has been marked by significant milestones that reflect its growth and impact in the freight forwarding industry. Below is a timeline of some of the key achievements that have defined the network’s success:
October 21, 2014: A Bold Vision Takes Flight
It all began on a crisp autumn day in 2014, when Antonio Torres launched the network with a simple yet powerful idea: collaboration is the key to success. Back then Antonio said, “The standard of applications has been extremely high. To date, we have accepted enough companies to fill over 50% of our original target of 100 founding members. We firmly believe we will meet and exceed this target well in advance of December 1st.” Little did we know, this was just the beginning of a journey that would transform the freight forwarding industry.
December 2014: The World Says “Yes” to Cooperation
By the end of its inaugural year, we achieved what many considered impossible. Freight forwarders from over 60 cities and 50 countries joined hands, representing a combined workforce of over 5,000 professionals and an impressive €550 million in annual turnover. Simply put, The Cooperative wasn’t just a network—it was a testament to the power of unity.
May 2015: The First Annual Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand
Within less than a year since its launch, The Coop’s first Annual Meeting brought 141 delegates from 47 countries to the vibrant city of Bangkok. In other words, it was more than a gathering; it was the genesis of enduring partnerships. Antonio recalls, “Seeing members shake hands, share ideas, and discuss joint projects—it was a moment I’ll never forget.”
February 22, 2016: The Coop Registers 200 Members
The Cooperative Logistics Network continued to grow in the coming months, enabling forwarders around the world to connect with reliable international partners and expand their operations. Just two years after its launch, The Coop hit a remarkable milestone: 200 offices worldwide. Moreover, this rapid growth symbolized the trust and shared vision among its members. Antonio described it as “a testament to what can be achieved when like-minded professionals come together.”
May 2016: The 2nd Annual Meeting of The Cooperative Logistics Network
The Coop’s 2nd Annual Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, welcomed over 164 delegates. “The Coop offers us opportunities that we simply can’t find anywhere else or even in fact afford ourselves,” said one enthused delegate.
June 2016: The Coop Continues to Expand
By June 2016, our network was growing by an average of three agents per week. Each new member brought unique expertise, regional insights, and fresh business opportunities, enriching the collective capabilities of the network. With every new member, the opportunities multiplied, and our strength as a united network deepened.
May 2017: The Coop’s 3rd Annual Meeting in Bangkok
Skip to 2017, and our team was celebrating the successful conclusion of our third Annual Meeting in Bangkok. Over three extraordinary days, 167 agents from every corner of the world convened. Within the conference halls 3,000 one-on-one meetings took place, each one a window into future collaborations, trust-building, and the foundation of lifelong partnerships.
May 2018: New Attendance Record for The Coop’s 4th Annual Meeting
The following year we reached yet another remarkable milestone, setting a new benchmark for success. The Coop’s 4th Annual Meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur, broke attendance records, drawing 173 agents from over 90 cities worldwide. Attendees returned to their respective cities not just with fresh business prospects but with renewed confidence in the power of our network to drive global partnerships and unlock new opportunities.
March 2019:
As our network continued to flourish, expanding to cover 50 additional cities while empowering the members to achieve their goals, it set yet another attendance record for the second consecutive year at The Coop’s 5th Annual Meeting. This event in Abu Dhabi, brought together over 185 delegates from more than 90 countries, marking a significant milestone in the network’s history. In the words of one Coop member, “The benefit of this network for us is having qualified partners all over the world and meeting them personally through one-to-one meetings. More importantly, the majority are mid-sized companies like us, with a common interest.”
October 2019: The Coop launches FreightViewer
A pivotal moment in The Cooperative’s history came in October 2019 with the launch of FreightViewer, a state-of-the-art software designed to revolutionize how our members conduct business. FreightViewer enabled members to compare competitive online freight rates, share shipping documents, and generate instant quotes in real time—all within a single platform. Antonio explained, “We created FreightViewer to empower our members in the increasingly digital logistics landscape.”
The Cooperative Logistics Network became the first international freight forwarding network to offer such instant quoting capabilities exclusively for its members, setting a new industry standard. FreightViewer represents more than just technological advancement; it underscores The Cooperative’s commitment to driving the digitization of logistics. “Our primary goal is to contribute to the digital transformation of this sector while delivering tangible value to shippers,” Torres added.
October 2019: The Coop turns 5
In October 2019, we proudly celebrated our 5th Anniversary, marking half a decade of excellence and growth. Reflecting on five years of growth and success, Antonio noted, “We’ve built something truly special. From our first meeting in Bangkok to launching FreightViewer, it’s been an incredible journey.”
November 2020: The 1st Virtual Meeting of The Cooperative
As the world faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Coop adapted and hosted its first Virtual Meeting in November 2020. Over 130 members participated, using a user-friendly videoconferencing platform developed by The Coop’s IT department. Putting it simply, this event proved that, even in times of crisis, The Coop’s community could remain resilient and connected.
December 2020: The Coop exceeds 300 members
In December 2020, we celebrated another milestone—exceeding 300 members. We were very excited about the sharp rise in the number of our members which is even more worthwhile bearing in mind the pandemic and the crumbling economy worldwide. This increase undoubtedly demonstrated the efficiency, cooperation among partners, productiveness, and expediency of the network.
January 2021: Partnership with SHIPCO
In January 2021, The Cooperrative forged a partnership with freight consolidator SHIPCO which allowed members to directly access LCL rates in over 30 countries. From digital tools to new partnerships, we started shaping the future of freight forwarding.
May 2021: FreightViewer Opened to Non Members
In May 2021, The Cooperative Logistics Network took a major step in expanding FreightViewer’s reach by opening to no members. Freightviewer was now allowing members to send and receive quote requests from partners both within and outside the network. This new feature streamlined the quoting process and allowed members to store quotes in one centralized platform, making it even more valuable.
November 2021: The Coop’s Second Virtual Meeting
In November 2021, The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting registered a record attendance with more than 140 delegates taking part in the two-day online event. We hosted around 5,000 video conferences that allowed members to talk one-to-one with their partners, promote their companies, create long-term partnerships at a time when in-person meetings were not a possibility.
March 2022: The Coop Creates an Online Academy
Education is the key to growth. With the launch of The Coop Academy, we opened the door to endless learning opportunities for our members, empowering them to lead and innovate in the logistics industry. In order to offer the best quality education, The Cooperative partnered with The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association- an organization with over 6 decades of experience in education.
February 2023: A New Web App Created for Annual Meeting
Just before the 6th Annual Meeting, we launched a new web app to allow agents to seamlessly browse through every detail of the event agenda.
March 2023: The Coop’s 6th Annual Meeting Records Highest Attendance
After two years of online networking, our members once again met in person at Phuket at The Cooperative’s 6th Annual Meeting. Our 6th Annual meeting recorded highest attendance welcoming over 230 freight forwarders from over 60 countries. In the words of Antonio, “With every annual meeting, our connections grow deeper, our impact wider.”
October 2023: The Cooperative Logistics Network Participates in the Digital Logistics Conference
In October 2023, The Cooperative took another significant step towards leadership in digital logistics by participating in the Digital Logistics Conference. Andrea Martin, the FreightViewer Coordinator, gave a presentation, showcasing The Coop’s commitment to sustainable digitization in the logistics sector.
March 2024: The Coop Launched a New Web App
In March this year, we took yet another significant stride towards digitization by launching a new web app. This app helped facilitating instant communication between agents, helping them connect with network partners globally. As Antonio remarked, “This app will take our digital efforts to the next level.”
May 2024: The Coop’s 7th Annual Meeting
In May 2024, over 230 logistics leaders gathered in Bali for The Coop’s 7th Annual Meeting. This event provided a platform for networking, sharing insights, and exploring collaborations, further solidifying The Coop’s role as a leading freight forwarders network.
This is the story of The Cooperative Logistics Network — a tale of remarkable growth, continuous innovation, and above all, collaboration. It needs to be stated that, each milestone we’ve achieved isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of the dedication, trust, and shared vision of a global community that has grown stronger with every passing year. From humble beginnings to becoming a leader in the freight forwarding industry, our journey has been defined by the incredible partnerships we’ve built and the unwavering commitment to our members’ success.
As we look ahead to the next chapter, we remain excited about the future and the opportunities that await us. With every new member, every new collaboration, and every new innovation, we continue to shape the future of logistics together.