C. H. Robinson
A global third-party logistics company that arranges freight transportation, supply-chain management, warehousing, and related logistics services.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
C. H. Robinson is a United States-based third-party logistics company whose activities span freight brokerage, transportation management, freight forwarding, warehousing, sourcing, and supply-chain analytics. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the company coordinates shipments for shippers through a large network of contracted carriers and logistics providers rather than operating only as a conventional asset-owning carrier. Its transportation offering covers truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, ocean, and air freight, with supporting services such as consolidation, core-carrier-program management, reporting, and supply-chain analysis. The business originated in the produce-distribution trade. Charles Henry Robinson operated a wholesale brokerage serving customers in North Dakota and Minnesota before partnering with the Nash brothers on April 11, 1905. Robinson became the first president, and the company subsequently became closely connected with Nash Finch's expanding wholesale-grocery operations. After Robinson's death in 1909, the Nash brothers assumed control. Regulatory pressure under the Robinson-Patman Act led to a separation of the business in the 1940s, creating a produce-selling company associated with employee ownership alongside a Nash Finch-owned company. C. H. Robinson gradually moved beyond produce procurement as changes in United States transportation infrastructure and regulation created opportunities in trucking and freight brokerage. It entered the regulated trucking business in 1968 through Meat Packers Express, later combined that operation with other carriers under Robco Transportation, and sold the carrier business in 1986. The company increasingly concentrated on arranging transportation and matching shippers with carriers. The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 accelerated competition and deregulation, helping the company expand contract-carrier programs and brokerage operations. By the mid-1970s it had become employee-owned, and it adopted IBM mainframe technology in 1979 to support a more data-driven operating model. International expansion began with a Monterrey, Mexico office in 1989 and continued through acquisitions in freight forwarding, ocean transportation, European trucking, and regional logistics. The 1992 acquisition of C.S. Greene International added international forwarding, air-freight capability, and refrigerated-container operations. Later transactions expanded the company's presence in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and North America. The purchase of Phoenix International in 2012 strengthened ocean freight, while acquisitions such as Freightquote and Prime Distribution Services broadened its digital brokerage, less-than-truckload, and warehousing capabilities. The company adopted the name C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. in 1997 and went public on NASDAQ under CHRW. Its technology strategy includes Navisphere, a platform used by employees, customers, and transportation providers to manage shipments, sourcing, and supply-chain information. TMC, a C. H. Robinson division, provides managed transportation and transportation-management-system services. In more recent years, the company has emphasized data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, pricing tools, shipment execution, workflow automation, and real-time visibility, particularly as logistics markets became more volatile. Leadership changed in 2023 when Bob Biesterfeld left the chief executive role, Scott Anderson served as interim CEO, and Dave Bozeman was appointed CEO effective June 26, 2023.
History
C. H. Robinson traces its origins to Charles Henry Robinson's wholesale produce brokerage in the Upper Midwest. On April 11, 1905, Robinson formed a partnership with the Nash brothers and became president of the resulting company. Its early commercial role was to procure and distribute produce for grocery wholesalers, particularly Nash Finch. When Robinson died in 1909, the Nash brothers took control, and the company became part of a broader wholesale-grocery organization operating across several Midwestern and Southern states. The structure changed in the 1940s after Federal Trade Commission findings concerning Nash Finch's purchasing advantage and the application of the Robinson-Patman Act. The enterprise was divided into two companies: one serving Nash Finch warehouses while remaining Nash Finch-owned, and another consisting of offices selling produce to those warehouses, with ownership retained by C. H. Robinson employees. During the mid-1960s, the two Robinson-related operations consolidated under the C. H. Robinson name. Nash Finch's remaining stake was bought out by 1976, making the brokerage company wholly employee-owned. Transportation became increasingly important after the Federal Highway Act of 1956 expanded interstate commerce. The company had traditionally depended heavily on rail, but it entered regulated trucking in 1968 through the contract carrier Meat Packers Express. Meat Packers Express was combined with other carriers in 1971 to form Robco Transportation, which was eventually sold in 1986. Although the carrier assets were later divested, the experience helped establish transportation expertise that supported the company's brokerage and contract-carrier programs. The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 deregulated important parts of the United States trucking market. C. H. Robinson responded by expanding its role as an intermediary that sourced transportation capacity and matched shippers with carriers. Truck brokerage grew rapidly, while produce sales remained an important part of the business. The company also invested in information technology, including IBM mainframe systems adopted in 1979, to manage a growing flow of shipment and customer data. International logistics became a more prominent part of the company after the opening of a Monterrey, Mexico office in 1989. The 1992 purchase of C.S. Greene International added freight forwarding, air freight, and refrigerated-container capabilities. Subsequent acquisitions and investments added European trucking, international forwarding, ocean transportation, regional brokerage, procurement, and logistics operations across Asia and Latin America. Among the most strategically significant transactions was the 2012 acquisition of Phoenix International, which increased ocean-freight capacity. The company also continued to expand in digital brokerage, less-than-truckload transportation, and warehousing through the acquisitions of Freightquote in 2015 and Prime Distribution Services in 2020. In 1997, the company adopted the corporate name C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. and completed an initial public offering on NASDAQ under CHRW. Its modern business combines a broad contracted-carrier network with technology and managed-services divisions. Navisphere provides digital tools for shipment, sourcing, and supply-chain management, while TMC delivers managed transportation and TMS services. In the 2020s, C. H. Robinson has been associated with increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning for pricing, visibility, automation, and execution. The company also experienced a senior leadership transition in 2023, when Dave Bozeman became CEO after Bob Biesterfeld's departure and Scott Anderson's interim tenure.
- 2023
Dave Bozeman becomes CEO
[1]Dave Bozeman is appointed chief executive officer and board member effective June 26, following a leadership transition.
- 2020
Prime Distribution Services acquisition
[1]The purchase expands warehouse-management capabilities and adds substantial warehouse capacity.
- 2015
Freightquote acquisition
[1]The acquisition expands online freight brokerage and supports entry into less-than-truckload markets.
- 2012
Phoenix International and Navisphere
[1]The company acquires Phoenix International to strengthen ocean freight and launches Navisphere as a global logistics technology platform.
- 1997
Corporate renaming and public listing
[1]The company becomes C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. and begins trading publicly on NASDAQ under CHRW.
- 1992
C.S. Greene International is acquired
[1]The acquisition adds international freight forwarding, air-freight operations, and refrigerated-container capabilities.
- 1989
International expansion begins in Mexico
[1]C. H. Robinson opens an office in Monterrey, marking a major step in international logistics expansion.
- 1980
Deregulation accelerates brokerage growth
[1]The Motor Carrier Act changes the competitive environment and supports expansion of contract-carrier and freight-brokerage activity.
- 1979
IBM mainframe technology is adopted
[1]The company adopts IBM mainframes to support its expanding operations and information-management needs.
- 1976
Employee ownership becomes complete
[1]The remaining Nash Finch stake is bought out, leaving the brokerage company wholly employee-owned.
Products and positioning
Technology-enabled global third-party logistics provider connecting shippers with multimodal transportation, warehousing, sourcing, and supply-chain management capabilities.
Transportation services
Freight brokerage
C. H. Robinson arranges transportation between shippers and a broad network of contracted carriers. Brokerage services cover full truckload and less-than-truckload movements and use carrier sourcing, pricing, shipment execution, tracking, and reporting to coordinate freight without requiring the company to own the entire vehicle fleet.
International logistics · 1992
Global freight forwarding
The forwarding business coordinates international ocean and air shipments and related documentation, routing, and provider management. It supports cross-border supply chains and complements the company's North American brokerage network with international transportation capabilities.
Logistics technology platform · 2012
Navisphere
Navisphere is a technology platform used by C. H. Robinson, customers, and transportation providers to manage shipments, transportation activity, sourcing, supply-chain information, and visibility across modes and geographic markets.
Managed transportation
TMC Managed TMS
TMC combines transportation-management software with operational support. Its services help customers plan and execute transportation, manage carriers, analyze network performance, and coordinate logistics activities through a managed transportation model.
Warehousing · 2020
Warehousing and distribution services
The company provides warehousing and distribution capabilities, including services expanded through Prime Distribution Services. These operations complement transportation brokerage by supporting storage, distribution coordination, and broader logistics execution.
Sourcing · 1905
Produce sourcing and procurement
Produce procurement is the historical foundation of the business and remains part of its sourcing activities. The company has also served as a marketing or procurement intermediary for branded food and beverage products and other supply-chain inputs.
Controversies
2022
C.H. Robinson settles Miller truck-crash litigation
After appellate litigation over the application of federal transportation preemption and its safety exception, the company settled a case arising from a collision involving a contracted motor carrier.
2017
Miller v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide
The case arose after a contracted truck driver collision left Allen Miller quadriplegic. The dispute concerned whether a freight broker could face liability for negligent selection of a motor carrier and whether federal transportation law preempted the claim. An appellate court recognized a safety-related exception to preemption, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2022, and the matter was ultimately settled.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Nonprofit and community engagement
Minnesota · United States
C. H. Robinson's support for nonprofit and community causes was recognized when the company was named a finalist for Minnesota Business Magazine's Long-Term Achievement Award.
Outcome. External recognition for sustained community involvement.
Brand decisions
2023
Change chief executive leadershipStrategyBackground
The company underwent a leadership transition after Bob Biesterfeld stepped down as president and CEO.
Action taken
Scott Anderson served as interim CEO before Dave Bozeman was appointed CEO and a board member effective June 26, 2023.
Aftermath
The leadership change placed the company under a new CEO during a period of logistics-market volatility and technology-led operational development.
2020
Acquire Prime Distribution ServicesM&ABackground
C. H. Robinson sought to increase its presence in warehousing and distribution alongside transportation brokerage.
Action taken
The company acquired Prime Distribution Services.
Aftermath
The purchase moved the company further into warehouse management and added approximately 2.6 million square feet of warehouse space.
Acquisition price. $225 million (January 28, 2020)
2015
Acquire FreightquoteM&ABackground
Digital freight purchasing and less-than-truckload transportation were becoming increasingly important parts of the logistics market.
Action taken
The company acquired Freightquote, an online transportation broker.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened C. H. Robinson's digital brokerage capabilities and supported expansion into less-than-truckload services.
2012
Acquire Phoenix International and launch NavisphereM&ABackground
The company sought to broaden international transportation capability while creating a unified technology layer for logistics management.
Action taken
C. H. Robinson acquired Phoenix International and introduced Navisphere for global transportation, sourcing, and supply-chain management.
Aftermath
The transaction increased ocean-freight capacity, while Navisphere became a central digital interface for customers, employees, and providers.
Phoenix International acquisition price. $635 million (2012)
1997
Adopt the C.H. Robinson Worldwide name and pursue an IPOStrategyBackground
The company had expanded beyond its original produce-brokerage identity into transportation and logistics services.
Action taken
It changed its corporate name to C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. and listed on NASDAQ under CHRW.
Aftermath
The listing provided a public-market structure for the company and its employee shareholders while reinforcing its identity as a global logistics enterprise.
IPO proceeds. $190 million (1997 IPO)
1980
Expand brokerage after trucking deregulationStrategyBackground
The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 increased competition and changed the regulatory structure of the United States transportation market.
Action taken
C. H. Robinson expanded contract-carrier programs and developed its role as a transportation intermediary sourcing capacity for shippers.
Aftermath
Truck brokerage became a major growth engine and helped establish the company as a large third-party logistics provider.
Recent events
Waymo and C.H. Robinson announce strategic partnership[3]
Reported:
Waymo and C.H. Robinson announced a long-term strategic partnership to integrate the Waymo Driver into supply chains. The partnership will initially include multiple pilots for C.H. Robinson customers on the Dallas-Houston transportation lane.
C.H. Robinson reports higher second-quarter earnings[4]
Reported:
C.H. Robinson Worldwide reported second-quarter profit of $193.79 million, up from $143.94 million a year earlier, and revenue of $5.53 billion, up from $3.63 billion.
C.H. Robinson and Microsoft announce supply-chain technology alliance[5]
C.H. Robinson and Microsoft announced an alliance to combine C.H. Robinson’s Navisphere with Microsoft Azure and Azure IoT technologies. The companies said the collaboration aims to enable real-time visibility for C.H. Robinson customers and integrate IoT device monitoring into Navisphere.
Sources5 sources
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