The German transport company headquartered in Mainz in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is the world's largest wine and beverage freight forwarder. It was founded in 1844 by Johann Friedrich Hillebrand (1819-1890) under the name "Freight Commission Business Hillebrand" with loading and unloading services along with an associated customs agency. In the mid-19th century, there was a boom in the wine trade in Mainz. The young Hillebrand began river transport on the Rhine by purchasing several barges (a type of open-built ship). There was an expansion to rail and inclusion of Eastern markets. From 1875, the two sons Dionis and Ludwig Damian Hillebrand expanded the business and took over representation for ship passages of the Hamburg-America Line for the German shipping company "Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-AG".
Reconstruction after World War II
After World War II, in 1945, the third generation of the family took the helm. The business was completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Karl Hillebrand began trade between the French and American occupied zones. Jan W. Hillebrand took over the management of the Mainz warehouse A.G., which was integrated into the forwarding company in 1953. The company transported mainly German wines worldwide until the 1960s. From the mid-1960s, containers were used and exports were expanded with wines from European countries. In 1974, the company moved to the new location Mainz-Hechtsheim. Christof J. F. Hillebrand took over the leadership in 1986 in the fifth generation. At the "London International Wine Fair," the company was awarded the "Best Logistics Company award" for the fifth time in 2010.
Company Merger
Since 2021, the company has operated under the new name Hillebrand Gori, following the merger of the German company Hillebrand Group and the Italian company Gori as part of the acquisition by the Deutsche Post DHL Group. The focus is on the transport of beers produced in Germany, wines, and spirits as well as the import of "New World wines." The company is a global leader in beverage logistics and specializes in organizing efficient and safe transports. These are mainly carried out by ship, making the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, and Bremen important hubs of trade routes. However, all possible transport routes such as rail, road, and waterway are utilized. Hillebrand Gori employed 2,400 people in 90 countries in 2023 and achieved a revenue of 1.3 billion euros.
