SEKO Logistics sets its sights on China trade with Air-City acquisition

SEKO Logistics acquired New York-based freight forwarder and cross-border e-commerce specialist Air-City Inc. in the largest acquisition in the company’s history, SEKO announced in a statement. 

In addition to growing SEKO’s footprint in the New York and northeastern United States, SEKO expects the acquisition to support its growth in “westbound airfreight and cross-border e-commerce trade for goods going to China,” SEKO President and CEO James Gagne said. Although based in New York, Air-City has 15 offices globally and was an early entrant among U.S. freight agents into China. The company was authorized as a freight agent by the Chinese government in 1994 and is certified to establish enterprises in China. 

Through the acquisition, SEKO also increased its import services into the U.S., thanks to Air-City’s history of facilitating cross-border e-commerce trade from China to the U.S. This includes “the all-important Section 321 and Type 86 entries” related to entry filings of goods falling under the threshold for import duties accounted for within Air-City’s operations, which also comprise a network of bonded warehouses in the U.S., SEKO said. 

Regarding the benefit to its U.S. operations, the SEKO statement said the acquisition adds important infrastructure at JFK Airport, where high demand and throughput has led to limited availability for cargo operations. SEKO added that further expansion of its operations at JFK will be announced later this year.