What is Groupage Freight?

Groupage freight (consolidated freight) combines several small shipments from different senders into one load, so each pays only for the space it uses. It is the economical choice for single pallets or partial quantities that do not justify a dedicated vehicle.

How groupage works

A forwarder collects general cargo from several shippers, consolidates it at a depot or hub, moves it as one load, then splits it again at the destination depot for final delivery. The trade-off for the lower price is more handling and slightly longer transit.

Groupage, LTL and part loads

On the road, groupage overlaps with LTL (less-than-truckload) and partial-truckload shipping: all three share vehicle space between consignments. For larger quantities a part load is often cheaper than groupage.

Consolidating loads well depends on knowing the cost of each leg. In the Planner Module from IMPARGO the route, per-country toll and cost per tour are calculated up front, so consolidated loads can be priced fairly across shippers.