About Us
44 Years Moving Cargo from Heathrow to the World
We are a freight forwarder based in Hayes, five minutes from Heathrow Airport. Since 1982 we have been shipping goods to Africa and the Middle East for UK businesses. We are not the biggest forwarder. We are the one that knows your routes.
Our Story
How We Got Here
KAM Freight started in 1982 in a small office on Swallowfield Way in Hayes, Middlesex. The location was not accidental. Hayes sits right next to Heathrow Airport, the busiest air cargo hub in Europe. Our founder had spent years working in West London freight operations and saw a gap: businesses trading with Africa and the Middle East were getting a poor deal from the big forwarders.
The large logistics firms treated African and Gulf shipments as secondary business. Cargo sat waiting. Paperwork got lost. Nobody picked up the phone when things went wrong in Lagos or Jeddah. We decided to do the opposite: specialise in the routes others avoided, learn them inside out, and build the agent relationships that actually make freight move.
That bet paid off. Clients who had been burned by delayed shipments and surprise charges found that we delivered what we promised. The referrals came. First it was small exporters. Then manufacturers. Then pharma companies who needed someone to handle temperature-sensitive cargo to Nairobi. Then aviation firms who needed parts in Accra by morning.
Today we handle air, sea and road freight from our warehouse in Hayes to over 100 countries. We are IATA dangerous goods certified and BIFA and FIATA members. We handle pharmaceutical cold chains, hazardous materials and aircraft-on-ground emergencies. But we are still independently owned, still based near Heathrow, and your account manager still picks up the phone.
Our History
44 Years, One Location, One Focus
Started in Hayes, Five Minutes from Heathrow
KAM Freight opened its doors on Swallowfield Way in Hayes, Middlesex. The location was deliberate: direct access to Heathrow cargo terminals, the M4 corridor and the rail network. From day one, the focus was on Africa and the Middle East -- markets that bigger forwarders ignored or handled badly.
First Dedicated West Africa Service
Launched weekly consolidated air freight to Lagos and Accra. At the time, getting cargo reliably into Murtala Muhammed Airport required relationships most UK forwarders did not have. We built them. Those agent partnerships still run today.
Middle East Expansion
Opened trade lanes to Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh as Gulf construction boomed. We were among the first UK independents to offer regular LCL sea services to Jebel Ali. The energy and construction sectors became core clients.
IATA DG Certification and Pharma Capability
Earned IATA Dangerous Goods certification, allowing us to handle all nine hazard classes by air. In the same period, we invested in temperature-controlled storage and GDP-compliant processes to serve pharmaceutical exporters.
East Africa and AOG Services
Expanded into Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Entebbe as East African economies grew. Simultaneously launched a 24/7 Aircraft on Ground response service for aviation clients who needed parts anywhere in Africa within hours, not days.
Post-Brexit, Post-COVID, Still Delivering
While many forwarders struggled with Brexit customs changes and pandemic disruption, we kept cargo moving. Invested in digital customs systems, expanded our Hayes warehouse and grew the team. Forty-four years in, we are busier than ever.
How We Work
What You Get When You Work With Us
Not a mission statement. Just how we actually operate, every day, on every shipment.
You Talk to People, Not Departments
Every client gets a named handler who knows your cargo, your deadlines and your pain points. When you call, a real person answers. We are a 30-person operation, not a call centre.
We Know These Routes
We have been shipping to Lagos, Jeddah and Nairobi for decades. We know which airlines have the best cargo capacity on Tuesdays, which ports clear faster, and which agents actually answer their phones at 6am local time.
We Keep Our Word
If we say collection at 2pm, we collect at 2pm. If there is a problem, you hear about it from us before you have to chase. No surprises, no excuses.
Straight Talk on Pricing
Our quotes show you exactly what you are paying for. No hidden surcharges that appear on the invoice. If a cheaper routing exists, we will tell you. Our repeat business rate proves this works.
Accreditations
Certified, Audited, Trusted
These are not logos on a brochure. Each one means something practical for how we handle your freight.
Full member of the UK freight industry body. BIFA Standard Trading Conditions protect you and us. Membership requires demonstrated competence, financial stability and professional conduct.
Global freight industry body. Membership gives us access to internationally recognised transport documents and connects us to vetted agents in over 150 countries.
IATA cargo agent with dangerous goods certification. We issue our own air waybills, book directly with airlines and handle all nine DG hazard classes for air transport from Heathrow.
Want to talk to a freight forwarder who actually knows your routes?
We are based in Hayes, near Heathrow. Call us, email us, or request a quote online.