Kintetsu World Express, Inc. (株式会社近鉄エクスプレス), or KWE, is a major Japanese freight forwarding company. It is a subsidiary of the Japanese railway holding company Kintetsu Group Holdings (近鉄グループホールディングス株式会社 Kintetsu gurūpu hōrudeingusu kabushiki gaisha) and provides air and sea freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehouse inventory management services.
History
In 1948, the Operations Bureau of Kintetsu Corporation began handling international freight and travel services. Shortly after, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) approves Kintetsu Corporation as an agency.
In 1955, Kintetsu Corporation developed into Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd. (KNT), and combines its international air freight and international tourism divisions to create a luggage handling service. The Hong Kong and United States subsidiaries were established in 1969, and Kintetsu World Express, Inc. spun off from KNT in 1970. KWE experienced rapid expansion for the next 30 years, and adopted the Quadrilateral Management System with regional headquarters for Japan; The Americas; Europe & Africa; and Asia & Oceania.
The company was first listed on the NASDAQ Japan Market (now JASDAQ Market), and a section of Osaka Securities Exchange until 2004, when it was de-listed. In 2003, KWE’s stock listing was upgraded to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange