With this new subsidiary, the freight carrier is taking a further step in its strategy to widen its business activities beyond traditional air freight operations and thus becoming a logistics orchestrator. The new company, created through the merger of heyworld GmbH and CB Customs Broker GmbH, was legally completed on 06MAY26 and will operate as an independent entity within the group’s broader logistics environment.
Rather than functioning as a simple consolidation of existing activities, GlobeCross reflects a broader repositioning. It comes at a time when air cargo providers are increasingly required to extend their value proposition beyond airport-to-airport transport, as cross-border e-commerce, regulatory pressure, and customer demand for end-to-end visibility continue to reshape the market.
Bringing together what belongs together
The traditional model of air cargo as a primarily capacity-driven business is gradually giving way to integrated service structures that combine transportation, customs handling, and digital process management.
With the new setup, Lufthansa Cargo is effectively bringing together two previously separate but complementary business areas: digital e-commerce logistics and certified customs brokerage.
“By launching GlobeCross, we are significantly expanding our cross-border logistics capabilities and taking a decisive step toward offering our customers solutions beyond traditional airport-to-airport transportation,” said Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo. The executive went on to say: “By combining deep customs expertise with digital e-commerce solutions, as well as bringing together the complementary strengths of CB Customs Broker and heyworld, we are creating a unique, fully integrated platform for cross-border parcel logistics. This strengthens our market position and enables us to deliver faster, compliant, and fully transparent processes, creating measurable added value and greater precision for our customers.”
While the statement underscores the strategic intent, the underlying direction is equally clear: Lufthansa Cargo is continuing to shift closer to the operational core of cross-border trade flows, where customs, data, and transport increasingly converge.
From fragmented processes to integrated logistics flows
At the center of GlobeCross is the attempt to reduce fragmentation in cross-border logistics chains. Until now, e-commerce shipments moving across borders have typically required coordination between multiple parties, carriers, customs brokers, IT platforms, and last-mile providers, often operating in parallel rather than in sync.
The company is designed to consolidate these steps within a more unified structure. The objective is not only operational efficiency, but also greater predictability in environments where customs requirements and regulatory checks continue to increase in complexity.
“The merger of heyworld and CB Customs Broker is the next logical step in making cross-border logistics simpler, faster, and more reliable for our customers,” said Nikola Todic, Managing Director of GlobeCross. “By combining e-commerce logistics and customs expertise within one integrated solution, we eliminate interfaces, reduce border delays, and enable scalable end-to-end processing from origin to doorstep.”
Existing customers of both entities will face no immediate changes to contracts or operational processes, Lufthansa Cargo emphasized in a release. The integration is expected to take place primarily on the backend, with longer-term effects focused on coordination efficiency and process speed.
Three pillars for cross-border operations
GlobeCross is structured around three core service areas, each targeting different points within the cross-border logistics chain.
The first pillar focuses on end-to-end e-commerce logistics, integrating transport, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery into a single operational flow. The aim is to reduce handover points and improve visibility across international shipments.
The second pillar centers on dedicated e-commerce import terminals at key air cargo hubs. These facilities are supported by proprietary handling and customs software, intended to streamline parcel processing and reduce clearance bottlenecks at gateway locations.
The third pillar covers digital customs clearance services for EU imports and exports across multiple industries. According to the company, this segment is supported by more than 20 years of customs experience and AEO-C/S certification.
“Our focus is on reliability and predictability, especially in today’s environment,” said Murat Odabas, Managing Director of GlobeCross. “By structuring information flows and integrating regulatory requirements directly into our software and solutions, we reduce complexity, minimize delays at borders, and eliminate friction in cross-border logistics.”
Asset-light model and structural positioning
The company will operate on an asset-light model, relying primarily on software, process design, and operational expertise rather than large-scale physical infrastructure investments. This approach is intended to allow faster scaling and greater flexibility in adapting to regulatory and market developments.
At the same time, the company remains embedded within Lufthansa Cargo’s global network and the broader Lufthansa Group logistics ecosystem, providing access to established infrastructure and international market reach.
The launch also reflects a wider structural shift within the air cargo industry. As digitalization, customs integration, and end-to-end supply chain visibility become more central to customer requirements, airlines are increasingly positioning themselves as logistics orchestrators rather than pure capacity providers.
