Scania on the car ferry to Waiheke Island

Intermodal transport

Find the path of least resistance, lowest risk, and best value

The best freight route is not always the fastest, the shortest or the most familiar.

It is the one that moves the product with the lowest practical combination of cost, risk and disruption while delivering on reliability.

Alexander Group designs and delivers intermodal transport solutions that bring together road, rail, coastal shipping, ferry and port-linked movements. Each mode is used where it adds the most value, creating a freight solution that lets you cherry-pick the most efficient freight modalities, without the time, cost and risk of managing them in-house.

Lower total freight cost

Use the right mix of transport modes to reduce unnecessary road kilometres, idle time, empty running and handling costs.
Lower operational risk

Build more resilient routes, better handovers and alternative pathways into the network – without the risk of managing it all in-house.
Less friction across the journey

We coordinate modes, carriers, terminals, equipment and delivery windows as one connected operation.
Actually realise the benefits

Intermodal freight can mean significant cost savings but making it work is complicated. We own the complexity, so you can realise the upside.

Why Alexander Group

Intermodal freight is a nightmare to manage in-house, but it's our bread and butter.

Intermodal freight often looks straightforward on paper. Combine road, rail, coastal shipping, ferry and port-linked movements, and the network should become cheaper, more efficient and more resilient.

In practice, every additional mode creates another handover, another timetable, another provider and another point where the plan can break down.

Without the right people and systems to manage it, running intermodal freight in-house can be like playing Jenga while wearing boxing gloves; almost impossible to make the right moves without the whole thing coming crashing down.

But that's where we come in.

We design and coordinate the complete movement, choosing the combination of modes that delivers the lowest practical mix of cost, risk and disruption. We manage the handovers, align the schedules and keep responsibility clear from origin to destination.

The efficiency comes from using the right modes. The control comes from systematising the discipline of making them work together.

Let's talk

Truck being washed down in a lit depot bay

Benefits

Less risk. Lower cost. Better control.

Less risk across the network

Better control of product, people, site, compliance and delivery risk.
More reliable planning

Greater confidence in capacity, routes, timing and service continuity.
Better decision-making data

Visibility across performance, safety, fleet and operational trends.
More stable distribution costs

Smarter network design and contract clarity to reduce surprises and improve long-term planning.

Service formats

Every mode working where it adds the most value

We connect road, rail, coastal shipping, ferry and port-linked movements into one planned operation, with clear handovers and one point of responsibility from origin to destination.

Road linehaul and distribution

Trucks and trained drivers for first and last mile, linehaul and the legs where road is the most practical option.
Rail

Rail for longer, heavier and more regular volumes, with road connections planned around the timetable.
Coastal shipping

Coastal services for larger volumes, where sea freight reduces road kilometres and cost.
Inter-island ferry

Cook Strait crossings planned around sailings, with equipment and drivers ready on both sides.
Port-linked movements

Port-to-site and site-to-port moves for import and export freight, coordinated with terminals and shipping schedules.

Our Process

Five steps from first call to continuous improvement.

Understand the freight

We identify product class, volume, handling requirements, origin, destination, timing, site constraints and documentation needs.
Design the movement

We determine the right equipment, driver capability, route, schedule, loading process, delivery window and compliance pathway.
Confirm the commercials

We agree pricing, responsibilities, liability boundaries, service expectations and reporting requirements.
Execute safely

The movement is carried out by trained people using appropriate fleet, systems and communication channels.
Review and improve

For recurring work, we review performance, identify efficiency opportunities and improve the operating model over time.

Metrics that matter

The proof is in the numbers

When it comes to numbers that count, we believe in transparency and accountability. We bring the scale, structure and shared ownership of objectives to keep our clients moving forward.

150 Staff

Embedded teams across scheduling, systems and reporting.
Top 6% globally

Driver Evaluation scores through Scania ProDriver.
11 Locations

Strategic hubs supporting nationwide reach.
85 Specialised trucks and trailers

Configured for critical freight.

Crew member in hi-vis working at the rear of a gas tanker

Our Values

Loyalty is a round trip

Critical transport solutions depend on the decisions people make before, during and after every goods movement. Alexander Group customers work with people who understand the freight, the route, the risk and the responsibility.

We are practical. We are accountable. We look ahead. We own the outcome together.