Nextstop Group: Logistics Operator in Medellín Specialized in General Cargo for Industry
Nextstop Group is a comprehensive logistics operator based in Medellín, Colombia, specialized in the management of general cargo for industrial, manufacturing, construction, and distribution companies. We manage the entire import process from start to finish: we coordinate international freight from the country of origin, process the customs clearance before DIAN, and deliver the goods to the client's plant or warehouse via land transportation from Colombian ports.
For our clients, working with Nextstop Group means having a single point of contact for the entire import logistics operation, with real-time visibility of the status of each shipment and the certainty that every stage of the process is managed by a team experienced in industrial general cargo.
What We Do
Nextstop Group offers three integrated services that cover the entire import process of general cargo for Colombian companies:
1. International Freight Forwarding
We coordinate the international freight of goods from the point of origin to the Colombian port. We negotiate space with shipping lines and airlines in the main import corridors to Colombia, manage shipping documentation, and monitor the transit from start to finish.
We operate in all maritime freight modalities for the most relevant corridors for the Colombian industry:
- FCL (Full Container Load): 20ft, 40ft, or 40ft High Cube full containers for medium to high volume imports. We operate on China–Buenaventura, Miami–Barranquilla, Europe–Cartagena routes, and other relevant maritime corridors for the Colombian market.
- LCL (Less than Container Load): consolidated cargo for imports with volumes smaller than 15–20 m³. Our weekly consolidations allow for shipping at any time without waiting to fill a full container.
- Air Freight: we coordinate air freight from the world's main cargo airports to Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla for urgent, high-value, or low-weight and volume goods that do not justify maritime transit.
We have correspondents in the main origin hubs: China (Shanghai, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shenzhen), the United States (Miami, Houston, New York), Europe (Rotterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg), and Latin America (Santos, Mexico City, Guayaquil).
2. Customs Agency before DIAN
Nextstop Group holds a current authorization as a Customs Brokerage Society (SIA) before DIAN. We manage the complete import declaration process for our clients' general cargo: tariff classification, tax liquidation, filing the DIM (Import Declaration) through the MUISCA system, management of selectivity channels, and obtaining the release (levante).
Our customs agency process includes:
- Advance document review before the vessel's arrival: we verify that the commercial invoice, packing list, and BL are correct and consistent with each other before filing the declaration.
- Verification of tariff codes and application of FTA preferences where applicable. For clients importing from countries with current FTAs with Colombia (USA, EU, South Korea, Canada), we verify the availability of the certificate of origin and apply it in the declaration.
- Verification of required approvals (vistos buenos) by control entities (ICA, INVIMA, Ministry of Defense) before the shipment of goods.
- Use of advance declarations to reduce release time and minimize storage costs in port deposits.
- Management of inspections in yellow and red channels: we coordinate with DIAN inspectors, provide the required technical documentation, and manage the release efficiently.
3. National Land Transportation
We coordinate the land transportation of goods from customs deposits in Colombian ports to the client's plant or warehouse. We operate in the main land cargo corridors in Colombia:
| Corridor | Estimated Transit Time | Available Vehicle Types |
|---|---|---|
| Buenaventura → Medellín | 12 – 18 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle, single-axle |
| Buenaventura → Cali | 4 – 6 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle, single-axle |
| Buenaventura → Bogotá | 16 – 22 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle |
| Barranquilla → Medellín | 10 – 14 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle, single-axle |
| Cartagena → Bogotá | 18 – 24 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle |
| Barranquilla / Cartagena → Medellín | 10 – 14 hours | Tractor-trailer, double-axle, single-axle |
For heavy machinery, oversized equipment, or special loads, we manage low-boy vehicles, platforms, and special transport permits before INVIAS and the corresponding transit authorities.
Which Sectors Do We Serve?
Nextstop Group is specialized in importing general cargo for industrial and commercial sectors. Our experience is concentrated in the following industries:
| Sector | Types of General Cargo We Import | Most Frequent Origins |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing and Metalworking | CNC machinery, industrial tools, metal sheets and profiles, welding consumables, measuring equipment | China, USA, Germany, Italy, Brazil |
| Construction and Infrastructure | Ceramics and porcelain, steel profiles, hardware, construction machinery, architectural glass, waterproofing agents | China, Spain, Brazil, USA |
| Plastics and Packaging | Polyethylene and polypropylene resins, masterbatch, injection and blow molding machinery, molds | China, USA, Germany, Mexico |
| Textile and Apparel | Knitted and woven fabrics, technical yarns, garment machinery, accessories and trimmings | China, India, Peru, USA, Italy |
| Furniture and Wood | Finished furniture, MDF and MDP boards, laminate flooring, veneers, furniture hardware | China, Vietnam, Chile, Spain |
| Distribution and Retail | Hand and power tools, electronic equipment, industrial hardware items, spare parts | China, USA, Taiwan, South Korea |
We are not specialists in food, medicine, cosmetics, or other regulated products that require specific INVIMA authorizations. Our specialty is industrial general cargo for the listed sectors, where our team has direct operational experience and knowledge of tariff codes, applicable approvals, and the logistical particularities of each type of merchandise.
Why Nextstop Group?
Based in Medellín with National Coverage
We have an operational team in Medellín, which allows us to respond in real-time when a situation arises in an active import: a container held in Buenaventura, a query from DIAN, a change in the vessel's arrival date. We are not a remote agency managing your imports from another city without knowing the particularities of the Antioquian market. We know the transporters of the Buenaventura–Medellín corridor, the authorized deposits in the region, and the logistical particularities of operating from the Aburrá Valley.
Single Point of Contact for the Entire Operation
Every Nextstop Group client has a dedicated account executive who knows their company, their regular suppliers, and the type of merchandise they import. This executive is responsible for coordinating the freight, customs agency, and land transportation under a single contract, eliminating the communication gaps that occur when these services are hired with three different providers.
You won't receive three calls from three different people asking for the same data. There is one person responsible for your operation from start to finish.
Preventive Document Review Before Shipment
Our standard protocol includes reviewing the document set for each shipment —invoice, packing list, and draft BL— before the vessel sets sail. Document errors corrected before shipment are resolved in hours. Those detected when the container is already in Buenaventura can cost days of storage and formal requirements before DIAN. This preventive review is one of the services that generates the most value for our clients, even if it is the least visible.
Tariff Advisory Included
We are not just declaration processors. We perform a tariff analysis for every new reference a client wants to import: we verify the correct tariff code, identify if there is a tariff preference under any current FTA with the supplier's country, and calculate the real cost of the import before the client confirms the order. This preventive analysis can make the difference between a profitable import and one that is not.
Cost Transparency
We quote all operations with a detailed breakdown of each cost component: sea freight, insurance, origin costs, destination THC, customs agency, land transportation, and any other applicable additional charges. There are no surprise charges at the end of the operation. If a cost arises in the process —a DIAN inspection, an additional carrier charge— we inform you immediately before incurring it when possible, or as soon as it occurs when we cannot anticipate it.
Our Operational Process
An import managed by Nextstop Group follows this standard process:
| Stage | What Nextstop Group Does | What the Client Does |
|---|---|---|
| Before Order | Product tariff analysis: code, duty, applicable FTA, required approvals, total import cost calculation | Share technical product description and supplier's country |
| Freight Quote | Sea or air freight quote from origin, selection of the most convenient shipping line based on rate and times | Confirm Incoterm with the supplier (we recommend FOB) |
| Shipment Confirmation | Space booking with the carrier, shipping instructions to the supplier or the correspondent agent at origin | Confirm purchase order with the supplier |
| Pre-shipment | Review of draft documents (invoice, packing list, advance BL), identification of inconsistencies, and correction requests to the supplier | Approve the reviewed documents |
| During Transit | Vessel tracking, weekly shipment status updates, alert for any change in the estimated arrival date | Plan production and reception based on the reported arrival date |
| Arrival and Customs | Filing of the DIM before DIAN (in advance when possible), tax payment, selectivity channel management, obtaining release | Approve payment of customs duties |
| Land Transportation | Coordination of the vehicle for pickup at the port deposit on the same day of release, transport to the client's plant | Confirm availability at the plant to receive the cargo |
| Closing | Delivery of the complete document set of the operation (invoice, BL, DIM, insurance policy) for the client's archive | Verify received goods against the packing list and confirm conformity |
Results We Generate for Our Clients
The impact of working with an experienced comprehensive logistics operator is measured in concrete numbers. These are the typical results we have generated for companies in the Antioquian and Colombian industries:
- Reduction of average customs release time from 5–7 business days to 1–2 business days, thanks to preventive document review and the use of advance declarations.
- Elimination of additional storage at port deposits through the simultaneous coordination of customs release and the dispatch of the land transport vehicle.
- Reduction of land freight costs by 10% to 20% in high-frequency corridors (Buenaventura–Medellín, Barranquilla–Medellín) thanks to the consolidated volume of operations.
- Savings in duties through the identification and application of FTA preferences previously unused by the client, with documented cases of savings between USD 5,000 and USD 25,000 annually per company.
- Reduction of internal team time dedicated to managing logistics, from an average of 10–15 hours weekly to 2–4 hours weekly, freeing up capacity for higher-value activities.
Geographic Coverage: Where We Operate
Nextstop Group has its operational base in Medellín and serves clients throughout the Colombian territory. Our geographic focus for customer service includes companies located in:
- Medellín and the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Area (Itagüí, Bello, Envigado, Sabaneta, La Estrella, Copacabana)
- Rest of the Antioquia department (Rionegro, Marinilla, El Carmen de Viboral, Apartadó, Urabá)
- Bogotá and the Bogotá Savanna
- Cali and Valle del Cauca
- Barranquilla, Cartagena, and the Atlantic Coast
- Coffee Region (Manizales, Pereira, Armenia)
We manage international freight and customs agency for clients in any city in Colombia, with land transportation coordinated from the most convenient port of entry according to the final destination.
How Do We Start Working with a New Company?
The onboarding process for a new client with Nextstop Group is simple and does not require exclusivity contracts or minimum volume commitments to begin:
- Initial Contact: write or call us to tell us what you need to import, from where, and how often. With that information, an account executive will contact you within the next 24 business hours.
- No-obligation Analysis: the executive performs the tariff analysis of the product, calculates the estimated cost of the first operation (freight + taxes + land logistics), and presents the quote with a full breakdown.
- First Operation: if the quote is convenient, we confirm the first operation. No mandatory long-term contracts are needed to start. The relationship is built through the results of each operation.
- Recurring Process: once the process is validated with the first import, we establish the standard protocol for recurring operations: import schedule, supplier standard documents, and communication and reporting parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nextstop Group
Does Nextstop Group have SIA authorization before DIAN?
Yes. Nextstop Group has current authorization as a Customs Brokerage Society (SIA) before DIAN, which authorizes us to process import and export declarations on behalf of our clients for all types of general cargo. This authorization is mandatory for imports with a value exceeding USD 1,000 and guarantees that the customs agent assumes joint liability for the correct declaration of the merchandise before the Colombian customs authority.
Do you serve small companies or only large importers?
We serve companies of all sizes that import industrial general cargo. We have clients who import one container per month and others who import ten or more. What determines if we can serve you well is not the volume but the type of merchandise and the import profile: industrial, manufacturing, construction, or distribution companies importing general cargo from the sectors we described. For companies with very sporadic and very low-value imports (less than USD 5,000 CIF), we can refer you to the most convenient modality for your case.
Do you work directly with suppliers in China?
Yes. We have active correspondents in the main ports of China (Shanghai, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shenzhen) that allow us to manage the shipment from the Chinese supplier's warehouse to the port of departure in China. This "door-to-port" service from China includes inland transportation in China from the supplier's factory to the port of shipment, management of Chinese export documents, and coordination of the shipment with the carrier. For our clients who buy on FOB, the service from the point of delivery in the Chinese port is standard; for those who want to handle the process from the supplier's factory, we also manage that first leg.
What information do you need to quote an import?
To prepare a complete quote (freight + taxes + land transportation), we need: technical description of the product or the tariff code if you know it, supplier's country and city, Incoterm of purchase (FOB or CIF), gross weight and estimated volume of the load, destination port or city in Colombia, and if you have any certificate of origin available from the supplier. With these data, we can provide a detailed quote in less than 24 business hours for standard routes.
Contact Us
If your company imports or plans to import general cargo in Colombia and you want to evaluate if Nextstop Group can improve your current logistics operation, contact us here. An account executive will respond within the next 24 business hours with an initial analysis at no cost and with no obligation.
You can also explore our guides and resources on imports in Colombia to better understand the process before our first conversation.
