Specialization beats scale.
A generalist BPO can type. Only a specialist can classify. Customs, logistics, and supply chain work is judgment work, and that comes from doing one thing, deeply, for years.
About Us
Portway International is the specialist working behind the scenes for customs brokers, freight forwarders, and logistics teams. We deliver the coverage, accuracy, and expertise that let you give your customers the service they expect, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
2007
STARTED IN CANADA
500+
SPECIALISTS GLOBALLY
ISO 27001
SECURITY CERTIFIED
What We Believe
A generalist BPO can type. Only a specialist can classify. Customs, logistics, and supply chain work is judgment work, and that comes from doing one thing, deeply, for years.
Your customers may not always care why a filing was late. From turnover & volume spikes to holidays, we absorb it all, ensuring that your service never wavers.
Your clients should feel our work in cleaner filings, along with faster turnarounds, and never see our name. We build our business behind yours, quietly.
Our Story
During his years at Livingston International and Consultrans, Jonathan Robinson watched team after team wrestle with the same three problems: turnover that would drain expertise, costs that wouldn't bend, and shipment volumes that would swing wildly while headcount couldn't.
Customs brokers, freight forwarders, and transportation teams were all being asked to deliver perfect service through imperfect conditions.
The hardest version of the problem was continuity: trade runs around the clock, but back offices don't. In 2007, Jonathan founded Portway to close that gap, a specialist operation that could keep a client's service running at full quality, 24/7, all year round.
The results surprised even our clients. Having around-the-clock coverage meant they could finally say yes to business they'd previously had to turn away. Our clients started winning customers they couldn't have serviced without us.
2007
Portway was launched with a contrarian bet: the trade industry didn't need another broker; it needed a specialist to run the back office better than anyone could run it in-house.
2007
Portway was launched with a contrarian bet: the trade industry didn't need another broker; it needed a specialist to run the back office better than anyone could run it in-house.
2009
Rajesh Kumar Sharma joined to establish Portway's India-based operations, starting with just two employees.
2009
Rajesh Kumar Sharma joined to establish Portway's India-based operations, starting with just two employees.
2015
Portway started managing HS classification globally for Pitney Bowes, proving the model works at worldwide scale.
2015
Portway started managing HS classification globally for Pitney Bowes, proving the model works at worldwide scale.
2018
One of the world's largest e-commerce companies entrusted Portway with its trade operations.
2018
One of the world's largest e-commerce companies entrusted Portway with its trade operations.
2019
Jonathan sold Portway to Avalara, the global tax automation leader. In 2021, Matt Earish joined Avalara to lead the Portway business inside it and saw firsthand what made it unlike anything else in the portfolio.
2019
Jonathan sold Portway to Avalara, the global tax automation leader. In 2021, Matt Earish joined Avalara to lead the Portway business inside it and saw firsthand what made it unlike anything else in the portfolio.
December 2023
In December 2023, Jonathan, Matt, and Rajesh repurchased the business from Avalara and re-established the same team as Portway International; independent again and all-in. Few founders get a second chance to choose their company. We took ours.
December 2023
In December 2023, Jonathan, Matt, and Rajesh repurchased the business from Avalara and re-established the same team as Portway International; independent again and all-in. Few founders get a second chance to choose their company. We took ours.
2024
Portway formalized what clients already relied on: information security meeting the international gold standard.
2024
Portway formalized what clients already relied on: information security meeting the international gold standard.
Today
More than 500 employees work across our global operations, and the clients who signed on in the early years are still with us.
Today
More than 500 employees work across our global operations, and the clients who signed on in the early years are still with us.
How We Work
Every member on our team is trained across logistics, customs, and supply chain, covering classification, security filings, compliance, & documentation, before they take on client work. They keep testing against it for as long as they're here.
Transitions follow a structured methodology: we document your processes as they are, run in parallel, then take over, without a missed deadline in between.
No logo walls and no case-study name-drops; that's the point. Our clients' competitive advantage depends on discretion. So, confidentiality is the default, not a clause.
Freight runs around the clock. Nights, weekends, and holidays are part of how we operate, with dedicated after-hours teams that hold the same accuracy standard as the day shift.
Our People
Turnover is the quiet killer of BPO quality. Every departure leaves the door with a client's institutional knowledge. At Portway, a significant share of the team has been here since the doors opened. Clients work with the same specialists year after year, and it shows in the work.
That's not an accident. We shaped a workplace that makes people stay:
We offer above-market pay in a competitive labor market, not out of obligation, but by choice.
Employees receive healthcare benefits and paid time off.
20% of our team earns a promotion because growth is the norm, not the exception.
We organize rewards and recognition programs for tenured employees and management.
Total compensation is reviewed for every employee, keeping the pay within the defined bands.
Workplace safety is ensured for every employee, at every location.
“Customers come to us to solve a problem. Then we become their strongest partner — the one that lets them grow and support their customers in ways they never thought they could.”
TALK TO OUR EXPERTS
Have a 20-minute discussion with one of our specialists. Let's chat or connect on a call to discuss your requirements, and we'll recommend an approach that's best for your business.