Our
History
45+ years experience
Built on a legacy of excellence and exploration
Since 1978, Rock-it Cargo has moved the world. No idea has ever been off limits. We were the logistics machine behind Billy Joel performing in the former Soviet Union in 1987, the committed crew that brought Metallica to Antarctica in 2013 as the first band to play all seven continents, and the skilled specialists that brought The Rolling Stones to Cuba in 2016 for the largest scale musical event the country had seen in decades – always delivering, always finding the best path to success.
1970s
Creating Meaningful Moments In more places
In the mid 1970s, bands were building international fandom like never before and the pressure was on to bring live performances to global audiences. While demand for concert tours was at an all-time high, the logistics of impactful global concerts had never been conquered.
That’s where Rock-it Cargo’s roots began. Rock-it Cargo was founded on a simple belief – we can create meaningful moments for more people in more places. This belief first took hold in the Rock n’ Roll community and marked the beginning of a decades-long legacy.
1980s
bridging new borders with the world’s biggest bands
As with many great bands, it took several years for our predecessor, Rock-it Cargo, to find it’s sound. After almost 8 years of moving some of the most popular bands around the world such as Led Zeppelin, Queen and Bruce Springsteen, Rock-it Cargo expanded across the US, under the direction of David Charles Bernstein.
During the late 1980s, Waiver Logistics was established in Brazil to unlock South America for global concert tours and begin developing the foundation of Rock-it’s global network in Latin America.
Both were instrumental in cultural milestones like Live Aid and the first of many Rock-in Rio Festivals. Their combined efforts supported the highest grossing tours of the decade including Michael Jackson’s ‘BAD’ tour and Pink Floyd’s ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’.
By working with the industry’s best, bridging new borders, and working with the world’s biggest bands, a legacy of transformation began.
1990s
Supporting the growth of international music touring
As the international music touring industry exploded, concert productions continued to explore new territories and carry more equipment from show to show. Planning the logistics of these moves became extremely important and the Rock-it network was right there to support the growth. Tours such as Madonna, U2, The Eagles and Metallica leaned heavily on the Rock-it network to get them from show to show and to bold new destinations.
Throughout the 1990’s, Rock-it, Waiver, and Sound Moves (established in 1996) expertise was needed beyond live touring. From Formula 1 races in Latin America, to the Olympics Games in Atlanta (1996), to productions like Les Misérables and the Miss Universe pageant in international theaters– our world was no longer just Rock n’ Roll.
2000s
Delivering Bigger and Bolder
The 2000’s were a decade defined by two words – BIGGER and BOLDER. Our network continued to dominate the live touring logistics market, handling the top 20 grossing tours of the decade. We also handled an array of bold, breakthrough events like large theatrical touring spectacles, arena-sized corporate events, and unprecedented traveling museum exhibitions.
Our success at these breakthrough events yielded long-standing partnerships with Cirque du Soleil, Madam Tussauds, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, all of whom became trusted partners. The arena spectacles of Walking with Dinosaurs and the Blue Man Group made their way around the world thanks to the Rock-it family.
2010s
Record breaking Tours and Olympic achievements
Over the past decade, our network continued to grow, strengthen, and expand its expertise. Record-breaking tours from Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Madonna defined our new standard for event touring.
The Olympic Games in London, Rio de Janerio, Sochi, and Pyeonchang pushed the boundaries of sports spectacles, and bringing the WWE to Saudi Arabia signaled a new era of global appeal and connectedness.
Bold new ventures with organizations like Messe Dusseldorf, Diversified Communications, and Reed Exhibitions helped our rapidly growing trade show and exhibition division find its stride.
In our continued commitment to amplifying sports’ global impact, CargoLive was established in 2010 in Mexico as a direct support office for the network and expanded to Australia and Japan over the next few years.
2020s
bringING our teams from around the world under one roof
In 2021, Rock-it broadened its reach to the film and TV industry by acquiring UK-based Dynamic International. A year later, in 2022, Rock-it’s parent company established Global Critical Logistics (GCL) as the holding company for our increasingly diversified brands and end markets.
In 2023, GCL expanded its high-end automotive services and footprint through the acquisition of CARS.
In 2024, Rock-it Cargo acquired SOS Global to create the largest specialty logistics provider in the sports and broadcast market.
As a global leader in logistics for extraordinary experiences and luxury goods, GCL provides specialized freight forwarding for the biggest names in live touring, sports & production, corporate events, fine art, high-end automotive, and other mission-critical, complex projects.
With a diverse network of brands including Rock-it Cargo, SOS, Dynamic International, Dietl, and CARS, GCL operates 50+ offices on five continents, delivering over 10,000 missions every year to more than 100 countries.
GCL powers the moments that drive culture and significant results.
