19 November, 2025

Autonomous Procurement Changing Freight Buying

Posted on 19 November, 202519 November, 2025 by David Priestman

Due to the ever evolving tech landscape changing how businesses operate across the globe, there’s no surprise that freight procurement is also undergoing a major shift. With the introduction of new digital procurement tools, the way freight is sourced and awarded is changing dramatically to be AI-supported, data-driven, and increasingly autonomous. For shippers and carriers alike, this means saving time, cutting costs, and making better use of resources. Bernhard Schmaldienst (pictured, below), Associate VP Transporeon Products, Trimble, explores the potential of AI-supported technology that is transforming the spot market as we know it.

The Rise of Spot Freight

Across Europe, there is an increasing amount of freight being handled on the spot market. The reasons for this vary: Fleet reductions and driver shortages are leading to capacity bottlenecks for carriers. Shippers, in turn, often do not want to commit to fixed volumes for the long term in times of economic uncertainty. This makes spot allocation more attractive.

This flexibility however, comes at a price. Manually processing individual requests is time-consuming, error-prone, and ties up resources for both shippers and freight forwarders. While buyers submit requests, wait for quotes, and then compare and evaluate them, carriers invest considerable resources in complex calculations with no guarantee of the correct outcome.

From Price Takers to Price Makers

An autonomous procurement solution turns this process on its head. Instead of carriers submitting quotes, shippers do, supported by artificial intelligence. Based on historical spot and freight rate data, a specified price range and a fixed maximum price limit, as well as logistical parameters such as lead times, modes of transport, and sustainability criteria. This is then published in real time on the platform, tailored to individual carriers. Integrated AI then analyses freight carriers based on past bookings and develops tailored quotes, creating a high degree of differentiation in quote creation. The system then automatically forecasts a price for each carrier that lies within the specified range.

If an order is not booked at any of the initial prices, the system dynamically adjusts the price or initiates additional tender rounds. The difference between an automated and an autonomous solution is that Autonomous Procurement itself determines which forwarders will be invited next, what terms they will receive, and how long each round lasts. Once a time-consuming process, this can now be completed within seconds, scalable, error-free, and at any time. Measurements show that the proportion of orders matched automatically is up to 90 percent, with the average match time dropping to 70 minutes. And with the more structured historical data on freight, routes, and carriers available, the more precise and efficient the system becomes. Platform-based transport management systems provide the best foundation for this, especially when they provide access to a broad network and reliable market data.

Turning Spot Buying into a Strategic Advantage

The benefit of this for shippers is clear: productivity per dispatcher increases by 20 percent annually thanks to outsourcing the spot buying process. Teams can therefore turn their focus on strategic deals and their business relationships instead of repetitive and time-consuming manual work. At the same time, the system helps identify the best available spot prices, which are typically eight to twelve percent lower than those achieved through traditional bidding processes. This means even less experienced team members can efficiently tender spot freight with this solution, supported by the technology’s algorithms.

Why Carriers Benefit from Smarter Freight Allocation

In the long term, however, a new solution only works if both sides benefit. So, what is the advantage to carriers? Well, they don’t have to invest time in a quote, but can accept new orders immediately with a click or completely automate order acceptance. At the same time, they gain full transparency over offered shipments, including all necessary details. This simplifies scheduling, even at short notice, and reduces empty runs. Not only this, they also benefit from reliable, punctual payments, which builds trust and facilitates planning, especially for small and medium-sized carriers.

Balancing Automation with Human Expertise

According to carriers and recent industry findings, roughly 95 percent of freight can currently be offered fully automated. While this may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that autonomous systems work alongside employees to enhance their performance, illustrating how modern technology and human capabilities can be harmoniously balanced. While this software might be capable of quickly and accurately analysing market prices across all routes and regions, humans are needed in the loop to question rules, evaluate exceptions, and make strategic decisions. Especially in an environment where experience, business relationships, and strategic decisions count, the combination of human expertise and modern technology creates the greatest added value.

DPD Rolls Out Interactive PUDO Map

Posted on 19 November, 202519 November, 2025 by Will Priestman

DPD Slovakia offers an interactive PUDO map that enables e-shops to easily display pickup and drop-off points directly on their websites. With this solution, customers can quickly and conveniently select their preferred location for collecting or sending parcels.

The platform was created in response to DPD’s need for a dedicated digital tool to present its pickup network in a clear and user-friendly way. The objective was to deliver a solution that enhances the customer experience while strengthening DPD’s position in the parcel delivery market.

Screen no. 1: System preview – overview of collection points

The development of the PUDO map took place in three phases: an analysis of the needs of DPD and e-shops, the development itself, and thorough testing followed by final refinements. The entire process was completed within 90 days. The result is a modern component that can be integrated into any website through a simple JavaScript snippet. The map loads instantly, allowing customers to choose from dozens – or even hundreds – of pickup points in real time.

Built using JavaScript, Google Maps API, HTML5, and SQL, the map is fully responsive across all devices. Users can search by address or postal code, filter by the type of pickup point and available services such as parcel dispatch, returns, or card payments. Each location also includes detailed opening hours, helping customers plan their drop-offs or collections more efficiently.

Screen no. 2: System preview – collection point detail

The solution is available in five language versions: Slovak, English, Hungarian, German, and French.

Among the key benefits of the PUDO map are its clear visualization of pickup locations, easy implementation for e-shops, and responsive design. The platform further strengthens DPD’s competitiveness and provides its partners with a modern tool that streamlines the entire delivery process.

Soft Horizons for WMS

Posted on 19 November, 202524 November, 2025 by Paul Dixon

At Manhattan Associates’ ‘Exchange’ event in Antwerp, new CEO Eric Clark outlined a broad growth vision for the company’s supply chain solutions – extending well beyond its well-established warehouse management systems (WMS). Paul Dixon reports.

Clark (pictured, below), said Manhattan sees really strong growth opportunity across all five of its core product areas, which include WMS, transportation management (TMS), order management, point of sale, and supply chain planning.

Warehouse management is the one that we are well known for – we’ve been in that space a long time and hold roughly a 20% market share… But across transportation, order management, point of sale, and supply chain planning, our share is still in the single digits, so there’s a lot of room to grow.

Clark explained.

Henri Seroux, Senior Vice President EMEA, added that even within its core WMS business, momentum remains strong, with both new customers and existing on-premises users migrating to cloud-based platforms. Increasingly, customers see value in integrating warehouse and transportation management to unlock greater ROI. “The two working together create very clear opportunities,” Seroux told us.

Brian Kinsella, Senior Vice President, Product Management also highlighted the potential in supply chain planning, describing it as an “underserved” but equally large market compared with supply chain execution. As more enterprises shift their ERP systems to the cloud – particularly those moving to SAP S/4HANA – many are re-evaluating their tech stack and turning to Manhattan for more advanced forecasting and planning capabilities.

We’re seeing more opportunities from those transitions… SAP is very strong in transactional back-office processes, but customers are increasingly looking to specialists like Manhattan for innovation in demand forecasting and supply chain planning.

Kinsella said.

Responsible Ecommerce

Sustainability, Clark emphasised, continues to be a key focus. “When we think about sustainability, one of the areas that we think we can make a difference, a significant difference, for our customers, is with efficiency. I think that transportation is a clear area that lots of companies could improve, companies that are shipping trucks around that have empty space, dead weight, maybe shipping the wrong things to the wrong place inefficiently. So, the planning and the AI that go into this can create more efficiency around what’s in the truck, where the trucks are going and the optimal route. We’re constantly looking at how we think about sustainability and the way that we develop our products and the way that we help our customers execute.”

Sanjeev Siotia, Executive Vice President and CTO, echoed that sentiment.

The good thing is everything which we do actually makes operations more sustainable, because we’re trying to optimise, from how do you load the truck to how you can reduce the least number of miles, and every aspect of our product.

Seroux added,

“I think we have a lot of respect for all the European retailers who make a lot of efforts to reduce their carbon footprint to use fewer miles, less packages and so on so forth. We have raised our voice to say that we are outraged by the fact there is unfair competition from like the likes of Shein and Temu, bringing product probably made in the worst condition and transported in the worst sustainability condition and then it gets thrown away after a few uses. Europe should be united on this topic, and it’s a big one.”

Another ‘big one’ is the role AI is playing – is it a danger? Siotia says Manhattan think of it as more something which will assist and make you more productive, versus taking away your core knowledge.

Clark agreed. “It’s not magic. The information comes from somewhere. So, for example, we now give customers the ability to upload all of their training docs, their SOPs, into the platform, so that associates can ask questions about how to use the warehouse management system while they’re using it. Where do I induct this tote? I need to recharge my device. What do I do when I don’t find inventory in the location to go pick it that’s not coming from, some model in the cloud that’s coming from the fact that we allow the customers to essentially script all of their processes and effectively all the answers to those questions, and without getting into all the technical details. So it’s still their core knowledge that’s being shared. It’s just being shared far more easily and effectively.”

Seroux concluded that, instead of replacing workers, AI has the potential to create opportunities for learning and developing new skills.

Within a large organization today, far more people are knowledgeable about software – how to configure it, optimise it, and solve issues – than there used to be. In the past, we thought you needed to have come from a particular engineering school and have five years’ experience configuring those systems. We’d have just two or three people with that expertise. Now, with large 3PLs running our solutions at scale across every continent, those teams have become more autonomous. This is because the systems themselves now include built-in tools that make it easier to learn, configure, and improve. It’s less about human knowledge disappearing and more about enabling greater potential to share knowledge.

New Site in Germany for Modula

Posted on 19 November, 202519 November, 2025 by David Priestman

After years of dedicated work and steady growth in international markets, Modula celebrates a new strategic milestone with the opening of its new site in Gersthofen, Germany. This move represents a key step in the company’s ongoing process of international expansion and digital transformation.

Modula has been present in Germany for over a decade, with a well-established network spanning several of the country’s industrial districts. With the opening of the new Gersthofen site, Modula is establishing the centre of its German operations here, further strengthening its customer proximity and the ability to deliver comprehensive, integrated services.

Located in the heart of Bavaria, within a strategic industrial district, the new Modula GmbH site spans three floors and a total area of 2200 m². It represents an ideal combination of modern architecture, functional efficiency, and attention to customer experience.

Bright, spacious, and welcoming offices accommodate the Sales, Back Office, Finance, and Customer Care departments, as well as a highly skilled technical team at the core of Modula Germany’s operations.
On the ground floor, the building features a state-of-the-art Experience Centre, where customers and partners can embark on an immersive journey through Modula technologies, witnessing firsthand the evolution of its automated storage solutions over time.

This space was designed not just to showcase products, but to also to reflect the company’s core approach and values: innovation, appeal, excellence, and customer proximity.

The new Gersthofen site represents a decisive step in our international growth journey… It is a building that embodies our vision: blending modern architecture with advanced technology to create efficient, sustainable, and innovation-driven work environments where people and technology grow together.

said Franco Stefani, Chairman of Modula

The official inauguration, held on 18th November, welcomed the entire international team, German staff, the Mayor of Gersthofen, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, and other institutional guests. Everyone took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm and shared pride.

The year 2025 is proving to be especially dynamic for Modula, with new subsidiaries opening in Colombia, Singapore, Australia, Denmark, and India. The company is also undertaking a major expansion of its U.S. facility in Ohio, which will add 15,000 m² of new space.

With the new Gersthofen site Modula reaffirms its mission to share Italian excellence in automated logistics with the world – combining technological innovation, customer care, and industrial culture. This project embraces the future with confidence, all while maintaining a heart that proudly reflects its Italian heritage.

Video Intelligence to Define Logistics in Future?

Posted on 19 November, 202518 November, 2025 by David Priestman

Adam Wales, Key Account Manager, Axis Communications, explains how video and sensor technologies are reshaping logistics into a safer, smarter ecosystem that strengthens compliance and deepens customer trust.

The pace of digital transformation (DT) in the logistics industry is accelerating. McKinsey reports that 55% of service providers expect to deploy at least 13 digital use cases within three years, a sharp rise from the 9% hitting that mark today. 85% of logistics firms report added value from DT initiatives, despite the challenges DT still presents.

Data-driven decision making underpins the future of the logistics industry, and video and sensor technologies play a crucial part in the shift from looking back forensically to acting in real time. Every pixel is a sensor, turning video into a continuous stream of actionable data. At the network edge, metadata ties events in the real world to identity and context, empowering immediate, proactive decision making.

Video adds benefits to obvious functions like security, and empowers the less obvious. It’s a way to discover greater operational efficiency, sharper asset protection, and a streamlined, accurate and satisfying customer experience. In the high-risk, high-value environments of ports, warehouses, and distribution hubs, one application stands out as both the most relatable and the most urgent: health and safety. By improving compliance and reducing risk, video and sensor data can drive down insurance costs, boost operational resilience, and protect people – the most valuable asset of all.

Start with being proactive about safety

Logistics environments are inherently complex and potentially hazardous. Forklifts and foot traffic share the same space, heavy goods move constantly, and training levels vary significantly, particularly considering the presence of temporary staff or visitors. Despite mounting compliance requirements, monitoring levels are often inconsistent and reliant on the stretched attention of humans alone. Video analytics help to close this gap.

Through analytics running in-camera or on a VMS, cameras can detect whether proper PPE is being worn, confirming compliance or allowing issues to be addressed immediately. They can recognise both vehicles and people, defining exclusion zones and triggering alerts when the two cross paths in unsafe ways.

Standardised messaging protocols allow cameras to integrate with operational systems – enabling actions such as closing barriers, maintaining red lights, triggering visual or audible alerts, or controlling dynamic messaging and signage, with the camera acting as the catalyst. This represents a proactive approach, shifting health and safety from an arduous box-ticking exercise to a dynamic, data-driven system. Safety goes beyond compliance. It is the clearest proof that data translates into measurable value.

By starting with safety, logistics leaders can demonstrate ROI quickly, secure stakeholder buy-in and build the foundation for broader transformation. Leveraging existing camera infrastructure in a new way keeps deployment complexity low and impact high, enabling organisations to achieve quick, visible results that build momentum for further innovation.

High-impact improvements in the long term

The benefits of video data extend beyond momentary corrections. Each compliance check generates data of its own, helping management to identify recurring issues or persistent problems, target training where it is most needed, and create a cycle and culture of improvement.

Once the impact of cameras on safety is proven, their value expands further. Logistics is not just about moving goods, but doing so reliably, securely, and with minimal disruption. Video and sensor data has a role to play in any DT effort that seeks to improve these metrics.

Video can record the condition of palletised goods as they are unloaded from containers, and again as those goods are dispatched, creating a vital chain of evidence. This can prevent costly write-offs and, by documenting any pre-existing damage, provide the evidence needed to rebut fraudulent claims and demonstrate diligence to customers.

Accessing sustainability benefits

Cameras offer benefits in efficiency and sustainability. In lighting, for example, intelligent analytics can distinguish between people, vehicles and empty space, meaning they outperform traditional motion sensors and can be integrated into a smarter zoned automated lighting setup which cuts bills and carbon footprint without reducing worker safety or comfort.

They can also form a bridge between legacy systems and digital upgrades, transforming analogue gauges and readouts into live, actionable data streams. Instead of relying on manual checks or outdated snapshots, leaders gain continuous visibility into operations. With thresholds and automated alerts in place, even older systems retain their value, contributing to a modern connected logistics environment without forcing an immediate upgrade.

A video-driven future in logistics

Video data is not a bolt-on, it is a cornerstone of the new digital supply chain. Starting small with visible wins like PPE compliance helps to build momentum, and there is a wealth of value to be found when DT initiatives scale up. A connected, intelligent infrastructure transforms risk management, boosts operational efficiency, and cements customer trust.

The benefits are clear, and they compound quickly. Logistics organisations have reported lower insurance premiums after implementing safety analytics like smoke detection, savings of millions in fraudulent missing item claims through order-linked packing evidence, and tangible reductions in mid-mile transportation costs by measuring the fill rate of trucks .

Whatever the need, and wherever DT projects begin, it is vital to build the next generation of logistics technology on a platform that is up to the task. The sharper the footage, the stronger the edge processing and machine learning capabilities, the better the data. Those who see cameras as the intelligence platforms that they are will be the ones to create a smarter, safer world for logistics. This is more than transformation – it’s accountability in action.