Austrian Post Selects Yard Management System

Austrian Post has selected INFORM’s Yard Management System (YMS) for their Yard Excellence Tool Integration (YETI) project for deployment to ten sites across their parcel network in Austria, with the project having commenced in 2022.

INFORM will deliver their market-proven Syncrotess YMS to ten Austrian Post sites enabling them to digitalize and optimize their yard operations driving down costs and increasing productivity.

Markus Sekula, Austrian Post Project Manager at INFORM’s Terminal & Distribution Center Logistics Division, added, “In addition to delivering our proven YMS, we have started adding new features, following the customer’s clear, future vision of digitized yard operations to further enrich the solution for Austrian Post.” New features that have or will be added to the solution include a new mobile application for gate and driver operations, the implementation of time slot management (appointment system), and a rules engine adding another level of decision-making support within the system to only name a few.

Dr. Eva Savelberg, Senior Vice President at INFORM’s Terminal & Distribution Center Logistics Division, commented, “It is exciting to see our YMS selected by another national post and parcel operator building on the success we’ve fostered with both Swiss Post and DHL Parcel UK.” Savelsberg continued, “Many YMS solutions are generic, while ours has very specialized features for post and parcel operators, allowing them to drive strong ROI in an even shorter period of time when compared to general YMS solutions.”

In preparation for Austrian Post’s YETI project, they were looking for a new proven solution for the management of their logistics center yards. After working with a university of applied sciences that conducted a deep YMS market research study, they launched a tender with their specific requirements, including recording of movements with the yard, digital mapping of resources to drive operational transparency, a single solution for use across their operational areas, and a solution that could be adjusted to meet their unique processes.

Andreas Brenner, YETI Project Manager at Austrian Post, commented, “INFORM was ultimately selected because of the combination of their team’s rich experience and their YMS being a proven solution already in use with other national post and parcel operators.”

INFORM commenced the project in March 2022 and successfully delivered the pilot site in May 2022. In September 2022, the first new feature was delivered, completely modernizing the way gate operators engage with the system via mobile devices instead of a more traditional PC user interface.

INFORM is a market leader in AI and optimization software to facilitate improved decision-making. Based in Aachen, Germany, the company has been in the optimization business for 50 years and serves a wide span of logistics industries, including post and parcel and distribution centre operations with an AI-empowered Yard Management System (YMS) for digitalizing, optimizing, and automating yard operations.

Driver Shortage isn’t just Personnel Problem

It’s no secret that global supply chain disruption has dominated headlines since mid-2020, writes Stephan Sieber (pictured), CEO of Transporeon. And, over the past three years, the continuing aftershocks of the COVID pandemic, combined with geopolitical factors and an economic downturn, have caused significant upheaval for shippers, cargo receivers, service providers, brokers, freight forwarders, carriers – and of course consumers.

Today, driver shortages in the road freight sector are threatening to cause further disruption. Catalysed by initial pandemic downtime – which saw many drivers leave the industry, take early retirement or extended sick leave – driver shortages are now a significant strain on supply chains. Especially given rising demand for road freight transportation.

A recent report by the world road transport body IRU revealed that there could be an eye watering two million unfilled driving positions in Europe by 2026 (already now there are around half a million unfilled positions in Europe).

In the UK, a drop in migration from Central and Eastern Europe caused by Brexit has further highlighted driver shortages where, according to the French transportation union FO Transports, the number of driving vacancies in France could currently be as high as 50,000. The situation is even worse in neighbouring countries where there are currently around 80,000 vacant driving positions in both Germany and Poland (IRU).

Transforming the ‘Great Retirement’ into greater opportunities

With a global recession looming, it’s widely believed that we’ll soon see an influx of candidates onto the job market. Though this may ease personnel shortages in some sectors, it’s unlikely to solve road freight driver shortages.

The primary reasons for this are demographic shifts leading to the ‘Great Retirement’. The same IRU report found that 30% of drivers are planning to retire by 2026 – outstripping any potential recession-related increases in driver availability. So, it’s clear that simply poaching drivers from elsewhere in the industry isn’t a long-term solution for companies.

The IRU also found that young people are joining the driver community in the road freight industry at a rate between four and seven times lower than drivers are retiring – with the average age for European drivers now over 50 years old.

Twentieth-century approaches won’t solve a twenty-first-century problem

The bottom line is that the European driver shortage is not just a personnel problem. Dwindling driver numbers would not present such a challenge if transport operations were smarter and more efficient. According to scientists at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, increasing the efficiency of US drivers by just 18 more minutes of active driving time per day could solve the country’s driver shortage. This claim was based on research in the US but pointed out that the same principle is likely to apply in Europe.

There’s a multitude of ways that companies can look to boost efficiency. But to do so, they must first understand where there’s room for improvement. More are now turning to solutions that offer real-time insights. This helps companies to uncover previously hidden inefficiencies (like empty runs and excessive waiting times in yards) and improve visibility by tracing deliveries.

Within the logistics industry, another trend we’re seeing is Autonomous Case-handling Robot systems (ACR) to reduce labour needs. Self-driving trucks are still a long way off in logistics transportation, but it is possible to make significant efficiencies within warehouses in loading and unloading processes, as well as automating time slot and yard management processes. But by implementing smart software, businesses can start to look to reduce waiting times for drivers from hours to minutes.

Ultimately though, enhancing the effectiveness of transport logistics depends on increasing collaboration between all participants, rather than companies simply working to optimise its own performance – as is currently often the case. Indeed, a recent survey of international supply chain experts revealed that the vast majority rate ‘increased collaboration between supply chain partners’ as both ‘highly probable’ and ‘highly desirable’ in the run-up to 2025.

When working collaboratively as part of a wider network, rather than in isolation, organisations can significantly streamline key processes such as freight sourcing, transport execution, dock scheduling, freight matching, payment and settlement.

Solving the UK and Europe’s road freight driver shortage can’t be done overnight. And, moving forward, companies should view this as an operational matter, rather than simply an HR or personnel problem. The solution lies in adopting a network approach and collaborative solutions that focus on finding new efficiencies.

With the unique approach of combining automation, real-time insight, and collaboration, a transportation management platform can alleviate the driver shortage, reducing empty miles, eliminating unnecessary dwell times and optimising yard operations – the integral intersection between the road and the warehouse.

Middle Mile not Supply Chain Middle Child

CloudSort Corporation, a logistics technology company for packaged goods moving through the supply chain curated a panel of supply chain and logistics leaders to dive into a robust discussion around the under-innovated and often ignored, yet vital middle mile. As an innovator of the middle mile, CloudSort discussed how its proprietary and modular Cloud-based software platform creates mutually-beneficial partnerships – all while delivering value that enhances the end customer experience.

The panel was moderated by Kevin Lawton, featured CloudSort CEO and Founder Derek Szopa and included a diverse group of experts across supply chain including:
● Ryan Park, Head of Product & Insights, CloudSort
● Ellen Voie, CEO/Founder/President, Women In Trucking
● Allison Ullrich, Director of Supply Chain, Outer
● Dwight Shakespeare, eCommerce Director, Jillamy

“It’s no surprise that the middle mile has historically been deprioritized within the industry, however we continue to see increasing attention being given to its importance and ability to transport goods from points A to B more efficiently thanks to the technological advancements transforming today’s supply chain,” said Derek Szopa, CEO of CloudSort. “We were inspired to bring partners and industry experts together in our panel discussion to share the ways a modular middle mile can do just that for their businesses, shippers, carriers and the end-consumer.”

Honouring Technology Innovation

Having tackled some of the middle mile’s biggest challenges, CloudSort’s cloud-based sortation software brings together all the players – omnichannel retailers, online retailers, fulfilment centres and third-party logistics businesses (3PLs), shippers, carriers and end-consumers – with an ecosystem that reduces capital intensity and improves efficiency by moving work to the point of greatest value creation.

With the middle mile becoming more prominent in the industry, companies are taking steps to directly control aspects of their delivery experience, and CloudSort enables them to make smarter choices about how shipments move along the supply chain, benefiting e-commerce by extending order windows and providing capacity that scales. As a result of this, CloudSort’s modular platform has just been named Sortation System Innovation of the Year by SupplyTech Breakthrough, which received more than 1,400 nominations and recognizes the world’s best companies, products and services in the supply chain technology and logistics industry.

A Single Destination for Middle Mile Logistics

A first-of-its-kind cloud-based sortation software that sorts, groups and routes packages based on the parameters defined by a user or system, the CloudSort platform is modular – able to be configured in real time, while reducing barriers to entry for organizations that want to take control of their own supply chain. It’s infinitely scalable, providing an agile and adaptive approach that harnesses predictive technology to sort smarter and route better.

Knowing that the industry’s complex, systemic problems required a paradigm shift and not just incremental adjustments, CloudSort designed its platform to address the issues for shippers and carriers to trade in delivery capacity. Unlike other package level sortation systems on the market today, CloudSort sortation operations are easier, cheaper and faster to build which puts deliveries closer to their destinations, sooner.

CloudSort enables adaptive nodes, rather than static pre-planned hub-and-spoke routes, through smarter sortation earlier on and that rely on artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Partners can engage in multiple ways through modular solutions that can scale up and down, so it’s fully customizable, meaning CloudSort technology is interoperable and designed for seamless integration with both shippers and carriers’ existing tech stacks.
● Human-first tech design engages, entertains, and empowers front-line employees to do their best work
● Innovative and sustainable containerization solutions facilitate more direct shipment transfers and produce less material waste
● Enables businesses to tap into its system at a rate that works for them, which enables a safer ‘test and learn’ environment for innovation and experimentation
● Inherently responds to seasonal fluctuations in supply and demand

Modular Solutions

CloudSort’s middle mile software platform is the backbone of its modular solutions, which can be configured to meet the specific needs of any business since it integrates with existing systems and partners.
● For businesses that only need the technology to transform current operations, CloudSort integrates with existing stack and systems, and manages everything from manifesting and routing to payment and tracking.
● Its forwarding gets shipments from points A to B by ground or air in the most efficient and cost-effective way because its platform complements a partner’s existing operations and works alongside their teams.
● By becoming a host in its network, any business can monetize its sortation activities and assets while helping strengthen and grow the CloudSort ecosystem.
● It offers a fully-outsourced delivery solution for the middle mile from dock to doorstep, by coordinating and optimizing every aspect of the delivery journey.
● Its smarter sortation, better routing, and innovative containerization raise the bar on delivery. Intelligent sortation that occurs earlier in the delivery journey has a compounding effect on speed and accuracy later on to ensure shipments get where they’re meant to go, faster.

The CloudSort network is a combination of company and host operated facilities, where all facilities use the same software and follow established processes to ensure a uniform experience across all locations. With established operations in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Nashville, Indianapolis and Philadelphia, CloudSort recently expanded its U.S. footprint to Ohio and Illinois bringing its combined total to eight operations to serve clients across the country.

Tool Enhances Ukraine-EU Rail Visibility

Transporeon, a leading transportation management platform and a Trimble Company, in collaboration with RailNetEurope today announced the launch of the EU Ukraine Visibility Map. The Visibility Map is the first large-scale European-wide tool that provides an end-to-end view of key rail corridors in and out of Ukraine.

This launch builds on the European Commission’s EU Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Initiative, which Transporeon is supporting by providing its technology platform. Thanks to the initiative, millions of tonnes of grain have been moved from Ukraine by rail and intermodal transport to ports and inland destinations throughout Europe. The Solidarity Lanes also allows Ukraine to import the products they need, including humanitarian aid.

Based on data provided by RailNetEurope (RNE), Europe´s leading association of rail infrastructure managers, Transporeon created the EU Ukraine Visibility Map that enables supply chain stakeholders and public authorities to plan with precision, address bottlenecks and optimise future infrastructure investments. The Visibility Map utilises data made available by rail infrastructure managers who are RNE association members. It displays first insights into the activity on key rail corridors from Ukrainian border locations, the terminals on these corridors and the in-transit location of freight and passenger trains. The following data is available:

• Train dwell-times
• Delays in days, hours and minutes
• The % share of delays

While the current data allows first insights into some of the key corridors, data from more rail terminals is needed for operators and authorities to gain access to even more information to plan their routes accordingly and remove remaining bottlenecks. Public authorities, infrastructure managers and transport companies from across Europe are invited to join the Solidarity Lanes Initiative and share their respective data – in solidarity with Ukraine and to gain valuable insights to optimise their own transport operations.

The map updates approximately every six hours. Users can also access terminal data (the number of trains at a particular station) for the last 24 hours, week and month.

Stephan Sieber, CEO of Transporeon, commented: “Creating the first large-scale European rail transport visibility solution is an immense source of pride for the Transporeon team, particularly as it will play a key role in helping Ukraine maintain vital economic ties with the rest of the continent. The Visibility Map allows all stakeholders to see congestion and transit times, enabling them to optimise transportation activity and resource deployment.”

Joachim Kroll, Secretary General of RailNetEurope, added: “Together with our association members, we are delighted to contribute to the accomplishment of this important project with data from RNE’s IT systems. The EU Ukraine Visibility Map shows rail’s ability to deliver solutions to newly emerging challenges.”

Due to the ongoing war, access to the map is closely protected. Companies wishing to join the initiative and learn more about the EU Ukraine Visibility Map can go to this website: https://www.transporeon.com/solidaritylanes

RailNetEurope (RNE) is an association of European Rail Infrastructure Managers working together under the RNE umbrella to coordinate their international processes in the areas of Capacity Management, Traffic Management, Corridor Management, and IT, with a focus on digitalisation solutions to support operational processes linked to international rail traffic.

Transporeon, a Trimble Company, our mission is to bring transportation in sync with the world. We power the largest global freight network of more than 1,400 shippers and retailers and more than 150,000 carriers and logistics service providers. Every day they execute more than 110,000 transports on our platform and book more than 100,000 dock-appointments for loading and unloading. In the course of one year, roughly €55bn in freight is being processed on our platform.

Accelerate Emission Reductions

Yard Management Solutions aims to revolutionize the yard management industry and assist Co2 emission reductions by introducing its state-of-the-art yard management software. This software has proven to be a game-changer, helping facilities reduce their carbon footprint while also unlocking significant cost savings. With the ability to save hundreds of thousands, and even millions, in the very first year, facilities can embark on a journey of unprecedented financial growth.

The traditional yard management approach can be inefficient and environmentally unfriendly, resulting in long wait times for trucks and increased emissions. Yard Management Solutions’ powerful software transforms the traditional, inefficient approach into an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solution. With reductions of up to 30% in driver travel distances, facilities utilizing Yard Management Solutions make a substantial impact on CO2 emission reduction.

Beyond its environmental advantages, this software is a significant driver of financial benefits. By optimizing yard operations and automations, this cutting-edge solution eliminates inefficiencies and drives significant cost reductions. With real-time tracking and reporting capabilities at your fingertips, facilities can say goodbye to detention fees and lost product while experiencing an amplified level of supply chain efficiency. With Yard Management Solutions’ software, you can experience a new era of financial success and operational excellence, while also contributing to a greener future. Say goodbye to wasted resources and embrace a more efficient and sustainable approach to yard management.

Yard Management Software is not just a one-time solution; it fuels long-term growth and success. By providing real-time data analysis and performance metrics, businesses gain insights into their yard operations, identify areas for improvement, and implement data-driven strategies. This commitment to continuous improvement fosters a culture of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability within the organization. With Yard Management Solutions as their trusted ally, businesses can propel themselves towards a prosperous future, standing out in a competitive market and ensuring sustained growth for years to come.

Don’t waste another minute struggling with outdated methods or incurring costly detention fees. It’s time to transform your yard into a well-oiled machine and revolutionize your business. Schedule your live demo with us today and discover how Yard Management Solutions can be the game-changer your company needs. Join the ranks of satisfied customers who have experienced the Yard Management Solutions difference. It’s time to seize control of your yard operations, save substantial costs, and propel your business to new heights.

eBook: Data Driven Logistics

Logistics Business magazine, together with the Information Factory, have produced a 7 page digital magazine on data in transport logistics. Editor Peter MacLeod talks to iFactory CEO Robert Jordan to understand how transport businesses can drive up profitability by adopting a data-driven approach. Learn how to transform data into insights and decision-making power.

Read the free eBook here.

A framework for being data driven

“Information about the package is as important as the package itself,” said Fred Smith, founder and chairman of FedEx. And it’s easy to see why. Data is generated at every stage of the logistics process. When integrated, organised and managed properly data tells you how your business is performing. More importantly, data can be used to predict future outcomes. And ultimately what you need to do to get to where you need to be. The iFactory call this being data driven.

The great thing about your data is that you don’t need to invest huge amounts of time and money in order to start out on your data driven journey. Cost effective business intelligence tools will quickly show how you’re doing against your company and department KPIs.

Predictive analytics and data science systems offer more advanced functionality such as demand forecasting, dynamic pricing and route planning. And, for those with more complex requirements, data can be used to power decision support systems that support strategic and operational work at all levels of the organisation.

The imperative faced by companies operating in today’s supply chains is to use their data to integrate with other players upstream and downstream. If they can’t they are increasingly redundant. And likely to be less efficient and more costly than those that can.

The Information Factory have developed a simple framework to help companies harness the power of their data; Strategy, Delivery, People & Culture and Technology. The recommendations in the framework have all been road tested in live situations and come from clients who’ve already embarked on their data driven journey.

And, if you’re attending Transport Logistic in Munich between May 9 – 12, you have an open invitation to visit the iFactory on stand A3 605.

eBook: Navigating the Journey of Digital Transformation

Logistics Business magazine, in association with Aptean, has produced a short digital issue eBook about Transport management operations and cloud-based route planning. In this 8-page special guide, Editor Peter MacLeod talks to Aptean’s spokespeople Gail Skinner and Ben Glossop about the benefits of digitization.

Read the eBook here now

The costs associated with the manual administration of business processes are usually unquestionably absorbed as unavoidable running costs, but in the current economic climate they are being scrutinized more closely than ever. It’s at times such as these that digital transformation can deliver a compelling ROI. Digital transformation brings many benefits to a business, and Aptean is well placed to steer customers towards a more profitable future, whether that’s optimizing time and resources, eliminating security concerns, or achieving sustainability targets.

The optimizing of transport operations is a process that can bring significant savings, especially for a business that does not consider logistics as its core function. In better times, transport is often viewed as a necessary evil, but with the cost of fuel and energy reaching unprecedented highs and labour shortages affecting recruitment of drivers, businesses are seeking new ways to reduce the size of their fleets.

The benefits brought by digital transformation vary according to the starting point of each particular customer. “We have different discussions with different types of customers,” says Ben Glossop, Vice President of Sales at Aptean. “They may be still doing their planning using an Excel spreadsheet or a whiteboard. In one case, when people were talking about pencilling in appointments I thought that was just a term they used, but when our solution team got there they were literally using a diary!” In situations like these, finding a business case to move away from a paper-based solution is a no-brainer, but in many other cases the decision to digitize isn’t always so obvious.

In terms of fleet optimisation, businesses running a minimum fleet size of around a dozen vehicles will start to benefit from using Aptean Routing & Scheduling Paragon Edition software. The solution is also used by the very largest fleet operators such as supermarkets, and although the system has evolved greatly over time there are still opportunities to make improvements. This is in part thanks to the superior algorithms behind the system that are ideally suited to deal with both the complexity and the uncertainty of truck routing. By reducing daily truck movements companies achieve savings in resources such as drivers, vehicles and fuel. Over a year that number becomes substantial.

Prior to implementation, Aptean’s team of experts will consult with the customer and apply a test data review to benchmark its current operations against the proposed solution. The greater the access to a customer’s existing data – for example to its order management system or ERP – the more the solution can be fine-tuned to produce the greatest benefits. “The software is effectively taken off the shelf and the customer then has the opportunity to sculpt the way it works to achieve the most desirable outcome,” says Glossop. “So when implementation takes place, they will as near as possible get an immediate positive result. One of the challenges that we have to deal with is the expectation that the software is telling the customer what to do. In actual fact, it is the other way round, as Aptean Routing & Scheduling responds to customer input.”

Another pushback to implementation can come from drivers themselves, however; those with something to hide are usually the most vocal in their objections. “Looking at the planned movements versus the actual movements, you can sometimes see glaring areas in which drivers are making unscheduled breaks during company time. In the vast majority of cases, however, drivers are won over when they realise that the software can bring them back to the depot or to their home at the same time every day. They’re not doing hours of overtime and no longer find themselves stuck in the middle of nowhere on a Friday afternoon.

“It’s plain sailing once they have bought into the feedback process. Aptean Routing & Scheduling can also be used as a tool to incentivise drivers to perform at the highest level of efficiency and safety. The system provides the company with data it can use to either reward their better performing drivers, or retrain those towards the bottom of the performance chart.”

With reports of cyber-attacks constantly in the news, businesses are rightly concerned about the protection of sensitive customer and commercial information; the implementation of cloud-based Software-as-a-Solution (SaaS) technology often leads to concerns about data security. Gail Skinner, Aptean’s Senior Solutions Consultant, says Aptean’s expertise in this area lays such concerns to rest. “We have a large Information Security Office led by our CIO, and our investment in that grows year-on-year,” Gail says. “Not only are Aptean security experts looking at what the standards for security are today, we also have a team who are tasked with looking at the security standards of tomorrow. They are already working out what our policies as an organisation need to be and how we can build those security standards into our products.

Aptean also partners with Microsoft Azure to securely host our products and our dedicated Reliability Engineers are responsible for our solution infrastructure, working in tandem with our product, research and development teams to make sure products are secure.”

Working from Aptean’s tech hub, these engineers build intrinsic security into the system, so all products are developed with this anti-threat policy in mind. Furthermore, should a business experience an unplanned event – such as a flood, fire, or ransomware attack – its data is safely backed-up to the cloud multiple times to a secondary site at least 300 miles away from the primary location.

Agility is another key requirement for businesses working in a dynamic industry sector such as logistics and eCommerce, where customer habits can rapidly change. Should a business need to alter the shape or size of its logistics functions or move to new premises, Gail says Aptean has it covered: “The beauty of our cloud-hosted system is that if a business moves its operation from one location to another, the software and data are not all stored on local servers that have to be relocated and reinstalled. It’s possible to literally just turn up at the new location the next day, open up the application and still access everything.

“Also, if demand increases and an Aptean Routing & Scheduling customer needs the ability to process more items, it’s really easy for us to scale-up the virtual environment that they’re in. They don’t need to invest in new hardware or new servers with better capabilities.”

The same goes for upgrades, which used to be disruptive and time-hungry when applied to on-premise hardware. Not only are upgrades now executed remotely, with no customer downtime, they can occur much more frequently than before. “Historically with Aptean Routing & Scheduling Paragon Edition as an on-premise solution, customers would get a new version of the software every year or so,” adds Ben. “In the new SaaS world, upgrades happens automatically and seamlessly behind the scenes. There are potential cost savings there, particularly around administration, as the next version is there for end users just as they open up for the new day.”

Every organisation that deploys a fleet of vehicles must be mindful of rising fuel costs. Furthermore, should it need to grow its fleet, rising bank interest rates and long lead times for new vehicles make a compelling case for optimising existing vehicle usage. The same holds true for the increasing need to reduce carbon use. Aptean’s Routing & Scheduling software is already designed to reduce the amount of fuel used, the amount of miles driven, and the number of vehicles in a fleet, so carbon use will already be minimised. On top of that, the software has an additional feature called the carbon minimiser. “This looks at getting weight off the vehicle early in its run by taking into account the size of the loads as well,” explains Ben. “So, for example, using just the mapping software, the most efficient route will be calculated taking into account factors such as time windows and rush hours. However, if the final drop on that route accounts for three-quarters of the vehicle’s load, then the carbon minimiser might propose that the heaviest is dropped first, even if it takes a little bit longer or adds a bit to the distance. The logic there is that you are not then carrying three-quarters of a load around to all the other customers.”

When Aptean consults with a customer to help make it leaner, savings aren’t just found out on the roads. Internally within a business there are often inefficient processes and functions that can be reduced or eliminated. Ben cites an example in which an employee spends the entire working day on Google Maps plotting routes for the following day’s vehicle movements. “Is that really the best use of their time and are they getting the best answer?” he asks. “In some larger operations, we have slimmed down and centralised the planning team. For smaller companies, it’s just a better use of someone’s time. A very clever transport planner will always have a role, because they can still tinker with the Aptean Routing & Scheduling plan. We don’t discourage that, because user experience and knowledge adds value and improves the quality of the plans.”

Many organisations also find savings in the area of customer services. Because the software issues automatic updates regarding planned delivery times or late arrivals, end customers are kept better informed about the status of deliveries and make fewer calls. Often, the number of customer services personnel can be reduced. Furthermore, the team needn’t be so large once processes are improved, as the number of incoming complaints will also be minimalised.

With the economic climate arguably the most challenging it has been in living memory, businesses need to be in a state of continuous improvement not only to get ahead, but sometimes also just to stay afloat. Aptean has the tools, experience and expertise to help businesses extract the maximum capability from their assets – both physical and human – to help increase performance, eliminate waste, reduce carbon usage, and, most importantly, lower costs and improve profitability.

Trimble Completes Transporeon Acquisition

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Transporeon. As a leading cloud-based transportation management platform, Transporeon provides modular applications that power a global network for more than 150,000 carriers and 1,400 shippers and retailers with an integrated suite of best-in-class sourcing, planning, execution, monitoring and settlement tools.

Trimble funded the transaction using a combination of financings it has previously announced including senior notes, a term loan, existing credit facilities and cash on hand.

Transporeon will be reported as part of Trimble’s Transportation Segment.

At Transporeon, a Trimble company, our mission is to bring transportation in sync with the world. We power the largest global freight network of more than 1,400 shippers and retailers and more than 150,000 carriers and logistics service providers. Every day they execute more than 110,000 transports on our platform and book more than 100,000 dock-appointments for loading and unloading. In the course of one year, roughly €55bn in freight is being processed on our platform.

A leading transportation management platform connects all actors along the supply chain. It facilitates collaboration between the different parties, helps to automate manual processes and provides valuable real-time insights. The modular Application Hubs solve specific logistics challenges and range from freight sourcing over transport execution and dock and yard management to freight audit and payment. Data hubs provide insights into logistics operations, market developments and carbon emissions, next to ensuring transparency in the supply chain through visibility. Our platform works across all geographies and all modes of transportation, empowering logistics teams to move, manage and monitor freight.

Transporeon is headquartered in Ulm, Germany, and maintains 18 offices around the globe with over 1,400 employees across 27 countries.

Trimble is an industrial technology company transforming the way the world works by delivering solutions that enable our customers to thrive. Core technologies in positioning, modelling, connectivity and data analytics connect the digital and physical worlds to improve productivity, quality, safety, transparency and sustainability. From purpose-built products to enterprise lifecycle solutions, Trimble is transforming industries such as agriculture, construction, geospatial and transportation.

Inform Software Opens Portugal Office

INFORM announces the opening of a new office in Portugal. With this step, the German-based optimization specialist not only aims to drive the expansion of its software solutions in the Portuguese market, but also to use the new location as a working hub to recruit international IT professionals.

With the new office in Lisbon, Portugal, the software company is expanding its presence on the Iberian Peninsula to meet the growing demand for software solutions to optimize business processes. The focus is on risk management and fraud prevention based on artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time recognition for financial institutions and the telecommunications industry. It also offers solutions for the aviation, logistics and workforce management industries, which are among the company’s core business areas in Portugal.

INFORM will also leverage the new office in Lisbon to recruit international IT professionals at the location. The newly recruited employees will then be integrated remotely into the international teams and project work at the company’s headquarters in Aachen, Germany. In addition, employees will have the opportunity to work at other INFORM Group locations for several weeks a year. INFORM thus continues on its path of offering its employees maximum flexibility for their work.

The announcement was made on March 23rd at the opening event in Lisbon, which was attended by Dr. Andreas Meyer, CEO of INFORM GmbH, and João Faísca, CEO of INFORM Portugal, among others. “We are excited to open our new office in Portugal”, said Faísca. “Our goal is to create a center for innovation and talent to attract people to work in Portugal and on international projects. At the same time, we want to demonstrate the company’s focus on the potential of the Portuguese market in the various sectors in which it operates.”

Partners to Deliver Unified Last-Mile Experience

FarEye today announced a strategic partnership with Syscons to deliver a streamlined, end-to-end pre- and post-purchase last-mile delivery experience for retailers, fashion brands and manufacturers in Europe. The FarEye delivery management platform becomes part of Syscons’ supply chain and omnichannel solutions they support and implement, with the aim to simplify and expedite customers’ implementations, leading to faster time-to-market and increased value on their investments. FarEye will work closely with Syscons with customers particularly in Southern Europe to deploy their last-mile solutions.

FarEye will work with both divisions of Syscons Group – Syscons Interactive and Syscons Industries- which supports fashion brands and retailers in their digital transformation journey and manufacturers in their direct-to-consumer transformation journey. Together, the companies will provide a superior last-mile technology platform with Syscons’ omnichannel portfolio for a complete end-to-end commerce solution. This partnership also combines Syscons’ SAP expertise as well as FarEye’s SAP-certified last-mile and parcel visibility capabilities to bridge the gap between strategy and execution of the complex transition from serving business to serving consumers.

“One of the biggest challenges for companies in implementing a last-mile platform into their technology stack is the sheer complexity and volume of technology to integrate – from WMS to OMS to ERP,” said Suryansh Jalan, president, FarEye. “Combining our last-mile platform with Syscons’ expertise deploying large-scale omnichannel solutions solves this challenge, leading to faster deployments and value for companies as they look to turn the order-to-door delivery experience into a competitive advantage.”

FarEye’s products are oriented to key areas in the last-mile delivery journey – Ship, Track, Route, Execute, and Experience. Underpinned by the FarEye delivery management platform, FarEye ensures deliveries are on-time and accurate, from order-to-door. Companies rely on FarEye to increase operational efficiencies in the last mile, and create brand loyalty through successful delivery experiences.

“We share a common vision with FarEye to ensure a superior consumer experience. Combining both our technologies and our expertise strengthens our collective ability to help brands and retailers create efficient, successful commerce strategies that drive revenue and lower costs,” said Fabio Arrigoni, Partner, Syscons Interactive.

“We look forward to expediting manufacturing last-mile delivery strategies together for our joint customers,” said Pierpaolo Russo, Managing Director, Syscons Industries.

FarEye’s Delivery Management platform turns deliveries into a competitive advantage. Retail, e-commerce and third-party logistics companies use FarEye’s unique combination of orchestration, real-time visibility, and branded customer experiences to simplify complex last-mile delivery logistics. The FarEye platform allows businesses to increase consumer loyalty and satisfaction, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies. FarEye has 150+ customers across 30 countries and five offices globally. FarEye, First Choice for Last Mile.

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