Fortna has promoted Nikko Pianetto
to executive vice president and Will
King to Pianetto’s former role as group
vice president of integrated technology
solutions. … ArrowStream, a logistics
services and supply chain technology
provider for the foodservice industry,
has appointed Mitch Rader its new chief
executive officer. … Parts supplier TVH
in the Americas has promoted Antonio
Velez to general manager for TVH Parts Mexico.
… Kevin Thuet has joined
the supply chain consulting firm Commonwealth
Supply Chain Advisors. …
Chris Mitchell, formerly
director of global specialized solutions
in Asia Pacific at Crane Worldwide, has
been promoted to vice president, glob-
al specialized solutions. …
American Global Logistics
has named Jon Slangerup
chief executive officer and
executive chairman of the
board. … BluJay Solutions,
a provider of supply chain software
and services, has named Katie Kinraid
general manager of the Asia-Pacific
(APAC) region. … BDP International,
a privately owned global logistics and
transportation solutions company, has
hired Todd Dooley as chief financial
officer. … Toyota Material Handling
U.S.A. Inc. has made several organization changes for key positions this year.
The new lineup includes: Bill Finerty,
vice president of sales, distribution,
and dealer development; Steve Tadd,
director of marketing and information technologies; Stephen Rosenberg,
national manager of marketing; Mike
Parker, national manager of part sales
and procurement; Anne Ewing, national manager of dealer operations; Brian
Liggett, national manager of parts operations; Mike Heyden, national manager
of aftermarket sales and service; Jewell
Brown, strategic account executive;
Troy Kaiser, strategic account executive; and Niels Ostergaard, value selling
manager.
SLANGERUP
THUET
newsmakers
Canadian logistics software developer Descartes Systems Group Inc.
significantly expanded its presence in the fast-growing truckload visibility market by acquiring MacroPoint LLC for $107 million in cash
and stock, Descartes’ 16th acquisition in less than four years and its
most expensive purchase in 10 years.
Cleveland-based MacroPoint is considered the pioneer in loca-tion-based truck tracking services, providing a platform where
shippers, freight brokers, and third-party logistics service providers
(3PLs) can track the location of shipments in real time. In addition,
MacroPoint leverages its tracking data to predict freight capacity
availability so users can improve their load-planning capabilities.
MacroPoint’s North American network spans approximately 2
million truck assets and drivers, and connects to vehicles through
multiple pathways, such as on-board electronic logging devices
(ELDs), GPS-enabled smartphones, mobile phones, and transportation management systems (TMS). MacroPoint has about $12.5 million in annualized revenues, based on Descartes’ calculations made
at the time of the purchase. Descartes paid $87 million in cash for
MacroPoint and $20 million more in stock.
While it is still the market leader, MacroPoint’s dominance is being
challenged by companies like Chicago-based project44, Boulder,
Colo.-based 10-4 Systems Inc., and Chicago-based FourKites Inc.
MacroPoint and FourKites have been engaged in a protracted legal
dispute that centered on FourKites’ unsuccessful bid to invalidate two
of MacroPoint’s patents.
Descartes, which is based in Waterloo, Ont., has been involved in
the trucking visibility space through its “Global Logistics Network,”
which connects truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers to
customers via electronic data interchange (EDI) and other messaging protocols. The MacroPoint acquisition strengthens Descartes’
asset-tracking and predictive-capacity capabilities, as well as the size
of the vehicle and driver universe it will be able to reach, according to
Mavi Silveira, a Descartes spokeswoman.
Truckload visibility platforms have become a hot ticket, with one
estimate indicating that growth will double every three years. By accurately knowing their shipment’s location before it arrives, shippers
and intermediaries can reduce leadtimes, enable efficient cross-dock-ing operations, and provide consignees with real-time status updates.
In the past, this level of information was available only in closed-loop
transportation networks, not across the common-carrier universe.
Descartes acquires freight visibility
provider MacroPoint
In our August issue (“Newsmakers,” p. 19), we incorrectly reported
the name of Truckstop.com’s new chief economist. The new staff
member is Noël Perry, an economist who specializes in analyzing
risks in the transportation market. Perry will continue to serve as an
independent consultant in transportation and logistics. DC VELOCITY
regrets the error.
oversight
