Global transportation management for Imperial

Imperial Logistics has implemented a standardised transport management system for all its road-transport operations in Africa and Europe.

The new software solution covers all aspects of transport management including planning and controlling, tracking and telematics, quoting, order management, invoicing and accounting.

Michael Lütjann, CIO at Imperial Logistics, explains that the CarLo Transport Management System from Soloplan has been chosen.

“Clients will also have better access to information through real-time tracking. Client service will be enhanced by extended reporting and augmented analytics capabilities that encompass orders, shipments, vehicles and drivers,” he says.

“The financial benefits that will be delivered include optimal management of cost and revenue, transaction auditability from start to finish and a clear view of profit and loss,” Lütjann adds.

CarLo’s web-based communications platform ensures that data is synchronised in real time, and is designed to reduce logistics costs and eliminate transmission errors.

“The switch in the individual business divisions has already been completed in Johannesburg, Stellenbosch and Durban,” Lütjann says.

Doug Vela, CIO of Imperial Logistics South Africa, reports that the group achieved increases in productivity within weeks of implementing the new system in Africa.

He notes that subcontractors can be smoothly connected to CarLo through interfaces with many other transport management systems, while drivers connect via an app to the “InTouch” telematics system (embedded in CarLo), and can then transmit their status reports. There are plans to link up about 900 drivers.

Imperial Logistics will complete the roll out of the new system during 2019, and it will be employed at all the group’s business locations around the globe, by some 2 000 users.