Suffolk based Shore Logistics, founded by Natalie Caraccio, has gone from strength to strength since its formation earlier this year. Defying a tough marketplace in a male dominated sector, the start-up haulier has put her growing success down to goodwill, the best drivers the industry has to offer – and her transport management system, Hosted Tops, provided by Fargo Systems.

Working for Bawdsey Haulage and then Fowler Welch before being made redundant, Natalie identified an opportunity to continue to service a ‘Dry freight’ contract and manage the logistics supply chain; all of whom she had formed strong relationships with over the previous seven years. And so with the goodwill of her peers, existing clients and commitment from dedicated sub-contractors, Shore Logistics was borne.

Shore Logistics needed a cost effective, easy to use, flexible transport management system that would help her manage jobs efficiently without being constantly on the phone to drivers and Fargo Systems’ Hosted TOPS / SaaS system (Software as a Service) provides the ideal solution for the newly formed Shore Logistics.

Natalie Caraccio, Director of Shore Logistics comments: “I was able to react to the supply and demand opportunities that arose to form Shore Logistics and Fargo Systems provided a management system that has proved invaluable in maintaining a fluid supply chain for my clients. As a new company and single user, it was important that I chose a transport management system that was cost effective, scalable and could easily report on scheduled jobs, completed jobs and the status of current jobs instantly and with up to date information.”

Fargo System’s has the ability to tailor its innovative transport management solutions to the needs of clients, regardless of their cargo, location or size and can be accessed via a secure connection from anywhere that has an internet connection, whether in the office, at home or on the move via smart phone.

Leading nationwide logistics provider, Pentalver Group, has chosen Fargo Systems’ TOPS™ software to manage its UK haulage operation. The enterprise level transport management system enables complete management control from transport order through logistic resource planning to trunk status tracking, QA and detention management and job completion and invoicing. This along with a full fleet management module providing licence management (for own drivers and subcontractors), GIT insurance checks for subcontractors and comprehensive revenue and cost analysis accounting for all vehicle costs, depreciation/lease costs, fuel and payroll costs.

Pentalver Group will benefit immediately with the integration of automated EDI interfaces from many shipping lines, key suppliers and to/from other operators within the TOPS community. Enhanced optimisation of assets and management between depots means that Pentalver will be able to coordinate jobs in a way that logistically benefits themselves and suppliers: improving visibility of KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) and information analysis and ensuring efficient resource management, improved customer service and profit maximisation.

Chris Lawrenson , Pentalver Group Managing Director, comments: “The TOPS software is excellent and enables our logistics supply chain to become much more streamlined. We can easily report on scheduled jobs, completed jobs and the status of current jobs – all instantly and with up to date information.”

Andy Miller, Director of Fargo Systems comments: “It is a very exciting project for Fargo Systems and Pentalver and one where we can deliver huge benefits. We are absolutely delighted that Pentalver Group has chosen to work with us.”

Pentalver Group is a leading provider of container-related activities in the UK, with a modern fleet of vehicles and state-of-the-art facilities at Southampton, Felixstowe, Cannock and Tilbury.

Fargo specialises in developing software systems for companies in the shipping and transport industries. Formed in 2002, the company is the UK market leader specialising in the container haulage industry thanks to the original TOPS software, which manages an amazing 3 million container moves each year. Fargo’s ability to tailor its innovative transport management solutions to the needs of clients, regardless of their cargo or location, has made it possible to expand the company into new sectors.

A V Dawson choose Fargo System’s ‘CYMAN’ for new £2.6m
Intermodal Rail Terminal

Leading logistics and supply chain specialist, A V Dawson, have chosen Fargo Systems’ CYMAN (Container Yard Management) software solution for their brand new £2.6 million intermodal rail terminal at Riverside Park Estate, Middlesbrough.

CYMAN will be used to manage all of the container movements and activities at the new site. Built to service growing levels of freight coming up the River Tees, Phase one of the ‘state of the art’ terminal will have rail sidings capable of handling trains carrying up to 80 containers at any one time with 16,000 square metres of operational area and storage for up to 1,200 containers. Phases two and three will increase the operational area capacity by an additional 24,000 square metres.

A V Dawson will benefit from Fargo’s ability to provide efficient solutions, with options of integrating transport and interfacing with existing account packages. CYMAN can be easily ‘scaled’ for A V Dawson as their business develops, additional yards and storage areas can be added – Fargo can also provide EDI links with many shipping lines for managing gate moves and container repairs.

Fargo Director, Hemant Patel, comments: “A V Dawson is a superb partner for Fargo and a very exciting prospect, especially with their diverse service offerings. With a strong track record of investing in the future and a reputation of developing innovative solutions to improve customers’ logistics – we are really looking forward to working together.”

Gary Dawson, A V Dawson’s Managing Director adds: “Fargo demonstrated they could provide modern, easy to use and scalable solutions that fit in with our growth plans.”

Fargo Systems also provides transport & logistics solutions and specialise in modern, effective software for the logistics industry.

Transport Operator, September 2011 – IT Helping Transport Industry Work Harder and Smarter

The recession has left transport and logistics operators under severe commercial pressure. Soaring fuel prices alone over the past 12 months have added around £5,700 to the annual cost of running a 44-tonne truck.

Long-term, the recent 2011 White Paper on the Single European Transport Area suggests that any road freight delivery much above 190 miles will no longer be environmentally viable, and confirms that pressure will grow for trucks to use less fuel and produce fewer emissions when making deliveries of up to 190 miles.

The White Paper also proposes cutting carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050, along with a 50% shift of medium distance intercity passenger and freight journeys away from road and on to rail and waterborne transport. Inter-modal transport routes will become far more common as a result.

So how can the transport sector respond to these short and longer term challenges? Technology offers part of the answer through the increased use of telematics, traditionally thought of as appropriate only for larger operators. Research, by the Freight Transport Association (FTA,) shows that telematics make commercial sense for smaller operators as well.

An FTA telematics trial with waste management operator Vetspeed improved fleet fuel consumption and delivered potential savings of £13,000 a year. The data recovered helped drivers modify their driving and also improved productivity by 200 drops a month through better routeing and closer monitoring of driver behaviour.

Julian Barker of the FTA said: “This shows what can be done when a responsible and forward-looking operator adopts the latest technology and applies it intelligently.”

As well as running fleets as fuel efficiently as possible, logistics operators need to minimise empty running, plan routeing and deliveries more efficiently, optimise container twinning and reloads, and balance more carefully own-vehicle use and use of subcontractors. These are all areas where IT and electronic data can play a role. Enhanced telematics and mobile solutions offer full visibility of delivery and arrival times, and supply data automatically without harassing drivers with endless mobile calls, texts or emails from the transport office.

One company looking ahead at IT within logistics is Fargo Systems. Their Transport Operations and Processing System (TOPS) software manages three million container moves a year and Fargo have now launched TOPS into the distribution and general haulage sectors. TOPS gives management control all the way from point of order through logistic resource planning, fleet management, financial integration and to full analysis.

National container transport company MacIntyre Transport were delighted with the results when Fargo Systems implemented their solution using mobile PDAs in 38 MacIntyre vehicles. The Fargo solution combines job management, PoD’s, vehicle tracking and phone/SMS communications within a single mobile phone/PDA device. This allows operators to assign jobs to drivers who, in turn, use the device to accept the job. Job status, arrival, departure, load, unload and delays are automatically updated in TOPS which also captures electronic proof of delivery, manages driver timesheets and handles defect reporting.

Paul Miller, Director, MacIntyre Transport, said: “Being able to manage jobs from start to finish without operators and drivers being constantly on the phone saves a great deal of time and means that we can optimise efficiency and service for our clients.”

A key question is whether dedicated in-cab equipment or the new generation of Windows Mobile devices and Google’s Android smartphones, are the way to go. Car firms have already realised that factory fitted and costly entertainment and information centres are almost impossible to update and are quickly rendered technologically obsolete by £200 aftermarket alternatives. Firms like Saab and Mercedes-Benz are now looking to fit dashboards with iPad style screens linked to Android software which can be continuously updated. Is this the future for vans and trucks as well?

Whichever solution is adopted, the need to communicate vast amounts of data instantly in real time will become more compelling as operators seek greater efficiencies, more effectively controlled costs, and to comply with ever tighter EU environmental legislation.

Fargo Systems Helps Russell Group Growth with FMCG Giant

John G Russell (Transport) Ltd has created a number of efficiency savings by integrating Fargo System’s TOPS™ (Transport Operations & Processing Systems) software with a major FMCG client. Whilst unable to announce who the FMCG client is, the Russell Group did highlight that TOPS had enabled the distributor to significantly streamline and grow its business.

The Russell Group provides high quality logistic services to, from and within Scotland and uses TOPS to manage over 350 jobs per day. Thanks to Fargo’s TOPS software the Russell Group has automated and integrated many of the essential yet time-consuming back-office processes such as logging and processing orders, booking/rebooking jobs, load planning and itemised Proof of Deliveries. This has provided many efficiency savings and enabled the business to increase the number of orders, without increasing staffing overheads.

Paul Hinds, Director at the Russell Group, says: “Fargo’s software has enabled us to strengthen our services, providing robust back office systems and planning facilities which have allowed us to increase the number of orders we can fulfil. Working with them has really made a difference to the business and has enabled us to take positive steps forward in our development.”

Steve Collins from Fargo comments: “As our first distribution client we are delighted that our TOPS software is having such a positive impact on the Russell Group.“

Fargo specialises in developing software systems for companies in the shipping and transport industries. Formed in 2002, the company is the UK market leader specialising in the container haulage industry, thanks to the original TOPS software, which manages an amazing 3 million container moves each year. Fargo’s ability to tailor its innovative transport management solutions to the needs of clients, regardless of their cargo or location, has made it possible to expand the company into new sectors.

Fargo Systems HelpsMacIntyre Transport Get Mobile

Fargo Systems is working with MacIntyre Transport Ltd, a national container transport company, to help them become even more efficient. Fargo Systems has implemented their TOPS… on the go mobile PDA solution into 38 MacIntyre vehicles; with a plan to roll it out across all 120 trucks in the near future.

The portable TOPS… on the go solution combines three separate devices (job management, vehicle tracking and phone/SMS communications) into one mobile phone/PDA device. This enables operators and drivers to automatically manage jobs: operators are able to assign jobs to drivers who can in turn use the devise to accept the job, whilst job status on arrival, departure, load, unload and delays are automatically updated in TOPS. TOPS… on the go also captures electronic proof of delivery, manages driver timesheets and handles defect reporting.

Kevin Terrill, Product Director at Fargo Systems, says: “TOPS… on the go allows our customers to be even more efficient and ensures that their resources are being optimised. For MacIntyre Transport the addition of a portable version of the software enhances the existing traditional TOPS traffic management system they were already using, by providing instant updates on jobs and access to up-to-date information from any location.”

Paul Miller, Director at MacIntyre Transport Ltd, adds: “Being able to manage jobs from start to finish without operators and drivers being constantly on the phone saves a great deal of time for both our drivers and office based staff. It means that we can optimise efficiency and service for our clients – crucial in the transportation industry!”

Fargo specialises in developing software systems for companies in the shipping and transport industries. Formed in 2002, the company is the UK market leader specialising in the container haulage industry, thanks to the original TOPS software, which manages an amazing 3 million container moves each year.

New Transport Operations & Processing System Launches for Distribution Sector

Fargo Systems, creators of the popular TOPS™ (Transport Operations & Processing Systems) software – an innovative transport system management solution, has announced its launch into the distribution and general haulage sectors.

The enterprise-level transport management system enables complete management control from point of order through logistic resource planning, invoicing and posting, to accounts. A new release for ‘TOPS for General/Distribution’ encompasses a Profit Optimiser Tool which assists in planning loads and maximising profits by managing costs of own fleet deliveries versus any number of subcontractors with varying rates. The robust, high performance TOPS software is currently used in 15 countries.

Steve Collins from Fargo Systems comments: “Our TOPS software is ideal for the distribution and general haulage sectors as it provides businesses with the ability to manage all transport elements using one system whilst optimising profits and ensuring logistics are running as efficiently as possible.” He continues: “Fargo has an enviable reputation for being innovation specialist; we have built a fantastic suite of tools that enable us to deliver top-end management solutions to a wide range of customers no matter their size or location.”

Fargo specialises in developing software systems for companies in the shipping and transport industries. Formed in 2002, the company is the UK market leader specialising in the container haulage industry, thanks to the original TOPS software, which manages an amazing 3 million container moves each year.

Fargo’s ability to tailor its innovative transport management solutions to the needs of clients, regardless of their cargo or location, has made it possible to expand the company into new sectors.