The “Client Connect” event was a showcase for the businesses next iterations of its core suite of software, Forward Office, as well as several significant steps forward for the firm. 

50 invited guests, consisting of the business’ customers and technology partners, came together for the first time for a series of engaging talks and question-and-answer panels from Forward Solutions’ staff and key technology collaborators. 

The event capped a successful year for Forward Solutions, following its purchase by the Forward Computers Alliance Limited group in March 2024, which is made up of freight industry mainstays, Davies Turner, Woodland Group and the Cardinal Partnership. 

Newly promoted Forward Solutions General Manager, Tom Donnelly, said of the event: “The last 12 months have been huge for Forward Solutions. We have seen a lot of positive change and steps forward for the business in a short space of time. 

“The Client Connect event allowed us to share our vision for the future of Forward Solutions with those that matter most to us, our customers. We had a lot of developments to share and also wanted to receive immediate feedback on our plans. 

“We have always been a collaborative company, and have long-standing relationships with our customers, many of which go back decades, so to see and hear from these individuals was the perfect scenario for us.” 

Nottingham-headquartered Forward Solutions has been operating for almost four decades and delivers its customers based across the world with industry-leading freight software. 

With an increasing number of pressure points at different stages throughout the global supply chain and costs continuing to rise, the firm is aware of the need for greater efficiency from its software functions for customers.  

Integrations into one of its key pieces of software, Forward Vision, are ongoing, and soon to be revealed, while a major project at the company is set to be unveiled later in 2025. 

Tom, who has been with Forward Solutions for over 20 years, said: “Our new owners are looking to make us as dynamic as possible. We aim to continue delivering the strong customer service we are known for, while continuing on our upward growth trajectory into 2025 and beyond. 

“We see this as being possible through maintaining an open line of communication with our customers and listening to what it is they are requiring from their software provider. 

“We look forward to hosting further Client Connect events in the future for our customers.”

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The joint venture is called Forward Computers Alliance Limited and is the vehicle through which the three leading independent freight forwarding and supply chain management companies now jointly own Forward Computers Limited, which trades as Forward Solutions.

Both the Cardinal Partnership and Woodland Group are long-standing clients of Forward Computers, and have been investing and building their own digital logistics software in-house for many years. Davies Turner has been assessing the freight software company’s products as part of an exercise aimed at enhancing its existing freight management systems that have been developed in-house to date.

Freight Software Group acquired Forward Computers Ltd in 2019, with its products rebranded to trade under the Forward Solutions name in 2021, and will continue to own BoxTop Technologies.

Speaking about the reason for the sale, Christopher Hewlett CEO of Freight Software Group said:

“I was excited when two existing clients and a potential client made it clear that they were keen to combine forces to invest in the business, and utilise their huge practical experience in the operation of freight forwarding and supply chain management services to influence the design of next-generation systems.

“The development will likely result in an increase in the number of staff employed by Forward Computers, which will remain headquartered in Nottingham, whilst having no negative impact on the existing IT structures of the three joint venture partners.”

Speaking on behalf of the new owner, Brian Hay, CEO of the Cardinal Partnership said: “We welcome this opportunity to acquire one of the UK’s foremost suppliers of software to the freight transport sector.

“With hundreds of years’ collective experience in providing multimodal solutions across air, sea, road, and rail freight, the three partners understand how the industry is evolving, and how freight management software needs to evolve alongside to offer a range of processes and systems that deliver success.

“As co-owners, we look forward to supporting Forward Computers in further developing its range of software solutions that help its clients adapt to an ever-changing landscape.

“Those clients, many of which have business relations with the joint venture’s three owners already, can rest assured that Forward Computers trading under the Forward Solutions brand, will continue to be run as a completely independent business, with client confidentiality assured.”

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Chris joined Forward Solutions in March 2022 and has over 30 years of experience in the freight industry.

He started his career at MAT Transport working as an Export Clerk/Supervisor. During his time here, Chris became the company’s Forward Office ‘super user’.

After a 17-year stint at the business, he became an IT Manager at International Forwarding, where he specialised in network and software support.

Chris was eager for a new challenge and wanted to secure a role that was local to his home in Nottingham, which led him to join Forward Solutions as a Customer Success Manager.

His main priorities consist of helping his customer portfolio get the best out of the products, by taking on feedback and optimising their experience. By doing this, he helps to improve the capabilities of the system.

Chris said:

“The freight sector is something I have an extensive amount of experience in, and I am glad I can bring that knowledge to the team at Forward Solutions.

“I enjoy my time here and the different teams work so well together – it’s a perfect dynamic. With the roll-out of exciting software this year, such as Forward Vision, I’m looking forward to seeing what else we can help provide our clients with in 2024.”

In the future, Chris wants to continue helping the team service its existing client base, while also playing an integral role in supporting the company’s growth.

Outside of work, Chris keeps himself very busy: he is a fencing coach in Nottingham, alongside being a touch rugby referee. He is also involved in community allotment projects and enjoys hiking around the countryside.

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Kevin joined Forward Computers in 1998 and has over 25 years of experience in the freight industry under his belt. 

His first introduction to Forward Solutions was when he worked as a Technical Director at Ecotrans Ltd in 1986. The transport and logistics service were one of the first customers of Forward Office, with Kevin becoming hugely familiar with the capabilities of the software during his 12-year stint at the business. 

In March 1988, Kevin was eager for a new challenge. After his experience with the system at Forward, he applied for a position at the company and took on the role of Project and Implementation Manager. In this role, he was provided with his own set of clients to look after. His skillset is focused mostly on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and he created documents for the external and internal use of EDI for a selection of customers. 

After progressing into an Integration Specialist role, he has recently transitioned into a training-focused position alongside Nigel Smith, with the pair looking to share over five decades of their combined knowledge.  

Although he will be helping the internal team and customers with different modules of the system, he will be specifically positioned to ensure that his knowledge of EDI is passed on to them.  

Kevin added: 

“As I have been at Forward for over 25 years, I have seen massive changes in the way the business operates. I used to deal with a lot of face-to-face communication with customers and the internal team, but now I will be hosting training sessions, both online and in-person.  

“I am eager to share my knowledge with our people, especially when it comes down to EDI. The staff at Forward always need to have lots of knowledge of all the systems, but It’s great to be an expert in an area as specific as EDI. It means I can give confidence to the next generation of our staff who are coming through, and we, as a business, will retain this information.” 

Outside of work, Kevin is a huge music fan and aims to attend up to 50 gigs each year! His favourite song is Sweet Little Mystery by John Martin. He is also into lots of sports and is a supporter of Manchester City FC.  

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Nigel, who hails from Maidstone, Kent, joined Forward Computers (as the company was then known) in 1996, before it rebranded in 2021 as Forward Solutions. He primarily looked after Forward’s Southern client base, before he recently transitioned into his new training role.

Before joining Forward Solutions, Nigel worked across numerous firms within the freight sector. He began his career after having various clerical positions at Overseas Containers Ltd, before joining P&O Containers Ltd in 1987, where he progressed to the position of Operations Supervisor.

It was at Oceanlink Ltd, whom he joined in 1990, which led him to discover a new career opportunity. Oceanlink was an existing customer of Forward Computers, and Nigel’s interest in the company was piqued.

He quickly became interested in how the software worked at Forward Solutions, as he worked so closely with it, and as a result an opportunity to join the business as a Project Manager in 1996 became available.

In this new role, he focused on applying the various systems Forward work with to customers across the UK and Europe. He went on to add many other roles and responsibilities in his time at Forward and is about to enter the next stage of his career.

After over 27 years at the company, Nigel is now transitioning into a training role providing training for customers and helping with recruitment and inductions.

Nigel added:

“After being in the industry for over three decades, I’ve seen a huge change in the sector. I’ve always had the mindset to move with the times and it’s so important to be open to new ideas and challenges – I even worked from home before it was fashionable! You must always be adaptive and forward-thinking, and that’s why we are constantly pushing our products forward.

“I am excited to share my experience and knowledge accrued over the years with the team at Forward Solutions, while also recruiting the next generation of IT specialists.”

In his spare time, Nigel likes to spend time with his grandchildren and is a big fan of sports, regularly watching F1, football, cricket and rugby. He has also taken on the mission of carrying out DIY tasks around the house!

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HMRC recently announced that CDS, which is the replacement declaration service for CHIEF, used when moving goods into and out of the UK, will now become the UK’s single customs platform from 30 March 2024.

John Varley, Product Specialist at Forward Solutions, says that the latest deadline extension, the third since the switch to the new service was first announced back in August 2021, is a positive move for businesses within the sector: “The situation has changed a lot since CDS’ initial deadline was set for November 2022.

“Right now, the finer points of inventory controlled exports have not been fully resolved between HMRC and the Community Service Providers (CSPs). The primary reason for the delay is due to issues with inventory linked exports (ILEs), which has ultimately led to the March 2024 revised deadline.

“The industry has largely welcomed this extension, as the issues relating to imports and that earlier deadline, should not be repeated for exports. The extension will allow remaining points to be resolved in a calm manner. It’s a pragmatic decision and one that all parties are happy with.”

Forward Solutions has been preparing its customers for the impending deadline, and many are already prepared for this new element of CDS.

John added: “CDS is already being used by lots of businesses to transmit exports that are non-inventory linked, or Goods Vehicle Movement Services (GVMS) related shipments. This has been the case for several months, with some of our traders taking part in the HMRC pilot programme.

“This has been very successful, and we have come across a few minor issues, as one would expect, which have been quickly resolved – it has been a relatively painless process so far.

“We are hoping this experience will give the rest of the service the best chance of operating as smoothly as possible come March 2024.”

John, however, does have a word of warning for traders, in relation to the migration to CDS exports: “Even though there is an extension, businesses should not use that as an excuse to delay their own implementation of the necessary upgrades and training of staff, where required.

“By getting ahead of the game with this deadline, companies can position themselves well to fully make use of the new service.”

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This trend has led freight technology firm, Forward Solutions, to implement new software, which is set to provide huge improvements for customers, with a smoother, more efficient ticketing system.

The addition of HaloITSM, will do just that, revolutionising ticketing operations and improving customer communication in the process, saving time and money.

HaloITSM is the gateway to supporting customers through an ever-evolving ticketing system, which when partnered alongside a self-service portal lends itself perfectly to centralising communications.

Forward Solutions customers can now find exactly what they need through the self-service portal. And the potential of HaloITSM does not end there. No, the system houses many modules with a fully customisable element, allowing the user to toggle products on and off as needed.

HaloITSM has been designed to showcase a huge range of analytics and information that help support customer service. A new IT ticketing system provides up-to-the minute workflows, that centralises processes, keeping everything under one roof.

The platform is incredibly flexible and the team at Forward Solutions have been able to adapt it and utilise certain key functions that it knows its customers will benefit from, with further features to be unlocked and developed in the near future.

The team at Forward Solutions have been integrating the software into its own standards and procedures since April 2022, with a dedicated team putting hundreds of hours into the development. This has ensured the service has undergone rigorous testing and is in perfect shape for its own customers to use.

The Software Support team at Forward Solutions has already noticed a huge difference when it comes to efficiency in the workplace. Neil Howdle, Software Support, describes HaloITSM’s impact so far:

“The HaloITSM ticketing portal is very simple to use and pleasing to the eye which gives the application a cleaner and intuitive feel. It suits all areas of the business, rather than having to adapt to the way the application works.

“We have found that it is highly customisable, and the team have implemented changes based on colleague feedback, such as including a knowledge base, which can be a source of assistance – allowing the issued our clients experience to be resolved in a timely manner.

“The way in which HaloITSM works has already saved us many, many working hours in the day. It has unlocked such a great deal of time, that we are already noticing our teams have more availability to develop and work on more critical job role functions, rather than spending time on more time-wasting roles.”

At the forefront of industry innovations, Forward Solutions is continuing to look for different ways to continue improving not only its own customer service, but also the efficiency of its offerings.

As a result, it is not only Forward Solutions’ own internal team that is benefitting from HaloITSM. Almost thirty of the company’s customer base has either signed up to use or is already using the service at present.

Overseeing much of this implementation phase, is Helen Palmer, Support Manager at Forward Solutions.

She sees a bright future for HaloITSM within Forward and its customer base: “As a company, we are continuously reviewing our existing processes versus the latest technology available on the market, to ensure that both internally and externally, we are using the best of the best.

“Our commitment in utilising HaloITSM is just the latest in several projects we are looking at to continue assisting the growth of Forward Solutions and our customers.”

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Nigel Smith and Kevin Bell have held key roles at the company for over three decades having overseen a great deal of change over that time at the company.

Nigel, a Customer Success Manager, joined Forward Computers, as the company was then known in 1996, before it rebranded in 2021 as Forward Solutions, having initially been a customer.

He joined the firm to add his extensive freight industry experience to the ranks, which has formed a huge part of his 27 years with Forward Solutions. Based in Maidstone, Nigel has worked flexibly – “even before it became the norm!” and supports the company’s southern based clients.

Integration Specialist Kevin was a former customer of the company when he joined in 1998. He was one of the first users of Forward Office, the flagship freight management solution in 1986, the year Forward Solutions began its operations. He has mostly worked in the integration of EDI (electronic data interchange), a very technical process, within which he is an industry-renowned expert.

As they look to the future, both Nigel and Kevin are beginning to switch their focus to providing help and support to the rest of the workforce. They are administering training to the entire team at Forward Solutions, to ensure their combined knowledge is passed to the entire business.

Nigel said: “I have enjoyed a great career so far here at Forward Solutions. We have seen lots of innovation and improvement in our time at the company. I know from working so closely with our customers that they truly enjoy and see the benefits of using our products, and we have always remained at the forefront of adopting new technology to help improve our offering.

“Having worked in the freight industry for almost five decades, I want to pass on and impart the accrued knowledge I have gained in that time to my colleagues. It will only improve the level of service we will be providing our customers with – I’m excited about this next phase of my career!”

Kevin added: “I came to Forward for a new challenge in 1998, and I have definitely had that throughout my time here to date, as the industry and company has shifted with the times.

“We remain a forward-thinking, progressive company, and I know it’s energising for both Nigel and myself to be passing down our expertise to the rest of the team.”

Christopher Hewlett, Freight Software Group CEO, said: “Nigel and Kevin are both excellent and valued team players, and have been ever since they joined us. They have overseen a lot of change in both the technology and freight industries over that time, but have always stayed well informed, and continued to deliver our high-quality service to our customers.

“Now, as they look to the next chapter of their careers, we are delighted to have them providing guidance and support to the rest of our team, through the implementation of comprehensive training programmes in their specialisms.”

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2023 marked the third straight year the Forward Solutions team exhibited at Multimodal, the must-attend flagship trade show within the supply chain industry – with over 10,000 visitors making the trip to the NEC, Birmingham this year.   

Sharing a huge showpiece stand at the three-day event with sister company BoxTop Technologies, which had expanded by 25% for 2023, Forward Solutions’ Managing Director Richard Litchfield and his team were delighted, as a record number of new and existing customers alike visiting their display throughout the event. 

Speaking from Multimodal 2023, Richard said: “This year’s Multimodal has to be the biggest and best attended event we have been a part of to-date. Our work this year has been all about improving our sustainable credentials and continuing to provide our high levels of customer service. 

“It is always enjoyable catching up face-to-face with our long-standing customers, of which we are delighted to have so many renewing year-after-year with us. But, we always enjoy seeing new faces at our stand, who want to know more about how our technology solutions can help their companies become more efficient.  

“Forward Vision, in particular, has attracted a lot of interest this year. We have received a lot of positive user feedback on its use as a piece of software, with its real-time tracking capabilities seeming to have really captured the imagination of many visitors to our stands.” 

New to the Forward Solutions stand this year, was a brand-new testimonial video, with representatives from customers such as: Baxter Freight, Uniexpress, Woodland and RW Freight on camera describing why Forward Solutions was the ideal choice for their technological needs. 

As a result, the stand attracted lots of visitors from transport and logistics firms who were eager to hear more about how the Nottingham-headquartered company could support them as they embark on their technology journey. 

As well as Forward Vision proving the be a hot conversation topic, Forward’s team were highlighting new developments that are available for organisations to improve efficiencies and help cut unnecessary operating costs. The company’s brand-new UI (user interface) was also demoed, which allowed customers to view the future of freight management software for themselves. 

Forward Solutions has been providing IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight since 1986, and, as the company closes in on its fourth decade in business, Richard says, it is not slowing down on its innovation. 

“As a business, we are always looking to the future and what is next for the industry. This places us at the forefront of technological advances and allows us to offer our customers the latest and greatest solutions possible. 

“The customer feedback we receive is critical to our future development, too, and enables us to really focus on what our customers need. We famously tailor our software to provide our customers with solutions that fit their specific requirements.” 

The Forward Solutions team is one of the longest established freight software development companies, providing an end-to-end solution for a wide range of operators with 20+ users in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.  The company, which has a Southampton office in addition to its Nottingham headquarters, are transport sector specialists, providing IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

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Software specialist, Forward Solutions, is helping companies like Uniexpress, look to the future with its latest software release, Forward Vision.

The software allows freight management companies to closely track the real-time progress of customer shipments, whether in the air, on the road or across the sea.

Michael Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Uniexpress, said: “Forward Vision has directly led to us gaining new customers. Before, some of our potential customers with whom we wanted to build a partnership would not have considered joining us without a live tracking system.

“Now, we’re in the process of rolling Forward Vision out to more of our customers, as we continue to adapt and invest in new software – live tracking, specifically, is something that many companies deem mandatory.”

The software is being taken on by more and more customers of Forward Solutions, as many freight businesses look to improve the technology that helps run their multi-million pound operations.

A recent report from multinational professional services giant, KPMG found that in 2023, freight organisations will be looking to accelerate investment in technology, as part of strategies designed to mitigate growing concerns over economic stagnation and worldwide inflationary pressures.

The need for clearer end-to-end supply chain analytics that bespoke specialist software provides, means that freight management companies can make better-informed decisions.

Forward Vision continues to be refined, based upon customer feedback, to become a one-stop shop for customers who require in-depth statistics to help keep consignments on track.

Tom Donnelly, Product Specialist at Forward Solutions, is one of the leading minds behind Forward Vision. Having helped to create the platform, he is now involved in its management and expansion. He’s keen to spell out its virtues to companies looking to save time and money in 2023.

Tom said: “Ever since its first release, Forward Vision has been well received by our customers. It enables its users to totally transform how they keep track of shipments, no matter the format or wherever they are in the world. It really nails consignment tracking and online bookings, making it easier than ever for organisations to operate.

“One of the biggest positives of Forward Vision, is that it can be fully tailored to suit the needs of a customer. This keeps it a streamlined piece of software, that include as much, or as little, as needed on a customer-by-customer basis. We work extensively with our customers throughout the onboarding process to cover any eventualities that may arise in the day-to-day operations of their business.”

Freight companies have seen costs skyrocket across the last 12 months, due to issues such as the long-lasting effects of Brexit, COVID-19 and the Ukrainian war affecting logistics operations around the world.

And UK-based organisations have had the ongoing headache of the protracted plans HMRC put in place to switch its import/export system from Customs Handling Import and Export (CHIEF) to Customs Declarations Service (CDS).

This has all contributed towards growing uncertainty in the sector. Richard Litchfield, Managing Director of Forward Solutions, is keen to point out the benefits of technology: “As KPMG’s recent report states, technology investment should not be the first to go in times of economic difficulty.

“No, the opposite is true: technology investment in the supply chain can provide in-depth analytics that help organisations to make better-informed decisions and maintain operational stability.

“Upskilling members of staff in their use of technology and software such as Forward Vision, helps not only the individual’s own personal growth and development, but the skillset of the organisation.”

Michael Fitzpatrick added: “We have worked with Forward Solutions for 20 years and we like that they’re really committed to investing and developing their software, to make sure everything is as up to date and efficient as possible.”

Forward Solutions is part of the Freight Software Group, alongside BoxTop Technologies. The duo will share an eye-catching stand, number 2070, at the forthcoming Multimodal exhibition, held between 13-15 June at the NEC, Birmingham. Together the two companies have a portfolio of over 300 customers.

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