Multimodal is the annual flagship exhibition, which brings together thousands of people from across the supply chain, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham, featuring conference sessions, networking and awards.  Registrations for the event opened last month.

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 are transport sector specialists, providing IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

With the massive and continued sector growth in technologies, Forward Solutions had a hugely successful show last year, where it demonstrated its new user interface (UI) which is about to be launched.  Forward Solutions invested £1/2million and 3,000-man hours in the development of this new technology – Forward’s most significant single investment to date – to ensure that its software is fully intuitive and easy to use.

Forward Solutions Managing Director Richard Litchfield comments:

“The response from visitors to our stand at Multimodal was excellent, it was a great opportunity to meet both existing and new customers face-to-face following the challenges of Covid-19.  It provided our team with the perfect environment to showcase the UI in an excellent setting of collaboration and support, the whole atmosphere of the show was really positive.”

Forward Solutions at the Multimodal Exhibition 2021. Picture by Shaun Fellows / Shine Pix Ltd

Richard added:

“We have a unique appreciation of the many challenges operators face every day and are using this understanding to bring a different perspective to the market, which we’ll be sharing in at the event in June.  2022 will be an important year for use where we focus on supporting our customers using the latest innovations and technologies to help their businesses thrive.”

Multimodal has secured a partnership with the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&T), and also with the Career Colleges Trust (CCT).

IOE&T, as a provider of education and training to professionalise the UK’s international traders, will run two days of CPD accredited free to attend seminars aimed at their membership of small/medium shippers.  The CCT support students looking at the logistics industry for their careers.

Robert Jervis, Event Director at show organisers Clarion Events Ltd commented:

“Multimodal 2022 is going to be another flagship event.  We are excited about these new initiatives, and we will continue to work closely with the market on more actionable and improvements to ensure that the show retains its position as the UK and Ireland’s leading transport and logistics event.  Whilst the CCT collaboration will further enhance our third day focus on the logistics industry future workforce addressing recruitment, apprenticeships, training, education and the skills gaps.”

Forward Solutions is part of the Freight Software Group with BoxTop Technologies and together the duo has a portfolio of over 300 customers.

Multimodal Stand 2045

The post Multimodal Means Business appeared first on Forward Solutions.

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 in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.  The company provides IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

Jim is based within the Nottingham team and has worked for Forward Solutions for 17 years.  Unusual for a technology firm, Forwards Solutions’ staff retention rate is enviably high, and Jim is one of many long serving members of the team. Jim comments:

“It’s really exciting time for the business and I’m thrilled with this new role. There have been so many new developments with our products over the past year alone and I’m looking forward to getting more opportunities to work closely with our customers to deliver them.  It’s good to be able to be able to work on solutions from design through to development.”

At Forward Solutions Jim is responsibility for infrastructure including installations and setup, connectivity, cloud services, so, everything technical Forward Solutions is currently recruiting for additional Infrastructure Engineers to join its team.

Forward Solutions Managing Director Richard Litchfield adds:

“I’m really pleased that Jim will be leading our team of engineers and it’s great to be able to nurture talent and promote from within the business, as we continue to evolve and grow.”

In his spare time Jim enjoys CrossFit and is currently training for an East Midlands competition. CrossFit is a fitness regimen developed over the past 20 years that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.

The post Internal Promotion Recognises Talent appeared first on Forward Solutions.

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 in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.  The company provides IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

The firm started the year as Forward Computers and ends with a new MD, new name, new look as well as significant new product development, increased turnover and growth.  The team also attended flagship transport show Multimodal for the first time for many years.

Forward Solutions Managing Director Richard Litchfield, who joined the company in April comments:

“The company has made huge strides this year both in terms of refining our products, as well as significantly changing the operation to becoming much more customer focused.  The massive changes have resulted in significant growth, with an increase in turnover in excess of 25%.”

“This expansion is a result of on-going investment in the business, demonstrating to our customer and the market we are at the forefront of new technology.  Assisting the sector with innovation continues to be essential for growth, where the most successful operators are those which embrace investment in new technology adoption. Forwarders that offer online solutions of transportation management are leading the way, and utilising the latest technology to improve their customer experience.”

In the summer Forward Solutions announced a half a million-pound investment in redeveloping and reengineering its product portfolio.  Marking its largest investment in development to date will see an additional User Interface (UI) to utilise the existing feature rich solution which will be rolled out in early 2022, ensuring its software is more intuitive and easier to use.

Richard adds: “January is going to be very significant for us, the new UI is our largest single investment in reshaping our front-end and is the first of many developments we’re making to ensure our customers have best-in-class technology, to help them improve efficiencies and deliver the best solutions to meet their continually evolving needs.”

It is expected that 2022 will have its own challenges – such as continued Brexit changes, retirement of CHIEF services and moving to CDS, as well as the growing appetite for greater sustainability within transport and logistics. All of which is focusing operators on the need to increase efficiency and communication through improved technology.

Forward Solutions is part of the Freight Software Group and sister company of BoxTop Technologies.  Together the duo has an existing portfolio of over 350 customers.

The post Looking Forward to 2022 with 25% Growth appeared first on Forward Solutions.

The use of Customs Handling Imports and Export Freight (CHIEF) to submit import declarations for goods brought into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU is being phased out, which means movements from mainland UK to NI will require a declaration on CDS.

From 31 October 2021, the CDS (Customs Declaration Service) will replace CHIEF for these movements.

So, unless companies use the Customs Declaration Service for the movement of goods into and out of Northern Ireland, the trade will not be permitted.

Richard Litchfield, Managing Director of Forward Solutions, said:  “It is vital that anyone wanting to ship goods into or out of Northern Ireland, after the end of October, switches to CDSNI. It is the only option for declaring movements of goods in and out of Northern Ireland and without it, all movements will be halted.

“We have been planning for this change for some time, and we are one of only a handful of freight software providers that will be CDSNI-ready before the end of October. This means that all our customers who rely on trade with Northern Ireland will experience a smooth transition away from CHIEF. Our specialist IT systems, adapted for the move away from CHIEF, will enable customers to keep on moving goods in and out of Northern Ireland as normal.”

Richard added:  “While there is still the Trader Support Scheme (TSS NI) this is not suitable for more than occasional declarations and does not have full functionality. This is why we have been so focused on ensuring we are CDSNI-ready, so that we can be of maximum assistance to our customers.”

Steve Spence, Application Manager at Denholm Global Logistics, and a Forward Solutions customer, said:

“Forward Solutions is always at least one step ahead of the post-Brexit changes. Our ability to move goods into and out of Northern Ireland is an important part of our business now and going forward.

“Knowing that we have the right IT solutions in place ahead of time is extremely reassuring.”

The Forward team is led by logistics specialists with technology expertise who have a deep understanding of the operational challenges faced by freight operators.

Forward recently announced half a million-pound investment in redeveloping and reengineering its product portfolio. Forward Solutions is developing an additional User Interface (UI) to utilise the existing feature-rich solution which will be rolled out in 2022.

Forward is one of the longest established freight software development companies, providing end-to-end solutions for a wide range of operators in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.

Forward Solutions is also revamping the presentation of its Forward Office software to a suite of eight products designed to meet different customer needs.  Packages now start from a Forward Core – essential services package with additions such as integrated customs clearance, mobile apps and API integration.

The post Customs Declaration into Northern Ireland appeared first on Forward Solutions.

“It was very interesting listening to some of the conversations following the death in September of UK inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, one of our country’s most prolific visionaries.  He brought technology into every home, and it reminded me of the huge leaps that have been made relatively recently and how we are all tech-savvy.

Just look at how far we’ve come from 1972, when he designed the first true pocket calculator and in the 1980’s his ZX Spectrum brought affordable personal computing to British homes which eventually sold to millions across the world. Those that had Sir Clive’s technology at home still had a trusty typewriter in the office. At that time commercial premises would certainly not have had a computer, but though relatively primitive people were using new technology in the home first, not at work.

What this demonstrates is that quite often innovation in our everyday home life is a real driver to push a revolution in the wider commercial world.

Today, technology is on the rise and has become engrained in our homes, most people have a far greater understanding of what this technology can do to assist us to become better and more efficient in our everyday lives, as well as how to use it. A recent study by www.confused.com uncovered that almost 75 per cent of people own a smart home device, this is a staggering 50 million people in the UK.

Consumers expect continuous innovation, looking for newer and better technology, known as the “the Apple Effect”. We are expecting and adopting new technology faster and faster.  Who would have thought we’d be so happy to use our smartphones instead of a bank card or cash? It is amazing to think that Apple Pay is now used by over half of iPhone users or 507 million people, this is a 15 per cent growth in users from just a year ago.  Add this to the fact that wearable tech, such as Fitbits and smartwatches are in everyday use and the global market of these smart wearables is anticipated to reach 776.23 million units by 2026.

The global pandemic has fast-tracked many technological advances, well the technology was there but not so many were adopting it. Microsoft Teams reported there was a massive increase in its use, from 20 million users in late 2019 to 44 million in March 2020, jumping to 75 million by April of the same year.

So, consumers are expecting new innovations and they know how to use them, but what about our industry? Not necessarily seen as being the most innovative sector, transport and logistics is still way behind some other commercial areas which have adapted faster and use technology far more effectively, look at the financial sector and how even home food delivery has been revolutionised.

Just like the rest of our lives, digitalisation is moving across the freight forwarding market, and those who don’t evolve and innovate will ultimately pay the price. We have all seen some early innovations such as using artificial intelligence (AI) in logistics, as well as the supply chain. From smart roads and driverless vehicles to drone deliveries, some operators are certainly exploring new technology.  It’s also already being used effectively in supply chain management.  Route planning is also using AI which accounts for a wide number of variants from traffic and speed limits to behaviours and local route knowledge.

As the sector is very aware, IT is fast becoming the cornerstone of a successful transport business. Innovative IT is essential for top class customer service, with visibility and communication being as important as delivery across the supply chain.

But the process of innovating and adapting to new technology requires time and skill. Twenty years ago, technology in freight and transport might have been in the form of a big black box, and we’ve certainly come a long way from that. New innovations and software initially took years and later months to develop, which then had to be launched. Users trained extensively before it was even used.

The challenge we have is that the transport sector has low margins so doesn’t necessarily have the resources to fund the huge investments needed for research and development in new technologies.

But, according to recent reports, multimodal leaders are expected to prioritise operational efficiencies, by investing in technology adoption. Freight forwarders that offer innovative online solutions in freight matching, customs brokerage and transportation management solutions are expected to transform the sector with enhanced customer experience.

The most successful solutions are already those which are more intuitive (Ui). Just like when your new iPhone or iPad is delivered it doesn’t come with extensive training or a 50-page manual.  Using technology at home means that commercial users expect to just start using technology instantly and the work has gone into investing and ensuring any technology is instinctive. This is one of the reasons that we have invested heavily in our new user interface, which we will be showing visitors to Multimodal.

This is our company’s largest ever investment, and we have spent a great deal of time listening to our customers, which is shaping this new front-end evolution.  This is the first of many developments we’re making to ensure our customers have best-in-class technology, to help them improve efficiencies and deliver the best solutions to meet their needs.

Our enhanced software will hugely improve functionality, be feature rich and have an enhanced user experience.  We have a unique appreciation of the many challenges operators face every day and are using this understanding to bring a different perspective to the market.

Technology is racing across every aspect of our lives so now is the time for the transport and logistics sector to invest in the latest innovation and embrace new technologies.”

The post The Impact of Current Technological Trends appeared first on Forward Solutions.

Pioneering transport technology provider Forward Solutions has invested £1/2million and 3000 man hours in the development of new technology – Forward’s most significant investment to date – to ensure that its software is fully intuitive and easy to use.

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 in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.  The company are transport sector specialists, providing IT systems for leading multimodal players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

This is the first time that Forward Solutions has exhibited at Multimodal for many years and is using the event to launch its new UI.

Forward Solutions Managing Director Richard Litchfield comments:

“We’re in a new age of technology where the most successful solutions are already those which are highly intuitive. When your new iPhone is delivered it doesn’t come with an extensive training manual. So, our greatest investment has been in ensuring our software is easy to use with a new user interface, which we will be showing for the first time at Multimodal.

This is our largest single investment in reshaping our front-end and is the first of many developments we’re making to ensure our customers have best-in-class technology, to help them improve efficiencies and deliver the best solutions to meet their continually evolving needs.”

The logistics industry continues to prioritise operational efficiencies and investment in technology adoption. Freight forwarders that offer innovative online solution offerings including customs brokerage, and transportation management solutions are expected to lead the way and use technology to improve the customer experience.

Richard added:

“We have a unique appreciation of the many challenges operators face every day and are using this understanding to bring a different perspective to the market.  Technology is racing across every aspect of our lives so now is the time for the transport and logistics sector to embrace latest innovations and maximise new technologies.”

Forward Solutions is part of the Freight Software Group with BoxTop Technologies and together the duo has a portfolio of over 300 customers.

Multimodal is the annual flagship exhibition, which brings together thousands of people from across the supply chain, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham and features conference sessions, networking and awards, spanning three days.

Forward Solutions is part of the Freight Software Group and sister company of BoxTop Technologies.  Together the duo has an existing portfolio of over 300 customers.

The post Forward Solutions at Multimodal 2021 appeared first on Forward Solutions.

The leading technology provider (previously known as Forward Computers) has launched Forward Vision – a web-based portal allowing customers of Forward Office users to manage their entire supply chain, from purchase order to delivery.

Forward Solutions is one of the foremost suppliers of software to the multimodal sector, providing specialist IT systems for leading players across air freight, sea freight, road freight and rail freight.

The Forward team is led by logistics specialists with technology expertise, so understand the operational challenges faced by freight operators. Therefore, extending into the wider supply chain was a natural progression.  The new product was developed in partnership with Ceedbox Ltd and is a highly intuitive digital supply chain platform that provides real time control and processing of transactions, offering complete end-to-end visibility.

The creation of the new product means that for the first time Forward Solutions’ operators will be able to offer their own customer true visibility within their own supply chain.  The system offers dashboards and detailed reports that will monitor required KPIs and ultimately offer greater ability to meet delivery targets and more transparent communication, reducing errors.

Forward Solutions’ Managing Director Richard Litchfield comments “Following the huge pressures caused by the Covid pandemic there has been a massive growth in the need for more effective supply chain management.  Goods need to be successfully managed, stored and dispatched. Efficient and effective management of all these business functions is critical for any successful freight operator today.”

This new highly intuitive front end solution Forward Vision meets the rapidly growing need for digital platforms that can provide fast and UpToDate management information, providing instant access to all elements of the client’s supply chain.  Forward Vision’s insights means that customers can track, analyse, and provide real time data.

Richard added “The last 18 months has driven the need and expectation for highly powered data so that freight operators can offer the best service for their customers.  This is the first time we’ve been able to provide a total end-to-end supply chain management from purchase order to delivery on one platform.  The new product is highly intuitive, ensuring training is minimal. Those who have seen the solution are already beginning to roll it out to their own customers.”

This is the latest ambitious step from the firm who recently announced half a million-pound investment in redeveloping and reengineering its product portfolio. Forward Solutions is developing an additional User Interface (UI) to utilise the existing feature rich solution which will be rolled out in 2022.

Forward is one of the longest established freight software development companies, providing end-to-end solutions for a wide range of operators in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.

Forward Solutions is also revamping the presentation of its Forward Office software to a suite of eight products designed to meet different customer needs.  Packages now start from a Forward Core – essential services package with additions such as integrated customs clearance, mobile apps and API integration.

The post Forward Extends into Supply Chain Management appeared first on Forward Solutions.