Axel spent 8 years managing transport operations for a 9-figure European manufacturer, then 4 years as Commercial Director at a global forwarder. He now shares insights from both shipper and carrier sides, and enjoys the occasional piña colada.
January 2025 saw a spike in freight offers on the Trans.eu platform, with volume increasing on 14 of 16 key lanes. On some routes, the month-over-month growth exceeded 100%. But here's what caught many European procurement teams off-guard: carrier activity moved in the opposite direction – dropping both
WiseTech Global's $2.1 billion acquisition of E2open has sent shockwaves through the European transportation management systems market, marking the most significant consolidation move in recent TMS history. Descartes Systems Group's $115 million purchase of 3GTMS in March 2025 adds another major player to the rapidly
Something unprecedented just happened in European freight markets. The Upply x Ti x IRU study on European road freight rates in Q2 2025 shows that the contract and spot rate indexes have converged at 132.2. For procurement professionals who've built their strategies around exploiting the usual 10-15%
When European manufacturers launched their cloud TMS migrations this year, 63% chose cloud deployment over on-premise solutions for the first time. Yet within six months, a disturbing pattern emerged. A German automotive parts manufacturer just learned what a €800,000 TMS implementation mistake looks like. They chose a North American-focused
Your logistics director just called with news that stops you cold: January 2025 saw a spike in freight offers on the Trans.eu platform, with volume increasing on 14 of 16 key lanes. On some routes, the month-over-month growth exceeded 100%. But when you ask about carrier availability, the answer
European shippers are about to face a massive decision. Only 17% of companies report being fully automated, while over one-third still rely heavily on manual processes according to Descartes' 9th Annual Global Transportation Management Benchmark Survey of more than 600 companies. Meanwhile, their AI-powered competitors are pulling ahead at
European manufacturers face an unprecedented transport challenge entering 2025. January 2025 saw a spike in freight offers on the Trans.eu platform, with volume increasing on 14 of 16 key lanes. On some routes, the month-over-month growth exceeded 100%. But carrier activity moved in the opposite direction - dropping both
The most significant TMS vendor consolidation wave in over a decade is reshaping European procurement decisions right now. WiseTech's acquisition of E2open in 2025, Descartes' purchase of 3GTMS for $115 million in March 2025, and Körber's transformation of MercuryGate into Infios following their 2024 acquisition
Last quarter's board meeting should have been a wake-up call. Your CFO presented the annual transport spend analysis: €2.4 million flowing through carriers, yet basic reports showed only cost breakdowns and on-time percentages. When pressed for strategic insights about carrier optimization, route efficiency, or cost levers, the
LTL shipping is experiencing unprecedented growth across Europe, with international LTL shipping dominating the market with over 67% share in 2024 and LTL consignments advancing at a 3.49% CAGR between 2025 and 2030. This shift represents a fundamental change in how European manufacturers and retailers structure their supply chains.
Last month, a German automotive parts manufacturer discovered they'd been overpaying carriers by €127,000 monthly. The culprit? Their TMS reporting system dutifully tracked every expense but missed the cost drivers hiding in plain sight. The Analytics & Reporting Platforms segment is projected to grow at the fastest
Last month, Knights of Old (KNP) Logistics Group collapsed entirely after a ransomware attack that began with a single weak password. The 158-year-old UK firm couldn't meet the £5-6 million ransom demand, forcing 700 employees out of work and disabling 500 trucks. The attackers encrypted everything—including backups