Freight 24 Logistics Group is rolling out Mandata GoPlus across its subsidiaries as part of wider plans to acquire more businesses, boost productivity and enhance customer service.

The logistics company is installing the traffic management system across its four subdiaries, which include Derbyshire haulier JMDS, Pallet-Track member Keyes Transport in Chelmsford and Palletforce members WJ Capper in Telford and Thetford-based R&P Distribution.

The group said this week that it has plans for further acquisitions and wanted a standardised system across all its businesses to better integrate any new additions.

James Dolan, a key shareholder and adviser to the management team, said: "Mandata GoPlus will be standard across all of our businesses, so any new companies we acquire over the coming months and years will also move over to this platform. Mandata will be very much a part of our future."

Dolan recommended Mandata GoPlus to the Freight 24 team after receiving a demonstration of the platform. He said: "I had used older versions of Mandata’s TMS in the past and was impressed with Mandata GoPlus when I had a demo."

“We are still at the early stages, but the benefits are obvious to the team. The unbilled report is already the finance department’s best friend. Our goal is to increase productivity and enable faster invoicing, which in turn will generate more cash.”

Freight 24 initially deployed Mandata GoPlus in its Capper and R&P businesses, where it replaced manual systems, then rolled it out to JMDS, where it replaced a bespoke TMS. Keyes is to follow shortly, following Mandata GoPlus Palletforce integration being made available.

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Along with Mandata GoPlus, Freight 24 is rolling out Mandata’s Manifests app to its drivers, to provide proof of delivery and digitisation of the daily vehicle inspection reports with a Vehicle Checks app.

Mandata’s Pallet Network and Warehouse Management System integration enables GoPlus to automatically send and receive information including job details, pallet network barcodes, progress updates, and other documentation.

The platform integrates with major pallet networks’ software systems. It enables operators to run transport in tandem with the warehouse.

Dolan added: "It will make life much easier for us. At the moment we export information from Palletforce, put it into a spreadsheet and manipulate the data in order to import it to Mandata GoPlus.

"It’s a protracted process that involves three different people, whereas once this integration is complete it will be a two-minute job for one person.

"Critically it will enable same-day invoicing, whereas at present we have up to a 10-day lag on invoicing Palletforce.”