Descartes acquires solutions provider Aljex for $32.4mn

Canada-based Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, has acquired US-based Aljex Software, a cloud-based provider of back-office transportation management solutions for freight brokers and transportation providers.

Descartes acquired Aljex for $32.4mn in cash, satisfied from Descartes’ existing acquisition line of credit.

Serving freight brokers and transportation providers for over 20 years, Aljex has built a robust platform backed by deep domain expertise. Used by nearly 400 customers in North America to plan and execute nearly 3 million freight moves per year, the Aljex solutions help customers automate business processes and create electronic documents critical for executing transportation moves.

Customers can manage the lifecycle of a shipment from order creation through execution, including real-time tracking with connectivity to the Descartes MacroPoint network.

Tom Heine, CEO, Aljex, said: “Managing the capacity on trucks profitably while meeting increasingly high customer delivery expectations is a complex task. Our company helps solve the unique problems faced by freight brokers and transportation providers in this demanding environment. These solutions can also be utilised by large fleet operators looking to broker their own excess capacity and improve truck utilisation.”

Edward J Ryan, CEO, Descartes, said: “Our company has worked with Aljex for a number of years to provide end-to-end solutions for the freight broker community in North America. We now have an opportunity to fully integrate Aljex into the global logistics network. In doing so, we can provide customers with improved access to track shipments and the ability to better utilise increasingly scarce carrier capacity.”