Soloplan and Imperial Logistics Deepen Their Partnership

Several African locations of the globally operating company Imperial Logistics have been working with the new major version 2.73 of the logistics software CarLo® from Soloplan since last week, updated from the previously used version 2.63 from 2018. As part of this measure, the order entry and transport planning were also switched.

(Kempten/Pretoria) Since 2017, Imperial SA, based in Bedfordview and Evendale, has been using the transport management system from Soloplan. Imperial Logistics aims to position itself strategically as the “Gateway to Africa” in the medium to long term and relies heavily on collaboration with the German premium manufacturer of logistics software. Around 350 users at Imperial work in transport planning and distribution with CarLo® and benefit from numerous process optimizations related to transport management. Through the use of the advanced and partially highly automated process support of CarLo®, around 350,000 orders and tours are scheduled and efficiently managed each year.

Improvement of Individual Processes

With the delivery of CarLo® major version 2.73 and the associated transition to order entry and transport planning in .NET, numerous specifications were implemented and improvements in individual processes were achieved through the use of the latest technologies. Particularly important for Imperial are the diverse integration options that CarLo® offers.

Important components such as shipment tracking or various financial systems can be easily integrated into CarLo®. Another aspect is the integrated functionality in CarLo® that enables paperless work. Extremely important for the South African corporate group in this context is the integration of external portals, through which orders can be entered by customers or data can be passed on to subcontractors. Through the use of these connections, for example, electronic feedback on delivery confirmations is provided as a basis for automated credit runs.

Verification and Validation of Transport Insurance

Another central theme of the update was the integration of workflows and restrictions used by Imperial to identify and circumvent transport risks early. The verification and validation of transport insurance (GIT) is a fundamental function in the South African logistics market, ensuring that every vehicle transporting goods is adequately insured. CarLo® not only facilitates the specification and management of required insurance documents but also supports and guides the responsible dispatchers in daily departure and delivery control.

The transition to .NET and the update to CarLo® version 2.73 was carried out by employees of the Soloplan branch in South Africa (Soloplan SA Pty. Ltd.) in close coordination with the responsible project management at Imperial Logistics. Thanks to smooth communication, transparency in execution, good preparation, and mutual maximum support, it was possible to successfully carry out the upgrade. Soloplan looks forward to continuing to actively support Imperial Logistics in the “Gateway to Africa” project.

Photo: © Soloplan