Capital Logistics expands tech capabilities to help customers manage business volatility—Covid-19 roundup for April 30

Technology, manufacturing, and transportation-focused companies from across the supply chain continue to step-up efforts to help customers navigate business disruptions from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Logistics provider Capital Logistics is expanding its use of technology tools to help national grocery customers meet business volatility challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said this week. Capital is using Canadian logistics technology provider Descartes Systems Group's MacroPoint real-time freight visibility solution and Aljex transportation management system (TMS) to move and track dramatically increasing loads for those customers.

“As our customers focus on keeping food supply chains functioning, having real-time visibility into the status of critical freight has increased our ability to keep pace with the unpredictable demand grocery stores are experiencing,” Greg Ackner, vice president at Capital Logistics, said in a statement. “In one case, we went from moving two to three truckloads of milk per week to distribution centers serving multiple states to 50 to 60 truckloads per week. The Descartes Aljex solution also helped us maintain exemplary service while shifting seamlessly to a work-from-home environment to keep our employees safe.”

Descartes Aljex is a cloud-based TMS designed for freight brokers that automates planning, tendering, and dispatching, as well as back-office functions including accounting, invoicing, and reporting. The integration with MacroPoint provides real-time freight visibility to automatically track loads, “greatly reducing the manual efforts for track-and-trace teams,” according to Descartes.  

Other logistics-industry companies are stepping up to the plate with solutions designed to help customers through the pandemic: 

• Pennsylvania-based Penske Truck Leasing said this week it is offering fleets a “Get Back to Business” program for full-service truck leasing, providing low rates and flexible terms on late-model, low-mileage vehicles from its fleet of box trucks and semi-tractors. The offer coincides with the slow opening of businesses that began in some states this week.
• Boston-based agricultural technology firm Indigo Agriculture is offering a slate of new services to help supply chain customers manage pandemic-related challenges, including a transportation and logistics hotline to help growers, buyers, and carriers ensure the continued, efficient transport of grain. 
• Dutch air cargo products manufacturer Trip & Co. and engineering firm SII Netherlands have joined forces to accelerate production and delivery of the popular cargo seat bags Trip & Co. launched a few weeks ago. The watertight, chemical, and UV-resistant bags allow easier transport of cargo in passenger planes.

To see further coverage of the coronavirus crisis and how it's affecting the logistics industry, check out our Covid-19 landing page. And click here for our compilation of virus-focused websites and resource pages from around the supply chain sector.