VOICT a BlueRock TMS company

Two companies join efforts.

We are pleased to announce that we have joined the BlueRock TMS family since September 28. BlueRock TMS, an internationally operating TMS vendor based in Den Bosch, has taken a majority stake in VOICT. We are proud to contribute to the BlueRock TMS ambition with our last-mile solution DireXtion.

PRESS RELEASE

’s-Hertogenbosch / Ede – November 2022 BlueRock TMS and VOICT join forces in the international TMS market BlueRock TMS has acquired the majority of stakes in the Dutch TMS supplier VOICT. By joining forces, BlueRock TMS gains access to VOICT’s expertise in the field of last mile distribution in e-commerce and pharmaceuticals, while the collaboration gives VOICT the opportunity to realize its international growth ambitions. According to CEOs Wouter Lammerse of BlueRock TMS and Gert van Oel of VOICT, the two companies are perfectly complementary to each other. “Together we can build one large integrated product portfolio with which we can provide our customers better and smarter transportation software.” BlueRock TMS is a globally active vendor of transportation management systems (TMS) for shippers, logistics service providers, and parcel carriers. With their HQ based in the Netherlands, their clientele includes companies such as Heineken, HG, Bleckmann, Fiege, Schenker and DPD. BlueRock TMS has been recognized by Gartner as one of the top fifteen leading TMS suppliers in the world, featured in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for TMS. VOICT is also a Dutch TMS supplier with a specialization in last mile distribution for e-commerce and pharmaceuticals. Companies such as Brocacef, Coolblue, PostNL Extra@Home, and Alliance Healthcare use VOICT software for home delivery of medicines, large domestic appliances, furniture, and other goods. For the time being, VOICT will continue to operate independently under the leadership of CEO and founder Gert van Oel.

Global Market Leader

The acquisition of VOICT is the first step in the execution of BlueRock TMS’ international buy-and-build strategy. The company has the ambition to build a leading ecosystem of cloud-based TMS solutions for businesses around the world. “In recent years, we have grown organically by 35 to 40 percent per year,” says Wouter Lammerse, CEO of BlueRock TMS, “but if we want to become a global market leader, that is not enough. That is why we want to combine our organic growth with selective acquisitions. The majority interest in VOICT is the first achievement”. With the acquisition by BlueRock TMS, VOICT will gain access to the knowledge and know-how needed to capitalize on the growth opportunities outside the Netherlands. “The Netherlands is a frontrunner in the last mile distribution of medicines. In other European countries, too, we see an increase in the demand for home delivery of medicines and other aids. With our TMS solution DireXtion we can be of great added value in that area. We make it possible to distribute medicines in a temperature-controlled manner in accordance with the GDP guidelines.”

A Winning Pair

Wouter Lammerse, founder and CEO of BlueRock TMS, is looking forward to working with VOICT. “We provide a TMS platform that supports transportation operations at an operational, tactical and strategic level. What has been underdeveloped until now is functionality for last mile distribution. VOICT not only has the technical knowledge, but also the functional knowledge and business knowledge needed to develop state-of-the-art last mile solutions. What we have in common with VOICT is that we try to fully empathize with our customers. We keep asking until we have uncovered their true needs.” Gert van Oel, founder of VOICT, is also looking forward to working with BlueRock TMS. “We have a great product that fits perfectly within the existing BlueRock TMS portfolio. BlueRock TMS has the international contacts that enable us to grow globally. Both companies are completely complementary in functional, technical, and commercial areas. We are excited about this new chapter in our existence.”

Step-by-Step Integration

For the time being, VOICT will continue to operate under its own name and under the management of Van Oel from the existing office in Ede. In the coming year, the companies will make a start with the step-by-step integration of both products and organizations. In the long term, both companies will continue forward together under the name BlueRock TMS.

About BlueRock TMS

BlueRock TMS was founded in 2013 by industry veterans with the aim to simplify logistics. The company is a leading global vendor of TMS software in more than 30 countries, with offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Canada, Singapore and Dubai. BlueRock TMS provides 16 modular SaaS products to calculate, analyze, and operationally support transportation networks and is listed in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. BlueRock TMS has the ambition to create a global and leading TMS software eco-system that provides companies with a SaaS-based solution for optimized logistic supply chains.

About VOICT

VOICT is a supplier of a SaaS TMS product and specializes in last-mile distribution for e-commerce and pharmaceuticals in the Benelux region. With their product DireXtion, they support companies such as Brocacef, PostNL Extra@Home and Coolblue in their daily operations in both the planning and implementation phase. In addition to planning and monitoring journeys, DireXtion also offers track & trace of the entire flow of goods, with key performance indicators including Timeliness, Completeness, and Conditions. Conditions of goods is especially important in order to comply with the GDP guidelines in the distribution of medicines. VOICT recently added the leading logistics service provider TSN Groen to its customer base.

New functionality driver app

We have added a document library to DireXtion Mobile (driver app) so that drivers on location can immediately have the right information.

Furthermore, we introduced the so-called TodoList task. The driver is presented with a dynamic list of detailed tasks that he needs to perform. This can be a very specific task that only needs to be ticked off but it can also be, for example, a question whether there is packaging present. Depending on the answer, follow-up questions or tasks are presented, numbers can be entered, a picture can be taken or an entirely new TodoList task can be started. This interactive and dynamic way of working provides endless possibilities to improve the service at the door and/or to register and thereby increase the quality of the service.

Temperature insight at delivery

DireXtion Mobile, VOICT’s chaffeur app, provides temperature insight at the time the shipment is delivered. Before signing for receipt, the app shows a graph with the temperature history of the package. Thus, the recipient knows immediately whether the shipment was transported under the correct transport conditions and whether he can accept it.

The graph is also shown on the proof of receipt (POD) and arrives automatically in the recipient’s mailbox. Together with all the other features in the field of temperature monitoring, this new functionality is a further contribution to being fully ‘in control’ in the conditioned transport chain.

Azure Active Directory integration

As of DireXtion version 4.103.0, integration with Azure Active Directory is supported! From now on, users can log into DireXtion with their corporate account.
Microsoft’s identity and access management service: Azure Active Directory (AAD) based on OpenID Connect can be used for both authentication (username and password validation) and authorization (assigning user groups).
Users can now be managed from one environment. With this new feature we make user management for our customers a lot easier and less labor intensive. But the biggest advantage is of course that DireXtion’s user accounts will be covered by the organization’s security and password policy.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Controltower released!

Today we released our new product, DireXtion Control Tower. The Control Tower is an addition to existing Transport Management Systems intended to generate one central overview across different systems and  make (inter)national transport transparent. It provides insight into the performance (KPI’s) of the connected carriers for both shippers and principals as well as a complete Track & Trace of the shipments. When creating transport orders it helps to make the right choice to select a carrier based on availability, price and quality.

The Control Tower is put into operation by Phoenix Group for all international movements of (pre-)wholesale medicines, healthcare logistics, pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical related products. The pilot has started in the Netherlands and will soon be followed by implementations in following markets.

The Control Tower will provide:

• A comprehensive (European) online overview of all healthcare logistics and other non-regular shipments via a dashboard that will include full track & trace;
• Automatic data gathering from local (existing) Transport Management Systems, Pan-European providers  and a functionality for automatic and manual booking of shipments based on pre-set conditions (such as price, quality or speed) with pre-calculated prices;
• Reporting of all transport activities including KPI management of transport carriers (such as OTIF as high requirement from the industry)

Benefits:

• Significant cost savings via an improved position in contract negotiations with transport carriers. European consolidation of volume component to increase leverage for procurement activities;
• Increase of quality by clear performance tracking and management through the Control Tower. Spot (unclear) delays, track and manage delivery quality per carrier;
• Direct access to status of shipment/delivery. Pro-active informing principals of delays and avoidance of claims.

VOICT 15 years!

This month it has been 15 years since VOICT BV was founded. What started as a one-man business has in recent years grown into a company of around 23 people who not only create the program DireXtion, but also host this TMS software on their own servers and make it available to their customers as a SaaS. DireXtion, which specializes in last-mile-distribution, is used by such notable companies as Brocacef, Coolblue and PostNL.

We thank all our customers and partners for their trust and employees for their efforts. We look forward to the future with confidence and will continue on our chosen path with undiminished enthusiasm and professionalism. On to the next 15 years!