Combination Delivers the Most Comprehensive, Customer and Industry Focused Transportation Management System Creating Smart, On-Demand Adaptive Logistics for Shipment and Asset Management

CARY, N.C. – April 6, 2021 – MercuryGate® International, Inc., (MercuryGate) the largest dedicated transportation management system (TMS) provider, today announced it has acquired logistics optimization leader Cheetah Software Systems (Cheetah). The Cheetah acquisition extends MercuryGate’s TMS platform to deliver both a last mile, parcel and less-than-truckload (LTL) solution and an enhanced fleet management capability that adapts, automates and communicates movements in real-time.

“A seismic shift has occurred in e-commerce where adoption of digital business models is exploding and customer expectations are skyrocketing,” said MercuryGate President & CEO Joe Juliano. “Consumers now make their online purchases based on speed of delivery, changing the transportation chain to a pull model from the historical push model. For the transportation industry the ability to build and dispatch an optimized route plan is just the start. With the addition of Cheetah’s autonomous and adaptive logistics capabilities to MercuryGate’s TMS, our customers with assets can capitalize on real-time visibility for every load, road, supply, demand and transportation mode from the first to the last mile and every step in-between automatically saving costs and delivering customer satisfaction.”

The autonomous and adaptive features of Cheetah’s logistics platform combined with the
automated workflow processes in MercuryGate’s powerful TMS, businesses can adapt and respond to evolving customer needs and fluctuations in demand based on live changing events. Now MercuryGate’s container-to-customer view — where its TMS platform autonomously handles exceptions, adapts routes to ensure delivery when, where and how it is required and features self-learning algorithms — not only eliminates costly waste and delays but makes the customer the focus versus the delivery route.

Cheetah is an advanced software platform that optimizes logistics operations for delivery, less-than-truckload, courier and private fleet operations. These advanced solutions enable distribution and delivery providers the ability to increase efficiency of route planners, dispatchers, drivers and customer service representatives critical for food, retail and medical industries every day and more so confronting the supply chain impact resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Global e-commerce, sophisticated supply chains and interconnected logistics networks result in numerous smaller transactions that are more time-critical,” said Cheetah Founder and CEO Bobby Darroll. “Many organizations in the retail, food and healthcare industries whose deliveries can be life-critical must move more orders in a shorter timeframe to more customers at a lower cost, while adapting to frequently changing conditions automatically.“

Cheetah solutions build and dispatch optimized route plans, instantly planning around all unique variables and constraints providing planners with the control to assess impact and analyze route alternatives. With industry-leading automated route optimization, dynamic real-time information across the supply chain, and dynamic re-optimization autonomously based on live changing events, businesses can adapt and respond to evolving customer needs and fluctuations in real-time.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

About Cheetah Software Systems, Inc.
Cheetah is a premier provider of a dynamic, adaptive Logistics Operations Optimization Platform (LOOP) for retailers and carrier for hire companies in the LTL, courier, healthcare and retail logistics spaces, with a passion for the consumer. Cheetah’s LOOP and our experts address the logistics needs of healthcare, retail and carriers that operate courier, less than truckload, truck load and private fleets. Cheetah’s LOOP plans, dynamically manages, adapts and optimizes fleets and drivers, resulting in companies using less trucks, driving fewer miles and making more on-time deliveries. Cheetah platform enables customers to place and receive their orders and services where they want, when they want for the least cost, on time with no wasted customer time. Cheetah’s live dynamic re-optimization occur continuously with every live changing event on the road, resulting in pinpoint operational accuracy.

About MercuryGate
MercuryGate provides powerful transportation management solutions proven to be a competitive advantage for today’s most successful shippers, 3PLs, freight forwarders, brokers, and carriers. MercuryGate’s solutions are unique in their native support of all modes of transportation on a single platform including Parcel, LTL, Truckload, Air, Ocean, Rail, and Intermodal. All modes may be executed in a fully autonomous solution that is even capable of automatically adapting to disruptions as they occur. Through the continued release of innovative, results-driven technology and a commitment to making customers successful, MercuryGate delivers exceptional value for TMS users through improved productivity and operational efficiency. MercuryGate offers business intelligence to reduce costs including the cost of delivery, improve transportation processes, increase customer satisfaction and drive growth. Find out why MercuryGate has set the industry standard for the most adaptable, comprehensive transportation solutions suite in the industry at: https://mercurygate.com or on Twitter at @MercuryGate.

MercuryGate Media Contact: [email protected]

Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the executive’s user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation, has selected Cheetah Software as a recipient of an SDCE 100 Award for 2019

Cheetah is recognized for its ability to build and dispatch optimized route plans, instantly planning around all unique variables and constraints providing planners with the opportunity to assess impact and analyze route alternatives. With industry-leading automated route optimization, dynamic real-time information across the supply chain, and live dynamic re-optimization occurring continuously with every live changing event on the road, businesses are armed with the agility to respond to evolving customer needs and fluctuations in demand.

The SDCE 100 is an annual list of 100 great supply chain projects. These projects can serve as a map for supply chain executives who are looking for new opportunities to drive improvement in their own operations. These projects show how supply chain solution and service providers help their customers and clients achieve supply chain excellence and prepare their supply chains for success.

“Every year our list of submissions for the SDCE 100 continues to grow as more companies rely on the expertise of supply management for innovative decision-making. Our winners raise the bar for what is achievable in the supply chain,” says John R. Yuva, editor for Supply & Demand Chain Executive. “With a variety of company sizes and industry sectors represented, our Top 100 are leading examples for how to approach and solve supply chain challenges. Congratulations to our 2019 winners and the projects that delivered greater operational efficiencies and bottom-line results across the supply chain.”

About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the executive’s user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation, utilizing hard-hitting analysis, viewpoints and unbiased case studies to steer executives and supply management professionals through the complicated, yet critical, world of supply and demand chain enablement to gain competitive advantage. Visit us on the web at http://www.SDCExec.com.

Description of project:

Implementation of Cheetah’s (LOOP) optimization algorithms to be applied toward the client’s current manual company processes (process automation implementation) for continued scalability and competitiveness operating primarily in the LTL trucking industry in the Western United States – including Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and California (20 terminals).

Incorporating technologies with machine learning, artificial intelligence, forecasting capabilities and automation of manual processes provides their terminal managers/planners/dispatchers with the tools to streamline their strategy, planning/routing, monitoring/auditing/cost visibility, and change management throughout all terminals.

Programming their business rules into the system to produce an optimized daily plan that is not simply distributed to their P & D driver’s daily, but also maintained in real time autonomously as cancelations, re-schedules, line item updates, delays and live traffic occur throughout the day. ETA information and visibility of all the drivers is autonomously available in real time all the time. Communications and information conveyed between driver, dispatch, customer service and the client are captured in real time and autonomously displayed for the most optimized action to be taken.

Project results:

The implementation of Cheetah LOOP has provided a stable platform to plan next day, same day and the following day routes with confidence. Having the visibility of correct client data has changed hours of planning to minutes of planning to produce a consistent plan. “Knowing that our business rules are incorporated into the Cheetah LOOP provides that confidence”. “50% of the incorrect decisions made in the past are a result of incorrect Client data”.  Cheetah has provided us a tool that tracks that accuracy daily” “That tool is evaluable”. We have significantly corrected our client data.

Replacing a highly manual time-consuming inconsistent process with an automated consistent approach provides dispatchers with greater flexibility, better decision- making insights and reduces the amount of time previous routine manual tasks by as much as 60%-70% driving efficiencies in all terminals.

Customer Quote on impact of project:

“At our larger delivery terminals, Cheetah Route Optimization has reduced the time spent by route planners as much as 50% compared to our prior manual processes.  The Cheetah Team has been very flexible with implementing configuration changes to support our business needs.  Providing the Cheetah routing engine with accurate shipment data provides us with efficient routes which in turn produce great service to our customers and productivity from our drivers.   Cheetah Works!”

Cheetah LOOP Optimizing Supply Chains from Pipeline to Planning to Autonomous Transport

Cheetah Software Systems has once again taken top honors as an Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Provider for 2019! Selected for its real-time logistics solutions for the transportation industry, Cheetah continues to provide the technology solutions needed to achieve the visibility and control that drives successful supply chains.

As business leaders struggle to balance the need for advanced planning against the demands for supply chain agility, fewer inventory touches, and managing the complexity of omni-channel and e-commerce distribution regimes, Cheetah continues to provide solutions to help meet those challenges. That’s why Inbound Logistics editors have recognized it as one of 2019’s Top 100 Logistics IT Providers

“Global e-commerce, sophisticated supply chains, and interconnected logistics networks result in numerous smaller transactions that are more time-constrained,” said Bobby Darroll, Cheetah’s Founder and CEO. “Organizations must move more orders in a shorter timeframe to more customers at a lower cost, while adapting to changing conditions automatically. We’re excited that Cheetah’s continuous advancement in this area over the last 30 years is recognized by the industry every year and has been helping so many businesses”.

When choosing the 2019 Top 100 Logistics IT Providers, Inbound Logistics editors looked at excellence in optimizing supply chain, logistics, and transportation operations. Strategically, editors make their selections based on how transformative solutions impact those business activities driving integration across internal and external business processes. Cheetah Software was selected because its solutions solve specific logistics challenges, improve processes, and create a ripple effect of efficiencies across the entire enterprise value chain.

Methodology:

Every year, Inbound Logistics editors recognize 100 logistics IT companies that support and enable logistics excellence. Drawn from a pool of more than 300 companies, using questionnaires, personal interviews, and other research, Inbound Logistics selects the Top 100 Logistics IT Providers who are leading the way in 2019. Editors seek to match our audience’s fast-changing needs to the capabilities of those companies selected.  All companies selected reflect leadership by answering the Inbound Logistics audience’s needs for scalability, simplicity, fast ROI, and ease of implementation.

About Inbound Logistics:

Since its inception in 1981, Inbound Logistics’ educational mission is to illustrate the benefits of demand-driven logistics practices, give companies the knowledge to help them match the inbound flow of materials to their demand, and align their business process to support that shift. Inbound Logistics offers real-world examples and decision support to guide businesses to efficiently manage logistics, reduce and speed inventory, and offset rising materials and logistics costs, supporting business scalability and change management across their value chain. More information about demand-driven logistics practices is available at www.inboundlogistics.com.

 

A Global Logistics Technology Leader in Doing More with Less On Time

Cheetah Software Systems has once again taken top honors as an Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Provider for 2017! Selected for its real-time logistics solutions for the transportation industry. Cheetah continues to provide the technology solutions needed to achieve the visibility and control that drives successful supply chains.

Cheetah is recognized for its ability to help carriers of all sizes improve their efficiency, visibility, and customer service by offering innovative and practical solutions that change the economics of logistics operations. With industry-leading automated route optimization, dynamic real-time access to information across the supply chain, and live dynamic re-optimization occurring continuously with every live changing event on the road, Cheetah’s software provides businesses the agility to respond to evolving customer needs and fluctuations in demand.

As shippers, carriers, and 3PLs increase their use of logistics IT, business leaders are struggling to balance the need for advanced planning against the demands for supply chain agility, fewer inventory touches, and wrangling the complexity of omni-channel and e-commerce distribution regimes. Cheetah continues provide solutions to help meet these challenges by being flexible, responsive, and anticipating customers’ and the industries ever evolving needs.

“Global e-commerce, sophisticated supply chains, and interconnected logistics networks result in numerous smaller transactions that are more time-constrained,” said Bobby Darroll, Cheetah’s Founder and CEO. “Retail, logistics, transportation, healthcare, and other organizations must move more orders in a shorter timeframe to more customers at a lower cost, while adapting to changing conditions automatically. We’re excited that Cheetah’s continuous advancement in this area over the last 30 years is recognized by the industry every year and has been helping so many businesses”….

Read the full press release here

Transportation Routing, Dispatching and Tracking…

We enable our customers to provide real time visibility into every package and every item at every turn. We are entrusted by companies whose deliveries are literally making life critical decisions. We have dropped customer service call time by 76% for fortune 500 companies. Powered by the most accurate routing plans, we provide consumers with predictive ETA’s including instant customer notification. Your customer is put in charge with complete flexibility and we enable you to dynamically respond to changes in their plans.

Tom Sisson, Director of Sales for Cheetah Software Systems (a real time dynamic routing, dispatching, tracking and customer service tool) joins Rob Sanchez and Marc Raco on the floor of the Innovation Center of the 2016 ECommerce Show USA in Atlanta, GA.

Sisson describes his customers, company mission, and how it is possible to solve problems of routing and communication complexity with technology…Turning hours of route building into minutes to build and maintain optimized routes for each day.

Listen to the Entire Podcast Here:

http://fashionisyourbusiness.com/2016/07/123-tom-sisson-cheetah-software-systems-getting/

Exhibition website:

http://www.terrapinn.com/conference/home-delivery-world-west/