Amid a rapidly digitizing logistics landscape, Rail-Flow, a German digital solutions provider for railway and intermodal logistics, has announced its acquisition of Rotterdam-based Simply Deliver. This strategic move aims to enhance Rail-Flow’s offerings with advanced API-driven automation solutions. As part of an ongoing trend towards sophisticated digitalization in logistics, companies within this sector are increasingly focusing on complete, integrated platforms. By leveraging Simply Deliver’s expertise in automation and customer portals, Rail-Flow seeks to streamline logistics solutions throughout Europe, ensuring efficient and sustainable operational processes.
The newly integrated platform emerges from a history of collaboration between the two firms, dating back several years, particularly in the intermodal sector. Both organizations have effectively utilized complementary products to offer end-to-end logistics management. Previous company announcements focused on strengthening their partnership, but this acquisition formalizes their merger into a singular entity. This acquisition aligns both companies under a unified approach that scales development resources and expands customer value while adhering to sustainability goals, such as CO2 reduction and modal shift options.
How Will the Merger Impact Logistic Operations?
The merger unites Rail-Flow’s advanced Transport Management System with Simply Deliver’s Intermodal Transportation Management System, resulting in a seamless technology suite. This integration creates a comprehensive digital ecosystem that covers rail, road, and intermodal transport logistics. Rail-Flow plans to refine its holistic Transport Management Platform by incorporating Simply Deliver’s systems, facilitating full transparency and efficiency across Europe’s logistic networks.
What Does the Future Hold for Simply Deliver?
Simply Deliver will continue to operate independently within the Rail-Flow Group, concentrating on their strengths in visibility, automation, and customer portals for the road logistics sector in the Benelux region. Retaining its brand identity while gaining the support of a larger parent organization, Simply Deliver is expected to enhance their solutions’ flexibility and adaptability in dynamic market conditions, without compromising their current offerings.
Rail-Flow is keen on maintaining their physical locations worldwide, ensuring continuity in operations amidst the merger. Offices in key locations like Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Rotterdam remain operational, allowing for seamless integration processes and sustained customer service. According to Osman Akdemir, Co-CEO of Rail-Flow, “Rail-Flow and Simply Deliver have always complemented each other — rail meets visibility, process meets automation. Now, as one team and one group, we are ready to shape the future of logistics together.”
Such corporate alignments typically promise enhancements in development and innovation capabilities. By drawing on Simply Deliver’s expertise, Rail-Flow aspires to advance their offerings beyond current capabilities and better compete in the logistics market. Alexander Hedderich, Chairman of the Rail-Flow Advisory Board highlighted this prospect, stating, “By combining the strengths of both companies, we are creating a unique Transport Management Platform that delivers real added value to customers along the entire transport chain and sustainably strengthens the competitiveness of rail.”
The logistics sector is increasingly moving toward digital solutions that accommodate diverse requirements across different transport modalities. As Simply Deliver integrates into Rail-Flow, it becomes part of an expanding trend in the logistics industry, where end-to-end solutions are not only desirable but necessary for maintaining a competitive edge. This ongoing evolution necessitates flexibility within organizations to adapt their models and innovate continuously.
This merger reflects the logistics industry’s movement toward comprehensive digital integration, allowing companies to offer a wider variety of optimized services. Stakeholders may benefit from reduced operating costs and improved service efficiency. Those involved in logistics and transportation industries can monitor the deployment of similar strategies to maintain or enhance their competitive stance.
