Transport Management Blog

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The €2.5 Billion Automation Paradox: How European Shippers Can Close the TMS Automation Gap Before AI-Powered Competitors Leave Manual Operations Behind

The €2.5 Billion Automation Paradox: How European Shippers Can Close the TMS Automation Gap Before AI-Powered Competitors Leave Manual Operations Behind

European shippers are about to face a massive decision. Only 17% of companies report being fully automated, while over one-third still rely heavily on manual processes according to Descartes' 9th Annual Global Transportation Management Benchmark Survey of more than 600 companies. Meanwhile, their AI-powered competitors are pulling ahead at

By Axel Brenner
The European Shipper's Capacity Crisis Playbook: How Advanced Freight Visibility Transforms Scarce Transport Resources Into Strategic Advantage in 2025's Tight Market

The European Shipper's Capacity Crisis Playbook: How Advanced Freight Visibility Transforms Scarce Transport Resources Into Strategic Advantage in 2025's Tight Market

European manufacturers face an unprecedented transport challenge entering 2025. January 2025 saw a spike in freight offers on the Trans.eu platform, with volume increasing on 14 of 16 key lanes. On some routes, the month-over-month growth exceeded 100%. But carrier activity moved in the opposite direction - dropping both

By Axel Brenner
From Basic Reports to Strategic Intelligence: How European Shippers Can Transform TMS Data into Business Intelligence Dashboards That Drive Real ROI

From Basic Reports to Strategic Intelligence: How European Shippers Can Transform TMS Data into Business Intelligence Dashboards That Drive Real ROI

Last quarter's board meeting should have been a wake-up call. Your CFO presented the annual transport spend analysis: €2.4 million flowing through carriers, yet basic reports showed only cost breakdowns and on-time percentages. When pressed for strategic insights about carrier optimization, route efficiency, or cost levers, the

By Axel Brenner
The European Shipper's Guide to Advanced Load Consolidation: How Smart TMS Strategies Can Cut LTL Costs by 25% While Adapting to 2025's Flexible Supply Chain Demands

The European Shipper's Guide to Advanced Load Consolidation: How Smart TMS Strategies Can Cut LTL Costs by 25% While Adapting to 2025's Flexible Supply Chain Demands

LTL shipping is experiencing unprecedented growth across Europe, with international LTL shipping dominating the market with over 67% share in 2024 and LTL consignments advancing at a 3.49% CAGR between 2025 and 2030. This shift represents a fundamental change in how European manufacturers and retailers structure their supply chains.

By Axel Brenner
The €3.2 Million TMS Analytics Gap: How European Shippers Can Transform Basic Freight Reporting Into Strategic ROI Measurement That Actually Drives Cost Savings

The €3.2 Million TMS Analytics Gap: How European Shippers Can Transform Basic Freight Reporting Into Strategic ROI Measurement That Actually Drives Cost Savings

Last month, a German automotive parts manufacturer discovered they'd been overpaying carriers by €127,000 monthly. The culprit? Their TMS reporting system dutifully tracked every expense but missed the cost drivers hiding in plain sight. The Analytics & Reporting Platforms segment is projected to grow at the fastest

By Axel Brenner
The €4.5 Million TMS Security Risk: How European Shippers Can Build Bulletproof Vendor Cybersecurity Due Diligence to Prevent Operational Catastrophe

The €4.5 Million TMS Security Risk: How European Shippers Can Build Bulletproof Vendor Cybersecurity Due Diligence to Prevent Operational Catastrophe

Last month, Knights of Old (KNP) Logistics Group collapsed entirely after a ransomware attack that began with a single weak password. The 158-year-old UK firm couldn't meet the £5-6 million ransom demand, forcing 700 employees out of work and disabling 500 trucks. The attackers encrypted everything—including backups

By Axel Brenner
The European Shipper's eFTI Readiness Guide: How to Choose TMS Platforms That Turn Digital Freight Documentation Requirements Into Competitive Advantage

The European Shipper's eFTI Readiness Guide: How to Choose TMS Platforms That Turn Digital Freight Documentation Requirements Into Competitive Advantage

By September 2025, European shippers face a reality check. The Commission plans to adopt the remaining eFTI implementing specifications. These will provide detailed functional and technical requirements for the IT systems and services to be used by businesses (eFTI platforms and eFTI service providers) and the rules for their certification.

By Axel Brenner
The European Shipper's Guide to Measuring AI-Powered TMS ROI: How to Calculate, Track, and Maximize Returns from Predictive Analytics in 2025

The European Shipper's Guide to Measuring AI-Powered TMS ROI: How to Calculate, Track, and Maximize Returns from Predictive Analytics in 2025

European manufacturers facing €20M+ annual transport budgets know the drill: every board meeting brings the same question about AI-powered TMS investments. You've heard the promises. AI systems now achieve 98% forecasting accuracy and reduce supply chain errors by 20-50%. The European artificial intelligence market alone reached €53.03

By Axel Brenner
The €800,000 Integration Trap: How European Manufacturers Can Avoid TMS Implementation Disasters and Build Bulletproof Legacy System Connectivity

The €800,000 Integration Trap: How European Manufacturers Can Avoid TMS Implementation Disasters and Build Bulletproof Legacy System Connectivity

That German automotive parts manufacturer with €800,000 in sunk costs thought they'd done their homework. They chose a North American-focused platform six months before discovering their primary carriers couldn't integrate without costly custom development. Now they're facing a complete re-implementation because they treated

By Axel Brenner