Taking Metro technology to the next level

Metro has been a technology first company for decades, becoming one of the earliest paperless forwarders almost 20 years ago and innovating leading-edge supply chain management, tracking and business-process technology ever since.

As a result, we have become increasingly integrated with many of our customers and partners, to share real-time data, accelerate workflows, automate processes and optimise their supply chains.

Conception, implementation and continued evolution of arguably the world’s most comprehensive logistics management platform, the proprietary MVT, further enhances our value proposition.

Wisetech Global began writing code for freight forwarders in 1994 and today they are a leading provider of software solutions to the logistics industry globally, with the top 25 global freight forwarders deploying their solutions.

In 2020, Metro took the strategic decision to partner with the Wisetech Global team and integrate their CargoWise One (CW1) operations solution with our multi-award winning MVT platform.

CW1 is an enterprise-class management system, with a deeply feature-rich set of vertical and horizontal, whole-of-enterprise capabilities, across the supply chain. 

Integration with MVT provides a significantly enhanced, global operations platform, which has been designed to drive productivity, profitability, automation, supply chain compliance and global reach. It simplifies and improves integration and communication with customers, partners, vendors and carriers, which enhances regulatory compliance with customs, security and dangerous goods authorities globally.

The CW1 project has been 2.5 years in the planning, training and implementation, with every area of the company being completely reviewed and processes optimised to utilise the full technical advantages of CW1, with the final part of the Metro business transitioning to CW1 on the 1st October.

The My Visibility Tool portal now boasts CW1 compatible modules including our latest (customs) CuDoS, (DC delivery management) DCM, (environment) Eco, and (tracking) T&T with Notification engine solutions, which embrace AI, machine learning and automation technology. 

Customers will be automatically transitioned to the latest version of Track and Trace (v4) and will still have access to our legacy MVTe solution for older shipments and corresponding documentation & reports. 

Our investment in AI features heavily in version 4 with optimised models that predict arrival dates and ETA insights to proactively notify users of reasons for delay. This development will be extended in 2024 with a customer facing API based on the standards of UN/CEFACT and the DCSA, that will load updated shipment and tracking data, directly into their systems.

Metro has rebranded with a new logo and documentation output from the CW1 system is being adapted to reflect this positive change and innovation.

Metro’s board realises software implementation and rollout is rarely a smooth transition, internally and externally and while our work with CW1 has not been without its challenges over the last couple of years, we’re delighted with the outcomes, the specific advantages it’s brought us and the efforts of all the teams involved in this major undertaking.

Finally, we’d like to thank all our customers, partners and suppliers, for your ongoing support during this time.

The Metro board continues to invest in our technical capabilities and innovative technology, which adds value to the business and our customers. EMAIL Ian Powell, to learn more.