Descartes Systems Group (TSX: DSG; NASDAQ: DSGX) has acquired MacroPoint, LLC from Susquehanna Growth Equity, LLC (SGE) and MacroPoint management for US $107 million, payable approximately US $87 million in cash and US $20 million in shares.
In November 2016, Susquehanna Growth Equity invested US $44 million in MacroPoint for an undisclosed stake in the company.
MacroPoint had annualized revenues of approximately US $12.5 million.
Cleveland, Ohio based MacroPoint is an electronic transportation network providing location-based truck tracking and predictive freight capacity data content. The company connects more than 8,000 transportation providers, brokers and shippers.
MacroPoint runs a connected network of over 2 million trucking assets and drivers. MacroPoint connects to trucks through integrations to on-board electronic logging devices (ELDs), transportation management systems, GPS-enabled smart phone applications and location-based mobile phone triangulation. MacroPoint uses this data to help transportation brokers, logistics service providers and shippers track the locations of deliveries in trucks. MacroPoint can also use this content to provide transportation brokers and shippers with predictive freight capacity to help identify early opportunities for additional freight moves.
“Consumers expect to see the location and progress of shipments from the point of order to delivery,” said Ken Wood, EVP of Product Management at Descartes. “With leading e-commerce retailers and other shippers demanding that their transportation providers provide real-time location-based information, the business-to-business market now has the same expectation of full visibility into transportation moves. To meet this expectation, MacroPoint has established what we believe is the preeminent network of connected vehicles and location-based content in North America.”
“MacroPoint is the market leader for truckload shipment visibility,” said Bennett Adelson, CEO of MacroPoint. “We believe that the combination of Descartes’ Global Logistics Network with our cloud-based, real-time load visibility platform creates a truly differentiated offering that helps customers research, plan, execute and monitor multi-modal shipments around the world.”
“Descartes has a successful history of electronically connecting transportation providers to transportation brokers, logistics intermediaries and shippers to share data, automate processes, and run more efficiently,” said Edward J. Ryan, Descartes’ CEO. “With this experience, we appreciate the unique value of a network-based business focused on the transportation industry with a track record of high revenue growth, high recurring revenues and profitability. We’re excited to have MacroPoint join the Global Logistics Network so that we can jointly deliver even more value to the logistics and supply chain community.”
“We view Descartes as a natural fit for the MacroPoint network and business,” said Amir Goldman of Susquehanna Growth Equity. “We believe there are tremendous opportunities for the combined business, which is why we’ve become Descartes shareholders as part of this transaction.”
photo credit: MacroPoint/SGE