GENEVA, June 17, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IATA Centre, European Import & Export Control System Industry Session -- Descartes Systems Group (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX), a federated global logistics network, announced that Mercator, a global provider of business technology solutions for business transformation and process improvement, has joined Descartes' United by Design program to offer broader services to its airline and transportation industry air freight community around the world.
Mercator provides an integrated back-office air cargo management solution which frees cargo airlines from the restrictive ties of traditional legacy-based systems. Combined with Descartes' federated Global Logistics Network and value-added air messaging and electronic booking applications for the air freight industry, Mercator can now offer additional solutions to help automate and streamline the shipment process resulting in reduced costs and overall improved operational efficiency. These solutions include electronic logistics data interchange (EDI) messaging, electronic booking capability, Cargo 2000, customs filing and compliance solutions.
By federating the two organizations' logistics communities, the joint user base can now work together to continue to automate and standardize multi-party business processes for the air freight industry and share critical information to accelerate productivity improvements and cost savings. The alliance grows the connected community and accelerates potential implementation times, the rate of cost savings and productivity improvements for end users.
"We chose Descartes because it operates the largest logistics network servicing the air freight community. By federating with Descartes through the United by Design program, our joint customers gain value through pre-integrated networked air cargo solutions, a commitment to process improvement and automation for the freight industry," said Duncan Alexander, Vice President – Sales and Market Development for Mercator. "Together, Descartes and Mercator offer state-of-the-art networks combined with logistics technology to deliver results for our customers."
"Our mutual customers need, and are demanding, immediate results. They require hardware, software and networks to interoperate. Descartes' United by Design program seeks to facilitate this out-of-the-box functionality," said Jan Markill, Director EMEA at Descartes. "With our organizations working together, the United by Design program accelerates and redefines time-to-value for our customers."
Descartes' federated network combines the power of the Descartes Global Logistics Network (GLN), a community of over 22,000 companies in over 165 countries exchanging logistics information, and value-added applications working together to standardize and streamline multi-party business processes.
About Descartes
Descartes (TSX: DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX) is making the world a better place by enabling global organizations with logistics-intensive businesses to save money by improving the productivity and performance of their operations. Underlying Descartes' offerings is the Descartes Global Logistics Network (GLN), one of the world's most extensive multi-modal business application networks. Descartes' logistics management solutions provide messaging services between logistics trading partners, shipment management services to help manage third party carriers, global customs filing and compliance services to meet regulatory requirements and private fleet management services for organizations of all sizes. Descartes' solutions and services deliver results by enabling organizations around the world to reduce administrative costs, billing cycles, fleet size, contract carrier costs, and mileage driven; improve pickup and delivery reliability; and optimize working capital through fleet visibility. Descartes' hosted, transactional and packaged solutions deliver repeatable, measurable results and fast time-to-value. Descartes customers include an estimated 1,600 ground carriers and more than 90 airlines, 30 ocean carriers, 900 freight forwarders and third-party providers of logistics services, and hundreds of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, private fleet owners and regulatory agencies. The company has more than 600 employees and is based in Waterloo, Ontario, with operations in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Copenhagen, Eindhoven, Gent, Lier, Namestovo, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Montreal, Miami, Washington DC, Derby, London, Silver Spring, Stockholm, Suzhou, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto, Windsor, and Zilina. For more information, visit www.descartes.com.
The Descartes Systems Group logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4065
About Mercator
Mercator is a global provider of business technology solutions, delivering business transformation, process improvement and return on investment to more than 100 customers in five continents. The company also meets and satisfies the full range of the demanding IT needs of the main constituent parts of the Emirates Group - the award winning Emirates Airline and Dnata, the largest air travel services organisation in the Middle East. Launched in October 1995, Mercator has witnessed a meteoric rise from a start-up initiative to global player in just a few short years. Now a fully fledged worldwide provider of airline and airport solutions, it boasts contracts in five continents. Mercator's customers include major airlines such as AeroMexico, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Qantas, JetBlue, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, South African Airways, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan, Swiss International Airline, Groupo TACA and Westjet. Through Mercator's vast experience in serving the IT requirements of these major organisations, it has developed an extensive portfolio of products encompassing airline financial solutions, air cargo and logistics solutions, passenger and airport solutions, airline business process outsourcing and airline business consultancy. Mercator employs more than 1,500 staff around the world. Furthermore, strategic alliances with other international airline IT companies continue to help Mercator in its ambitious growth plans. For more information please visit www.mercator.com or contact Caroline McComb, Emirates Group Corporate Communications. Tel: (+9714) 708 2306, Mob: (+97156) 684 8930. E-mail: caroline.mccomb@emirates.com.
This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") that relate to Descartes' solution offering and potential benefits derived therefrom; the range of services that Descartes will provide to Mercator; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.