LOGISTICS software developer WiseTech Global announced on Wednesday (4 October) it had acquired MatchBox Exchange, a provider of an online open market platform for the reuse and exchange of shipping containers between operators in the landside logistics space.
MatchBox Exchange is headquartered in Australia; WiseTech acquired it from private shareholders.
MatchBox Exchange operates in Australia, India, Indonesia, Israel, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Its customers are transport companies and their customers, freight forwarders and importers/exporters.
The MatchBox Exchange platform matches those who have a supply of empty containers with those who need them.
MatchBox Exchange collaborates with global shipping lines through direct integrations to enable customers to reuse containers, or request or offer empty containers across businesses for their import or export needs.
WiseTech founder and CEO Richard White welcomed the MatchBox Exchange team to WiseTech Global.
“There are a huge number of containers moving around the globe at any one time with 862 million TEU in 2022,” he said.
“MatchBox Exchange brings new digital capability to optimise the reuse of shipping containers to reduce unnecessary trucking trips, increase container utilisation and improve productivity. This is a great example of true optimisation by offering more than mere visibility, creating actionable data for end-to-end process optimisation across the supply chain.”
Mr White said the transaction demonstrates WiseTech’s continued investment in its landside logistics development priority.
“[It enhances] our CargoWise ecosystem in the container optimisation space, while helping to reduce traffic congestion in ports from unnecessary transport of empty containers,” he said.
“This brings us another step closer to delivering on our vision to be the operating system for global logistics.”
MatchBox Exchange CEO Carl Marchese said: “Joining WiseTech Global will provide the scale and resources to grow the use of the MatchBox Exchange platform in new landside logistics markets, optimising the reuse and exchange of empty shipping containers, driving better utilisation of trucks and improving collaboration and productivity through digital processes.”
