Banyan Technology’s LIVE Connect™ Software Named Digital Freight Audit Solution of the Year
Banyan Technology has been selected as the winner of the “Digital Freight Audit Solution of the Year” award in the 2023 SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards program.
CLEVELAND, OH (June 16, 2023) – Banyan Technology, the leading provider of freight management software for real-time rating and execution of all over-the-road (OTR) shipments, has been selected as the winner of the “Digital Freight Audit Solution of the Year” award in the 2023 SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards program.
SupplyTech Breakthrough, a leading independent market intelligence organization that evaluates and recognizes standout technology companies, products and services in the supply chain technology and logistics industry, recognized Banyan’s patented LIVE Connect™ software for its Freight Bill Management tool.
“It’s an honor to have our LIVE Connect software named the ‘Digital Freight Audit Solution of the Year’. The Freight Bill Management tool was developed through collaboration with our clients and is designed to ensure they never overpay for shipping again,” said Brian Smith, CEO of Banyan Technology. “I’m proud of what our Team has accomplished in delivering innovative, new solutions our clients need to enhance our dynamic platform.”
Due to their complexity and high incidence of mistakes, inaccurate freight bills are much more common than many realize and can result in significant losses. About 1 in 4 freight bills contain an error, causing companies to overpay by an average of up to 13% annually. In a $1.06 trillion OTR shipping market, that is equal to almost $138 billion in overpayments every year.
Banyan’s Freight Bill Management tool automates the freight charge validation process by providing a single, easy-to-use interface for its clients’ freight bills. It offers a side-by-side comparison of booked vs. billed shipments and helps to quickly find and rectify variations and duplicate bills, identify errors, and create better shipping processes. Users are then able to export their findings into virtually any accounting system.
“The Freight Bill Management tool is the most widely used feature of our LIVE Connect software,” said Teresa Waldron, Director of Client Experience at Banyan. “Clients were constantly struggling with allocating the time needed to validate their own freight bills with other priorities in the business. The tool allows them to address both priorities without adding extra bandwidth.”
To learn more about Banyan Technology, visit www.banyantechnology.com. A full list of all SupplyTech Breakthrough Award winners for 2023 can be found at www.supplytechbreakthrough.com.
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About Banyan Technology:
As North America's leading provider of freight management software for real-time rating and scheduling for over-the-road (OTR) shipments, Banyan Technology provides innovative, flexible solutions within our LIVE Connect platform for Truckload (TL), Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), Local Carrier, and Parcel shipping. Our real-time intel, actionable insights, and instant access to information help drive greater operational efficiencies and create significant value for shippers, 3PLs, and supply chain partners. To learn more, visit www.banyantechnology.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
About SupplyTech Breakthrough:
Part of the Tech Breakthrough organization, a leading global provider of market intelligence and recognition platforms for technology innovation and leadership, the SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring innovation and market disruption in supply chain and logistics technologies, services, companies and products around the world. The annual SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of SupplyTech companies and products in categories including Inventory Management, Supply Chain Visibility, Transportation Management, Material Handling, IoT and Robotics and more.
Media Contact:
Megan Greenwalt
mgreenwalt@banyantechnology.com
(330) 301-6864
Shippers today are praising an 11th-hour contract agreement that has averted the threat of a strike by dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports that could have frozen container imports and exports as soon as January 16.
The agreement came late last night between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) representing some 45,000 workers and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) that includes the operators of port facilities up and down the coast.
Details of the new agreement on those issues have not yet been made public, but in the meantime, retailers and manufacturers are heaving sighs of relief that trade flows will continue.
“Providing certainty with a new contract and avoiding further disruptions is paramount to ensure retail goods arrive in a timely manner for consumers. The agreement will also pave the way for much-needed modernization efforts, which are essential for future growth at these ports and the overall resiliency of our nation’s supply chain,” Gold said.
The next step in the process is for both sides to ratify the tentative agreement, so negotiators have agreed to keep those details private in the meantime, according to identical statements released by the ILA and the USMX. In their joint statement, the groups called the six-year deal a “win-win,” saying: “This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coasts ports – making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong. This is a win-win agreement that creates ILA jobs, supports American consumers and businesses, and keeps the American economy the key hub of the global marketplace.”
The breakthrough hints at broader supply chain trends, which will focus on the tension between operational efficiency and workforce job protection, not just at ports but across other sectors as well, according to a statement from Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, a freight booking and payment platform. Port automation was the major sticking point leading up to this agreement, as the USMX pushed for technologies to make ports more efficient, while the ILA opposed automation or semi-automation that could threaten jobs.
"This is a six-year détente in the tech-versus-labor tug-of-war at U.S. ports," Levine said. “Automation remains a lightning rod—and likely one we’ll see in other industries—but this deal suggests a cautious path forward."
Editor's note: This story was revised on January 9 to include additional input from the ILA, USMX, and Freightos.
As U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face an uncertain business landscape in 2025, a substantial majority (67%) expect positive growth in the new year compared to 2024, according to a survey from DHL.
However, the survey also showed that businesses could face a rocky road to reach that goal, as they navigate a complex environment of regulatory/policy shifts and global market volatility. Both those issues were cited as top challenges by 36% of respondents, followed by staffing/talent retention (11%) and digital threats and cyber attacks (2%).
Against that backdrop, SMEs said that the biggest opportunity for growth in 2025 lies in expanding into new markets (40%), followed by economic improvements (31%) and implementing new technologies (14%).
As the U.S. prepares for a broad shift in political leadership in Washington after a contentious election, the SMEs in DHL’s survey were likely split evenly on their opinion about the impact of regulatory and policy changes. A plurality of 40% were on the fence (uncertain, still evaluating), followed by 24% who believe regulatory changes could negatively impact growth, 20% who see these changes as having a positive impact, and 16% predicting no impact on growth at all.
That uncertainty also triggered a split when respondents were asked how they planned to adjust their strategy in 2025 in response to changes in the policy or regulatory landscape. The largest portion (38%) of SMEs said they remained uncertain or still evaluating, followed by 30% who will make minor adjustments, 19% will maintain their current approach, and 13% who were willing to significantly adjust their approach.
The overall national industrial real estate vacancy rate edged higher in the fourth quarter, although it still remains well below pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield.
Vacancy rates shrunk during the pandemic to historically low levels as e-commerce sales—and demand for warehouse space—boomed in response to massive numbers of people working and living from home. That frantic pace is now cooling off but real estate demand remains elevated from a long-term perspective.
“We've witnessed an uptick among firms looking to lease larger buildings to support their omnichannel fulfillment strategies and maintain inventory for their e-commerce, wholesale, and retail stock. This trend is not just about space, but about efficiency and customer satisfaction,” Jason Tolliver, President, Logistics & Industrial Services, said in a release. “Meanwhile, we're also seeing a flurry of activity to support forward-deployed stock models, a strategy that keeps products closer to the market they serve and where customers order them, promising quicker deliveries and happier customers.“
The latest figures show that industrial vacancy is likely nearing its peak for this cooling cycle in the coming quarters, Cushman & Wakefield analysts said.
Compared to the third quarter, the vacancy rate climbed 20 basis points to 6.7%, but that level was still 30 basis points below the 10-year, pre-pandemic average. Likewise, overall net absorption in the fourth quarter—a term for the amount of newly developed property leased by clients—measured 36.8 million square feet, up from the 33.3 million square feet recorded in the third quarter, but down 20% on a year-over-year basis.
In step with those statistics, real estate developers slowed their plans to erect more buildings. New construction deliveries continued to decelerate for the second straight quarter. Just 85.3 million square feet of new industrial product was completed in the fourth quarter, down 8% quarter-over-quarter and 48% versus one year ago.
Likewise, only four geographic markets saw more than 20 million square feet of completions year-to-date, compared to 10 markets in 2023. Meanwhile, as construction starts remained tempered overall, the under-development pipeline has continued to thin out, dropping by 36% annually to its lowest level (290.5 million square feet) since the third quarter of 2018.
Despite the dip in demand last quarter, the market for industrial space remains relatively healthy, Cushman & Wakefield said.
“After a year of hesitancy, logistics is entering a new, sustained growth phase,” Tolliver said. “Corporate capital is being deployed to optimize supply chains, diversify networks, and minimize potential risks. What's particularly encouraging is the proactive approach of retailers, wholesalers, and 3PLs, who are not just reacting to the market, but shaping it. 2025 will be a year characterized by this bias for action.”
Under terms of the deal, Sick and Endress+Hauser will each hold 50% of a joint venture called "Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG," which will strengthen the development and production of analyzer and gas flow meter technologies. According to Sick, its gas flow meters make it possible to switch to low-emission and non-fossil energy sources, for example, and the process analyzers allow reliable monitoring of emissions.
As part of the partnership, the product solutions manufactured together will now be marketed by Endress+Hauser, allowing customers to use a broader product portfolio distributed from a single source via that company’s global sales centers.
Under terms of the contract between the two companies—which was signed in the summer of 2024— around 800 Sick employees located in 42 countries will transfer to Endress+Hauser, including workers in the global sales and service units of Sick’s “Cleaner Industries” division.
“This partnership is a perfect match,” Peter Selders, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group, said in a release. “It creates new opportunities for growth and development, particularly in the sustainable transformation of the process industry. By joining forces, we offer added value to our customers. Our combined efforts will make us faster and ultimately more successful than if we acted alone. In this case, one and one equals more than two.”
According to Sick, the move means that its current customers will continue to find familiar Sick contacts available at Endress+Hauser for consulting, sales, and service of process automation solutions. The company says this approach allows it to focus on its core business of factory and logistics automation to meet global demand for automation and digitalization.
Sick says its core business has always been in factory and logistics automation, which accounts for more than 80% of sales, and this area remains unaffected by the new joint venture. In Sick’s view, automation is crucial for industrial companies to secure their productivity despite limited resources. And Sick’s sensor solutions are a critical part of industrial automation, which increases productivity through artificial intelligence and the digital networking of production and supply chains.
He replaces Loren Swakow, the company’s president for the past eight years, who built a reputation for providing innovative and high-performance material handling solutions, Noblelift North America said.
Pedriana had previously served as chief marketing officer at Big Joe Forklifts, where he led the development of products like the Joey series of access vehicles and their cobot pallet truck concept.
According to the company, Noblelift North America sells its material handling equipment in more than 100 countries, including a catalog of products such as electric pallet trucks, sit-down forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, narrow aisle forklifts, walkie-stackers, order pickers, electric pallet trucks, scissor lifts, tuggers/tow tractors, scrubbers, sweepers, automated guided vehicles (AGV’s), lift tables, and manual pallet jacks.
"As part of Noblelift’s focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences, we are excited to have Bill Pedriana join us in this pivotal leadership role," Wendy Mao, CEO at Noblelift Intelligent Equipment Co. Ltd., the China-based parent company of Noblelift North America, said in a release. “His passion for the industry, proven ability to execute innovative strategies, and dedication to customer satisfaction make him the perfect leader to guide Noblelift into our next phase of growth.”