UK freight forwarding trio acquires Forward Solutions

After an extensive due diligence process, the Cardinal Partnership, Davies Turner, and Woodland Group have formed a holding company and acquired the UK-based freight software firm Forward Computers Ltd from the Freight Software Group.

The joint venture is called Forward Computers Alliance Limited and is the vehicle through which the three leading independent freight forwarding and supply chain management companies now jointly own Forward Computers Limited, which trades as Forward Solutions, mentions the official release.

The Cardinal Partnership and Woodland Group, both long-standing clients of Forward Computers, have been investing in and developing their own digital logistics software in-house for many years. Meanwhile, Davies Turner has been evaluating Forward Computers' products to enhance its existing in-house freight management systems.

“I was excited when two existing clients and a potential client made it clear that they were keen to combine forces to invest in the business and utilise their extensive practical experience in freight forwarding and supply chain management services to influence the design of next-generation systems,” says Christopher Hewlett, CEO of Freight Software Group.

“The development will likely result in an increase in the number of staff employed by Forward Computers, which will remain headquartered in Nottingham while having no negative impact on the existing IT structures of the three joint venture partners.”

Freight Software Group acquired Forward Computers Ltd in 2019, with its products rebranded to trade under the Forward Solutions name in 2021, and will continue to own BoxTop Technologies, the release added.

“We welcome this opportunity to acquire one of the UK’s foremost suppliers of software to the freight transport sector,” says Brian Hay, CEO of the Cardinal Partnership.

“With hundreds of years of collective experience in providing multimodal solutions across air, sea, road, and rail freight, the three partners understand how the industry is evolving and how freight management software needs to evolve alongside it to offer a range of processes and systems that deliver success.

“As co-owners, we look forward to supporting Forward Computers in further developing its range of software solutions that help its clients adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Those clients, many of whom have business relations with the joint venture’s three owners already, can rest assured that Forward Computers, trading under the Forward Solutions brand, will continue to be run as a completely independent business, with client confidentiality assured.”