WATERLOO, ON: August 16, 2017. Descartes Systems Group is to acquire Cleveland, OH-based transport visibility network MacroPoint for US$107 million.

With annualized revenue of US$12.5 million, MacroPoint uses location-based truck tracking and predictive freight capacity data to connect more than 8,000 transportation providers, brokers and shippers.

"We view Descartes as a natural fit for the MacroPoint network and business," said shareholder 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."

MacroPoint connects to trucks via integrations to on-board electronic logging devices (ELDs), transportation management systems, GPS-enabled smart phone applications and location-based mobile phone triangulation.

The company uses the data to help shippers, brokers and logistics services track deliveries while also providing predictive freight capacity for additional freight moves.

"Consumers expect to see the location and progress of shipments from the point of order to delivery," said Ken Wood, Descartes executive vice president of Product Management. "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."

Woods added that MacroPoint has established what he believes is the "preeminent network of connected vehicles and location-based content in North America".

MacroPoint CEO Bennett Adelson declared: "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."