The success of CarrierNetOnline is based on more than 20 years of experience developing solutions for logistics and transport operations.

In 2001, Deltion took over the Intellectual Property, assets and goodwill of Advecto Limited and its subsidiary, Fir Tree Computer Systems. Fir Tree had developed and supplied planning systems to the logistics industry for the previous fifteen years. The customer base ranged from smaller operators such as QTR with fleets of 30-100 vehicles, to large operations such as Safeway, Exel, Lex Transfleet and Tibbett & Britten.

Deltion’s management team completely re-engineered the Fir Tree system into a web based Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, CarrierNetOnline, to provide a world class real-time software service. CarrierNetOnline is not just a web front end for order entry and Proof of Delivery (PoD); it is a comprehensive system, managing resource use across depots, sub-contractors, and contracts. Consignments are tracked through all stages from collection to consignee, including scanning by depot staff and drivers. Planners can benefit from routing and scheduling, drivers are able to PoD online using a mobile phone or PDA, and users are alerted about exceptions or service issues along the way.

This revolutionary software is available as a web-based On Demand service, without the need for investment in software licences, hardware, IT support or maintenance. It is a straightforward pay-as-you-use model which ensures that the service pays for itself almost immediately. It has been described as the equivalent of a utility service for logistics – users do not own the infrastructure, the licence or employ the staff. They just pay for and use the output – namely the software – as they need it.

In order to ensure that CarrierNetOnline Software as a Service is always at the forefront of latest developments, the key technologies driving the changes in Internet applications, known as Web 2.0, have been incorporated in CarrierNetOnline. These tools are interactive and allow CarrierNetOnline to be deployed as a dynamic web application which can draw from disparate sources and systems.

As a result of these developments, CarrierNetOnline is now the leading multi-user logistics and transport service. Almost a £1 billion value of goods have already moved through CarrierNetOnline and it is now the number one pay-as-you use Internet service for collaboration, visibility and logistics management. Deltion’s aim is to ensure that CarrierNetOnline takes advantage of the latest proven technologies in order to bring benefits to existing and new clients.

The first user of this service was The HazChem Network; Deltion established and hosted a dedicated online operation for the network. Since then, CarrierNetOnline has grown to the point where more than 1000 members of logistics companies and networks, including their customers, partners and sub-contractors, now move more than 200,000 orders a month using CarrierNetOnline. These movements range from small parcels to pallet loads and drums of hazardous chemicals.