The third party logistics provider (3PL) WWEX has completed its planned merger with shipping and fulfillment solution provider Auctane in a move first announced in March by the financial backer of the deal, the investment firm Thomas Bravo.
Both Dallas-based WWEX and Dallas-based Auctane are conglomerations of several previously existing logistics firms that were bought up and merged by Chicago-based Thomas Bravo.
By completing the combination of all those original companies, Thomas Bravo said it has created a company called ShipStation Global that unites WWEX Group’s freight brokerage platform and network of more than 2,300 sales professionals with Auctane’s AI-powered shipping software, global carrier connectivity, and automation capabilities.
Altogether, ShipStation Global now serves more than 3 million customers and moves over 3 billion shipments per year, leveraging a partner network of more than 75 less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers; 350 regional, national, and international carriers; 600 technology partners; and 45,000 truckload carriers. The company connects logistics across parcel, LTL, truckload, and global shipping all in a single, integrated platform.
“Small and mid-sized businesses have been forced to stitch together multiple tools and relationships just to keep up,” said Tom Madine, CEO of ShipStation Global. “ShipStation Global changes that. We’re combining the best AI-powered shipping software in the market with one of the country’s most powerful freight networks — and we’re building it specifically for the businesses that need it most. Today is the start of something that’s been a long time coming.”
According to Thoma Bravo, it made the merger because the gap between large enterprises and growing businesses continues to widen as technology advances and supply chains grow more complex. The newborn ShipStation Global was built to close that gap by giving small and mid-sized businesses the data, intelligent automation, and expert support they need to remain nimble and unlock value across the entire supply chain.
