The Global Freight Summit, DSCI Executive Leadership Forum and realiZing the future of supply chain, today.

Now we’ve all touched back down in our respective hometowns, from LA to Durban and London, it’s time to reflect on our visit to the UAE, as the team worked the DP World Global Freight Summit and the DSCI Executive Leadership Forum.

At the centre of what is fast becoming known as the global crossroads of the world for logistics and supply chain, the trip saw our team presenting on an expert panel, networking, making valuable connections and building international relationships; ones that we know hold incredible value and potential for Azarc’s next phase of growth.

72 hours in Dubai and it was clear the global agenda aligned with Azarc’s founding priorities. Effective and accessible technology and innovation.

With dozens of meetings lined up and 100s of new clients booked in to talk to, the Azarc® booth was a hive of activity; we were still meeting new people on the way back to the airport in Dubai. The interest in the digital automation solutions Azarc® is developing was top-tier.

Not only was this visit a chance for the team to showcase everything that Azarc® has been working on to date, but it also gave us the opportunity to listen. Hear what those working across the length and breadth of the freight, shipping, supply chain, and logistics industries are challenged with, what issues they’re struggling to overcome, what solutions they need and what trends and opportunities are predicted to present themselves over the coming months.

Jon Bass, Head of Sales and Partnerships, said: “The DSCI forum cemented my view that there are some really exciting businesses and organisations out there trying to bring some innovative solutions to the supply chain space that will really help streamline and innovate over the next few years. Being able to hear the thoughts and views of some of the leaders in this space was very interesting and I believe will lead to many fruitful partnerships as a result.”

Digital Transformation and Reorganization

The DSCI Forum highlighted a common theme among industry leaders – digital transformation and reorganization are high on their list of priorities with the Electronic Bill of Lading at the top of that list.

Freight

As the freight industry continues to embrace the significant step change that has taken place concerning its attitude towards exploring digital technologies and solutions, it was very clear at the GFS just how much complication still surrounds the majority of solutions being brought to market.

Product Validation and Market Understanding

The GFS served as a platform for product necessity and validation. The interactions and feedback received from industry professionals provided crucial insights into market needs and expectations. This validation is critical in fine-tuning any offering, including ours, to allow the team to prioritize feature development that caters to the specific requirements of the industry.

All of the main trends outlined here, serve to reinforce the critical need for solutions like Azarc’s digital automation platform.

Needless to say, for the Azarc® team, spirits were high as we wrapped things up in the UAE. With organizations striving to deliver innovative solutions across supply chain in the coming months and years, the demand for automation is paramount and the automated technology we are building at Azarc® is without doubt leading the way; our world-class team already creating solutions that really can help to digitize the supply chain industry.

“Meeting with so many businesses at the GFS was a fantastic opportunity to show not only our customs clearance solution but also our wider business automation solutions to a broader market,” added Jon. “We had many people come to visit our stand and have a look at our Verathread solution, it’s an incredibly exciting time for us, as we look to expand our client list into the MENA region.”

Over the three-day event, Azarc® was able to provide insight and further establish itself as a global leader in digital transformation, utilizing our solutions to showcase that it is possible to remove the excessive complications and layers of complexity the industry has tolerated for so long.

“We are not theorizing or re-inventing the wheel. We are creating truly valuable solutions that remove complexity and drive innovation in multiple ecosystems,” explained Jody Cleworth, Head of Cross-Border Trade at Azarc®. “The vision of Azarc’s Verathread solution is now being realised and attested. Rune, Verathread’s first solution for the UK, is supporting businesses in overcoming the challenges of the United Kingdom’s ongoing changes in customs requirements.

“What is key in the success of this integration of Rune in the UK is that the challenges facing businesses are not specific to the United Kingdom, but rather synonymous across all countries which have border controls. Such similarities are recognised across the Middle East regions and engaging with prospects has proved that these challenges are not only recognised but that a solution to them already exists, and is ready to be scaled across the competitive logistics landscape.”

With Q4 reaching its close, as we look ahead to all the opportunities a new year holds, and what will be an incredibly busy time for Azarc, a closing word from our CEO, Dave Robbins: “Our time in Dubai was an incredibly busy, eye-opening and thoroughly enjoyable experience. With the Global Freight Summit and DSCI’s 11th Executive Leadership Forum both taking place on the world stage that Dubai offers, it was the perfect melting pot of visionaries, industry-leading companies, tradition, collaboration and innovation. It was great to see many old friends and make some new ones.

“The partnership potential that now exists coming out of both events is incredibly exciting for Azarc. But for me, the most important thing that came out of the entire visit was to see team Azarc in action. Our next growth phase has already begun, with Jon, Neil and Simon joining the team prior to our visit to the UAE, and it will continue with five new hires in the pipeline. A huge thank you to the entire Azarc team for the continued and incredible efforts that enable us to consistently represent our best selves among the industry’s finest.”