Reuters Events | Supply Chain & Logistics Business Intelligence

In an industry long resistant to change, project44, a Chicago technology provider whose solution provides an unprecedented level supply chain visibility and connectivity, is priming the industry for a major technology evolution.

The company – a 2016 SXSW Accelerator finalist – is scaling in order to do so, as its patented API (Application Programming Interface) technology is already catching on rapidly.

project44 powers the supply chain of the future through global, on-demand connectivity and visibility. By building an enterprise Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) network of intelligent web-service APIs, project44 eliminates the need for legacy communication tools like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the default technology used in global supply chains. 

For decades, web-service APIs have transformed other industries, acting as the building blocks for the most dynamic SaaS applications of today and allowing data to be transmitted from one system to another in nanoseconds. Supply chain is primed to be the next.

Reaching Critical Mass

After officially launching its Freight API product to the market in December of 2015, project44 now holds more than 65 enterprise clients ranging from retailers, suppliers, third party logistics firms and transportation carriers, including Odyssey, Cargo Chief, Estes, Venus Group and BlueGrace Logistics, who earlier this month received a $255M investment from private equity firm, Warburg Pincus.

Further, project44’s network encompasses 1,000+ individual APIs across multiple modes of transportation (including but not limited to Truckload, Final Mile, Intermodal and LTL), and this number is growing weekly. Over 2.1 million daily API transactions flow though the network via project44’s subscription-based customers. The company has captured 99.9% of the Less than Truckload (LTL) market, which was the mode the company started with while building its proof of concept in 2015.

project44’s cloud-based integration network, which is uniquely positioned to bring various technologies together into one seamless platform, is also accelerating technology adoption through numerous integration partnerships. Some of the upcoming value-add integrations to be pushed into release include MercuryGate International, Inc. and Next Generation Logistics.

"As a company, MercuryGate is focused on listening to our customers' needs and developing innovative solutions to help them achieve their business goals,” said MercuryGate CEO and Co-Founder, Monica Wooden. “Our integration partnership with project44 will make it easier for customers to obtain accurate quotes, including Volume LTL, and to access real time-tracking. These capabilities enable customers to reduce administrative costs. Both project44 and MercuryGate are committed to adding value for our mutual clients by providing a seamless experience that allows them to leverage a robust API solution."

Bolstering Headcount

project44 plans to more than double its staff including key roles in engineering, design, product, operations, marketing, accounting, sales and more.

In December 2015, project44 brought on industry veteran, Tommy Barnes, notably expanding the domain expertise of its executive bench. More recently, the company has added two additional executives, further expanding its already deep enterprise technology and supply chain leadership expertise, including: 

• Darryl Anderson, Chief Architect, who has 20 years of experience building large-scale enterprise SaaS web applications. Prior to joining project44, Darryl was the lead architect for Oracle's Healthcare global business unit. He joined Oracle through the acquisition of ClearTrial, where he was the founding architect and built the award winning technical architecture, product development processes and software development infrastructure from the ground up.
•  Walt Heil, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, who brings over 22 years of experience in supply chain and SaaS technology sales and leadership. Prior to project44, Walter held a senior leadership role at Kewill as VP of Multi-Modal Transportation solutions and drove IBM’s worldwide commercial efforts, providing strategy and executive leadership for IBM’s global supply chain execution portfolio.

Plans for Future Growth

project44 is priming itself for even greater near-term growth, quickly expanding its API network into all transportation modes, most notably Truckload, Intermodal and Last Mile. In fact, project44 is already growing into the latter. Case in point: Uber’s API connection for same-day delivery service, Uber Rush, is one of the APIs included in project44’s growing and dynamic network.

The company has leased the entire 32nd floor of the Clark and Adams Building in downtown Chicago and plans on moving in the fall to accommodate its growing, technology-focused staff.

Stay tuned for more information and news announcements at http://www.p-44.com.

About project44: 

project44’s enterprise SaaS integration platform is powering the dynamic supply chain of the future through global, on-demand connectivity and visibility. With project44, retailers, ecommerce, suppliers, 3PLs and transportation carriers (LTL, TL final mile) are able to communicate critical data with the rest of their supply chain in a synchronous, real-time manner. Businesses utilizing project44 are able to increase efficiency and productivity, lower cost, get products to market faster, reduce inventory, increase sales, avoid supply chain failures and quickly adapt to changing requirements. For more information, visit http://www.p-44.com or follow along on Twitter, @freightpipes