Supply chain platform Blue Yonder announced it will acquire Doddle. The move will see the London-based company expand its offering with full-circle expertise encompassing final mile, returns management and reverse logistics solutions.
Blue Yonder’s platform allows retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers to meet customer demand through delivery planning. The company works with over 3,000 businesses globally to ensure they have sustainable and profitable operations. Logistics providers who do business with Doddle include Amazon, Australia Post, FedEx and the United States Postal Service.
The acquisition will assist Blue Yonder in its mission to transform the supply chain. The costs associated with the first and last mile of the e-commerce space are the focus of many in the supply chain. Together the two companies will form a force to be reckoned with in transforming the supply chain.
Doddle solves the returns problem
The Company’s CEO Duncan Angove says Doddle has been able to achieve something other industry players haven’t been able to. “It has cracked the code of first- and last-mile together with omni-channel returns,” says Angove. He adds that Doddle can solve the returns solution end-to-end. “The proliferation of e-commerce — and, therefore, returns — has placed increased pressure on carriers, muddied the waters of inventory management, and created frustrations for shoppers. Doddle’s capabilities unlock a differentiated, superior customer experience and will help us to further our mission to transform the supply chain, he says.”
Doddle works with over 900 retailers and logistics providers worldwide to manage first and last-mile delivery. The company’s CEO Tim Robinson says to meet the challenges of the first and last mile, integration is needed with a strong supply chain solutions provider. Blue Yonder’s scale and deep expertise is the perfect alliance, and we’re looking forward to helping more businesses tackle these challenges together,” he says.
Doddle brings game to the table
The firm was founded in 2014 by Tim Robinson and Sir Lloyd Dorfman, founder of Travelex. Doddle is the first and last-mile technology platform for leading businesses in e-commerce logistics.
Doddle has a dedicated team of experts in first and last-mile logistics and has developed a suite of technologies that have proven successful in serving retailers and logistics operators at scale around the world, helping to manage their delivery and returns while reducing costs, emissions, and waste.
Blue Yonder, a company with clout
The company’s capabilities have even seen it bring on automotive clients. In March 2023, Honda digitally transformed its supply chain with Blue Yonder. This has allowed to monitor inventory movement and automate both its planning and production processes.
In April 2023 global analyst firm Forrester Research named Blue Yonder a “Strong Performer” in The Forrester Wave – a guide for buyers considering their purchasing options in a technology marketplace. The publications described Blue Yonder as “the best fit for firms that are making a slow transition away from legacy solutions and that need to add modern optimization support now.”
About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
