Specialized freight forwarder meets the complex demands of consolidated shipments all across Europe with a high-performance TMS
For its temperature-controlled transportation business, Thermotraffic GmbH of Versmold has been relying on the WinSped transportation management system (TMS) from LIS GmbH since 2013. Smooth digital processes are crucial, particularly in Europe-wide refrigerated and frozen logistics, where a complex groupage network with numerous transshipment points, country-specific requirements, and strict legal documentation obligations shape day-to-day operations. In addition, tight time frames and the need for comprehensive shipment and temperature documentation require precise control of all processes. WinSped comprehensively maps these complex processes and helps Thermotraffic automate workflows and consistently advance the company’s digital strategy.
“We use WinSped for all relevant processes in our road transport operations, from order entry to billing,” says Carsten Laue, Digitalization Manager and Head of IT at Thermotraffic. The company’s core business is the Europe-wide groupage transport of temperature-controlled goods, including food, pharmaceutical products, flowers, and specialty goods that are transported in the frozen temperature range.
As a medium-sized freight forwarder, Versmolder Fachspedition employs 350 people at 16 locations and generated revenue of 200 million euros last year. The company has 80 vehicles of its own and also works with partners.
WinSped: The Backbone of Sophisticated Temperature-Controlled Logistics
Every day, Thermotraffic consolidates numerous individual shipments from various customers, routes them through transfer points, and uses this information to create cost-effective routes for transport throughout Europe. The logistics team is tasked with effectively combining identical temperature requirements and ensuring a consistently stable cold chain.
In addition, there are strict legal requirements in the food and pharmaceutical sectors that mandate complete temperature and process documentation. Tight time windows for loading and delivery require precise planning. “And because we operate throughout Europe, we also have to navigate different national regulatory frameworks with varying requirements,” says Laue.
It is precisely this challenging environment that WinSped comprehensively models. The software supports all of Thermotraffic’s key road transport processes, from order entry and scheduling to telematics integration and invoicing. In this regard, the internationally active specialized freight forwarder benefits from the software’s multilingual capabilities and support for various currencies. WinSped also ensures consistent processes when the various locations work together.
Cross-site overview thanks to modern software architecture
“All locations operate within the same client,” says Laue. This ensures full transparency regarding orders and routes at all times. Each shipment is assigned a unique order number that remains the same throughout the entire process. Changes do not need to be manually applied at every single step; instead, they are automatically applied in real time and without errors across all locations, departments, and processes.
Digital Capabilities for Efficient Temperature-Controlled Transportation
A key WinSped tool in Thermotraffic’s day-to-day operations is the graphical scheduling feature, which has been in use since 2022. This allows routes, along with their associated orders and vehicles, to be clearly and comprehensively displayed on a map. Real-time status updates make it easy to quickly adjust routes, while drag-and-drop features enable intuitive route planning. “This module makes our schedulers’ jobs much easier,” Laue reports. Thanks to the clear overview and improved planning capabilities, resources can be used more efficiently and empty trips can be reduced, which saves costs.
Another advantage is the telematics connectivity. Drivers receive their routes directly in their vehicles, and feedback is automatically entered into the system. “Most of the manual reconciliation work is eliminated, and communication is clear,” Laue reports. Temperature requirements documented in the order are visible to scheduling and fulfillment teams at all times. This reduces the risk of misunderstandings, since everyone involved is working with the same, up-to-date information. This ensures greater transparency, faster decision-making, and smoother communication overall.
Automation that saves time and reduces errors
“With WinSped, we’re not only using significantly less paper, but we’ve also been able to automate some processes,” says Laue. For example, automatic order import eliminates the need for numerous manual entries: Incoming customer orders are imported directly from emails, portals, or interfaces, checked for accuracy and completeness, and transferred to production planning without delay. This not only prevents typos and duplicate entries, but also anticipates many follow-up questions.
Billing is also handled without any extra effort: The system automatically generates the corresponding invoices overnight based on the scheduled trips, including all agreed-upon prices, surcharges, and incidental costs. All that’s left is for the administrative staff to review and approve it.
“And thanks to the fully automated tracking of loading equipment, we always have an accurate overview of inventory levels and movements,” adds Laue. Every withdrawal, exchange, and return is recorded in the system, ensuring that discrepancies are detected early and customer accounts are kept up to date at all times. This not only simplifies administration but also prevents arguments about missing reusable containers.
Innovative Strength as a Key Source of Added Value
For Thermotraffic, a key benefit of collaborating with LIS lies in the technological advancement of WinSped and its strategic alignment with the company’s own digitalization architecture. “Thanks to extension mechanisms such as scripting and API interfaces, the system can now be deeply integrated into our existing IT landscape,” says Laue. Many of Thermotraffic’s internal workflows are based on operational and billing data from WinSped. The solution’s high level of openness and integration capabilities enable a consistent degree of automation across system boundaries.
For more than twelve years, LIS has been supporting Thermotraffic’s digitalization strategy continuously and without any technological disruptions. “Functional enhancements and performance optimizations are rolled out on an ongoing basis and, thanks to the stable system architecture, can be quickly deployed in production,” Laue reports. The close collaboration between Thermotraffic’s internal IT resources and the dedicated contacts at LIS is particularly valuable in this regard. “Our account managers have a thorough understanding of both our processes and the technical requirements, and can therefore provide us with targeted support,” said Laue.
The next step is to introduce the web-based version, WinSped Web. “This allows our employees to access the system from anywhere and on any device,” says Laue. Local installations are no longer necessary; updates are deployed centrally, and the computing load is largely shifted to the servers, so that even less powerful workstations can be used without any problems. In addition, the web-based solution is scalable: As demand grows, new users can be added easily.