In recent years, the rail industry has experienced a significant transformation driven by technological advancements. These changes are reshaping how companies manage railcar logistics, shipment tracking, and accessibility for stakeholders leading to increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved service quality. In this blog, we'll explore the future of logistics as it applies to rail and how innovative solutions like ICL's Rail Shipment Visibility Portal (RSVP) are at the forefront of this transformation.

From their earliest known roots in 1888 as the Farmers Elevator and Livestock Company, the Landus Cooperative (Landus) has grown over the years to become one of the largest farmer owned co-ops in the U.S after the merging and acquisition over 60 companies in and around the state of Iowa. Headquartered in Des Moines, Landus is a $2.4B business dedicated to elevating the agricultural supply chain by connecting farmers with value-added partners and technologies, promoting sustainable practices and processes, and works directly with farmer owners to process, distribute, and sell goods such as grain, feed, soil, fertilizer, soybeans, and soy products. 

In the second of our series, Tom Swennes continues the conversation with the impact commercial internet had on ICL growth, the development of VLMS, and our relationship with Mercedes-Benz USA.

Since our formation in 1992, ICL Systems has been a leading provider of solutions for transportation and logistics. In our 30th Anniversary series, we look at a comprehensive history of our business, from our origin story in the back bedroom of a beach house in Newport Beach to our future, with the upcoming launch of new products and our global plans.

Railcars are expensive assets to own or lease. Rail companies should invest with a clear ROI in all business decisions, yet a high percentage of railcars in North America are not fully utilized. Why does this occur, what is the cost to the shipper, and how can shippers reduce their total asset costs by optimizing railcar utilization? 

ICL Systems, the cornerstone of Vehicle Logistics Software in North America for 30 years, is now active on the European market, with BMW Germany as its first client. It will now provide carmakers across Europe with a comprehensive range of vehicle logistics management services, including asset tracking, invoice auditing for OEMs, and business analytics. 

Leveraging the collective real-world experience of the ICL management team, our solutions are designed from the customer’s perspective.

Shipping by rail is complex and complicated further by supply chain disruptions, manufacturing changes, and labor challenges. Today’s freight customer expectations for receiving goods by freight rail are increasing.

This article is the fourth in our series, exploring how railroad and shipment operating metrics are calculated and how shippers can use these metrics to make improvements to their rail network.

This article, the first in our series, explores railroad operating performance, from trip plan compliance, how rail shipment ETAs are calculated and how rail shippers can use these metrics to improve their rail network.

The first article in this two-part series defined PSR examined the historical context in which it implemented PSR and how PSR is measured with the Operating Ratio. The final part of our series will analyze the impacts, both positive and negative, for rail shippers.  

Like every great company, ICL started with the vision; to be recognized as the industry leader in product visibility and invoice-auditing solutions throughout the logistics supply chain. The only question we had to ask ourselves is will it work? Leaving our corporate jobs was a huge risk to take for a chance to work at ICL. Later that night, the bound plan in my hand, I repeatedly read through the business plan, and I was sold.
Fast forward 29 years, now an industry leader within Vehicle Logistics Management, all thanks to Patrick’s attention to detail.