Descartes Systems Group, a Canadian logistics services provider is acquiring BearWare Inc. and MK Data Services for a total of $87.5 million.
MK, based in Columbia, Maryland, specializes in trade compliance and denied-party screening solutions. Cleveland-based BearWare uses mobile technology to help retailers and their transport providers manage shipments to stores by facilitating carton-level tracking, Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes said in a statement.
MK’s services are of “critical importance” to shipping because countries keep lists of businesses and people that are blocked from doing business in their jurisdiction. In order to remove those barriers, Descartes said, the compliance burden is placed on the carrier or company that arranged the shipment.
Allan Brett, Descartes' chief financial officer said “MK Data’s solution has flexibility that enables targeted screening of individual shipment transactions over the global logistics network.”
BearWare is intended to minimize inventory restocking difficulties, reduce theft and speed payment for shipments,
“BearWare’s platform and team of domain experts is unique in the market, helping its customers track more than 120 million cartons a year,” said Ken Wood, executive vice president of product management at Descartes. “The combination complements Descartes' recent investment in Airclic and further strengthens our routing, mobile and telematics platform.”
