Australian software firm launches UK headquarters in Stockport

An Australian software firm has set up its UK headquarters in Stockport. Sydney-based shipping software provider SmartFreight is part of the IFS Group and has offices in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.

It provides innovative software solutions to 3,000 companies around the world, helping cut their distribution costs and enhancing their supply chain operations.

For more than 20 years it has provided transport management software to some of the world’s leading organisations and currently processes more than £325m each year of freight spend across its 16,000 software users.

Jeff Francis, national partnership manager at SmartFreight, said: “It’s a very exciting time for us. We have only just started to establish the amazing team of talented people we will need to meet demand. And I couldn’t be happier with the team’s attitude and contribution. They have hit the ground running and are full of ideas and energy to help meet the challenges facing our customers today.

“The welcome day was a brilliant opportunity to get to know everyone and ensure we are motivated and aligned to pull in the same direction. Informal and open discussion is something I believe in and every fortnight I want people to come together, share knowledge, learn from and inspire each other.

“There is, of course, a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes to quickly establish ourselves but I have around me a talented team with exciting ideas and a fresh approach to customer engagement.

“We’re fired up by each other and share a similar business ethos that is a blend of old-fashioned customer care with a modern, relationship-building style that goes beyond simply selling a software platform. We all understand the fast-paced, multichannel world many of our customers work in and why they need providers that grow and develop with them.