b'FEBRUARY 2025TOP NORTH AMERICAN IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS 29A conversation with WCAworlds CEO Dan MarchDisclaimer data provides Descartes-Datamyne For almost a decade Dan March has been at the helm of the WCAworldthe worlds largest net- 12 months of aggregated statistics on work of independent freight forwarders. A lot has happened during the period and March talksthe waterborne trading activity of US about the challenges and solutions (and the growth) the forwarder network has experienced.importers in the US.For companies that have multiple locationsorunitsengagedintrade, By George Lauriat, AJOT tradestatisticsareaggregatedby individual location or unit, and then WCAworldA Very Brief His- months[ofCOVID]weredifficultprobablyhundreds of IT companiestotaled at the company headquarters tory. When it comes to the businessfor everyone, a surprising thing hap- out there producing solutions for thelevel,asidentifiedbyD&B,orby ofmovingfreightinternationally,pened. After that first year, there waslogisticsindustrySo,thehardestDescartes-Datamyne if D&B data is the WCAworld is a unique organiza- a period of growth, and the reboundpartisprobablynotfinding[solu- not available.tion on a number of different levels.led to a couple of very good years fortions]. I think its taking the time toDescartes-Datamynedatadoes For starters, whenour members finan- evaluateyourbusinessandidentifyNOTincludeinformationonship-ChairmanDavidcially,saidMarchwhich of those solutions fit what youmentsforwhichtheconsigneeis Yokeumfoundedof the post-COVIDdo best.NOT identified. Generally, these are theWCA(theperiod.AndhowAnd the WCAworld has made ashipmentshandledbyanintermedi-world came later)the networks werepoint of working with their membersary such as an NVOCC or other third-in1998itwastheabletorespondto improve the connectivity betweenparty service provider.worldsfirstnon- tothechallengemembers and indeed with the logis- Note,too,thatcompaniesmay exclusive, neutrallyofCOVIDistrueticsworldatlarge.Ourinitialnot be identified in shipment records managedfreighttodayasMarchproducts have developed into now abecausetheyareexercisingtheir forwarding network.says,Andgoingmodern TMS, which allows everyonelegalrighttorestrictthepublic It was a new spinontodisruptions(CONVERSATIONcontinued onreleaseofinformationabouttheir onhowtheinde- liketheRedSeapage 38) trading activities.pendent freight for- andthegeopoliti-wardersmightbecal conflicts around able to collaboratetheworld,Ithink tocompetewiththe same happens. themultinationalDan March Our forwarders cant intermediariesthatweredominatingcontrolwherethe the freight forwarding business. containershipshavetogo.Ifthey The independent freight forward- have to go around the Cape, they have ersthatcomposedtheWCAworldto go around the Cape. But the good membership traditionally had to battlething with our members is that they out of class against multinational inter- are so in tune with and in communi-mediarycompaniesforfreight.Butcation with their customers, their cus-withtheground-breakingbusinesstomers immediately know the issues model, WCAworld network grew fastand the solutions.and helped level the playing field and stayingpowerforthesmallerinde- c oMMunication andd igitalizationpendentfreightforwarders.AnditAmongthechallengesfacing wasnt long before the collective logis- independentforwardersistheadop-tics power of the network equaled ortionofnewtechnologies,especially exceeded many of the multinationalswithinternetandcloud-basedsys-thememberswerecompetingwith.tems. And with Ai (Artificial Intelli-And the parity through networking notgence)alreadybeingintegratedinto onlyenabledthesmallerfreightfor- transportationmanagementsoftware warders to compete, but in many cases,systems, the challenge to keep up in survive and thrive. the IT arms race is growing. However, as March points out, the g rowtha Midc hallenges industryasawholehasalwaysbeen Justaboutadecadeago,Dana little slow in change, because of its Marchbecamechiefexecutiveofcomplexity. Not because of any sort of WCAworldworkinginpartnershipdinosaursentiments,butjustbecause withChairman Yokeum.Marchhadits very complex with so many moving been with the WCAworld for over fivepartsinsomanyothercountries.Its years before the move into the CEOalwaysbeenanindustrythatevolves seat. When asked by AJOT about therather than has a revolution.decade helping lead the WCAworld,Andevolvingisoftenagood March mused, It is quite a long time.strategyforforwardersandthings A lot changes since then [2015]. generally evolve in our industry rather As March recollects, I was look- thanchangeovernight.So,Ithink ing back and thinking we had just overfromwherewewere10yearsago, 3,500 member offices when I joinedmany of our members now have real-[2010] So, it was under one-thirdized or realized at the time but have the size. The growth has been star- adopted the parts of technology that tling and the WCAworlds roster nowsuit their business. And I think thats has 12,536 member offices spread inwhat weve all come to realize, is that over 180 countries around the world. digitalsolutionshavebecomemore Of course, the COVID pandemicmodular. So, you can actually begin to andensuinglockdownswasabigidentify those solutions that best suit partofthechangesexperiencedyour business and where you want to byMarchandtheWCAworldstaff.take your business.Marchsaid,Ithinkthebigshock,Andwhatisdifferentaboutthe if you go back to the big recent-ishdigital eco-system now is not neces-past shock of COVID, was that reallysarilyfindinganewclientmanage-showed how adaptable smaller com- ment system or TMS [Transportation paniescanbe.TheyhadtochangeManagementSystem]mostfor-overnighttosurvive,andwhetherwarders already have a good system that meant adapting the way they didin placebut rather how to enhance business, looking at different routes,theexistingsystem.AsMarch different modes of transport, gettingexplainsthecurrentsituation,But the right equipment, getting the rightits what you do around your TMS, PPE,whatevertheyweredoing.or integrating to your TMS or stand-thebeautyofsmallercompaniesisalone systems that are specific to your you can change direction much morebusiness,thathavechanged.AndI quickly than a multinational.thinkitsbecomeeasiertoidentify However,whilethefirstsixyour needs and find solutions. 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