Fargo Group, the UK-based intermodal logistics technology business, today announced its acquisition of IXOLUTION, a Netherlands-based provider of intermodal transport management software.

The move marks the first step in Fargo Group’s European expansion strategy, extending its intermodal footprint across the North Sea–Benelux–Germany corridor and reinforcing its vision of building the leading operating system for intermodal logistics.

As intermodal supply chains become increasingly fragmented and complex across road, rail, barge, terminal, and yard activities, operators face growing pressure to coordinate disconnected systems, workflows, and operational decisions in real-time.

Fargo Group believes the sector increasingly requires an operating system for intermodal logistics; one that creates network intelligence by connecting transport, terminal and logistics activities, thereby enabling stronger coordination and better decision-making across the wider logistics network.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, IXOLUTION provides the IXSuite intermodal transport management platform, supporting transport planning, terminal operations and rail cargo logistics for customers across 12 countries.

The addition of IXOLUTION brings an established European customer base, experienced intermodal software expertise and a proven multimodal platform to Fargo Group.

Together, Fargo Group and IXOLUTION strengthen operational capabilities across road, rail, barge, terminal and logistics networks, supporting customers who manage increasingly connected and complex international supply chains.

Darren Palfrey, CEO of Fargo Group, said:

“IXOLUTION is a natural fit for Fargo. We share the same passion for solving intermodal supply chain challenges and look forward to expanding our reach as the only true operating system for intermodal logistics across Europe.

“By bringing IXOLUTION into Fargo Group, we are adding an experienced team, a proven platform and an established European customer base to our growing business.

“This acquisition strengthens our ability to deliver broader capabilities, deeper European coverage and continued product investment for customers across the sector.”

“As logistics networks become increasingly connected across borders, operators need stronger coordination across transport, terminal and logistics operations. Together, Fargo Group and IXOLUTION strengthen our ability to support customers with the network intelligence, capabilities and expertise required to manage this complexity.”

Ton Stuit, CEO of IXOLUTION, said:

“This is a strong strategic step for IXOLUTION and our customers. Joining Fargo Group gives us the scale and opportunity to accelerate innovation, expand internationally and strengthen our position in the intermodal logistics market.

“From the outset, IXOLUTION has focused on helping intermodal operators manage increasingly complex logistics operations more efficiently.

“Most importantly, our customers can expect continuity. The people they work with, the support they receive and the partnership approach they value will remain central to everything we do.”

Both Ton Stuit and Kornee Sterrenburg will continue in their current roles. IXOLUTION’s offices in Zwijndrecht, Netherlands, and in Nettetal-Kaldenkirchen, Germany, will remain in place.

IXOLUTION will continue to operate under its endorsed brand position, “IXOLUTION – A Fargo Group Company”, throughout the initial integration period.

Fargo Group is backed by August Equity, a leading UK mid-market private equity investor with an unparalleled 20-year investment track record of delivering consistent capital growth. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Image: Darren Palfrey, Fargo Group CEO.

Fargo has been named a finalist in the Technology Company of the Year category at this year’s Multimodal 2026 Awards.

This category recognises businesses that deliver innovation and measurable impact across logistics and supply chain operations, as the sector faces increasing pressure to improve coordination, utilisation, and real-time decision-making.

The shortlist reflects the industry’s growing focus on better-connected intermodal networks, as many businesses look to move beyond fragmented planning processes and siloed systems.

Fargo’s platform integrates transport planning and execution with terminal, gate and yard management, supporting container logistics providers across road, rail and inland terminal environments.

Speaking ahead of the show, Fargo’s Product Director, Dan Falvey, said:

“Intermodal logistics is becoming increasingly complex as networks expand and operational pressures mount.

“This recognition reflects the work the team has put in to help customers improve planning, alignment and decision-making across increasingly complex logistics networks.”

Fargo has also continued to expand its AI-assisted operational support capabilities, designed to help planners and traffic teams respond more effectively within live workflows.

The business will exhibit at Multimodal 2026, showcasing the latest developments across Fargo TOPS and Fargo TERM.

The winners will be announced at the Multimodal Awards, held at the VOX Conference Centre in Birmingham on 30 June.

Multimodal 2026 | Stand 4000.

Container logistics operations are under increasing pressure.

Rising costs, fragmented planning, empty mileage, delayed vessels and growing intermodal complexity continue to place increasing strain on operators across the UK supply chain.

Despite significant investment in transport systems and visibility platforms, many transport offices still spend their days reacting to disruption rather than optimising utilisation, recovering plans quickly or improving execution across the supply chain.

For Ash Karia, those frustrations became impossible to ignore.

After more than 25 years in container logistics – spanning traffic planning, VBS booking, and co-founding and scaling ATL Haulage Contractors – Ash believes the industry still lacks something critical: intelligence that helps transport teams make better decisions as the day evolves.

That thinking led to IntelliLog, an AI-assisted platform that helps you make smarter decisions across your container logistics operations. IntelliLog helps you improve asset efficiency, reduce inefficient mileage, support better routing decisions, and speed recovery from disruptions, strengthening profitability, reducing waste, and lowering avoidable carbon emissions.

In this Q&A with Porttalk, Ash discusses the frustrations that inspired IntelliLog, why the industry still struggles with fragmentation, and how smarter coordination could reshape container logistics.

What led you to create IntelliLog? Was there a specific frustration or industry gap that made you feel change was necessary?

I’ve spent more than 25 years in container logistics, starting in traffic planning and operations before co-founding ATL Haulage Contractors and helping to scale the business nationally. Over that time, I’ve experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to coordinate container movements efficiently, particularly as businesses become larger and more fragmented.

The industry faces constant pressure – vessel delays, missed slots, empty mileage, shifting customer requirements, off-dock storage challenges, and difficulty recovering plans quickly when disruptions occur. Many businesses still rely heavily on manual intervention, disconnected communication and reactive decision-making.

IntelliLog came from those frustrations. I built a tool to assist planners by helping them identify better routing opportunities, reduce wasted mileage, improve asset efficiency, lower unnecessary fuel consumption, and respond more effectively to changing circumstances.

The goal was never to replace operators or existing systems. It was to create an intelligent layer that works alongside transport platforms, giving planners and transport teams better visibility and stronger decision support.

IntelliLog sits on top of existing operational systems rather than replacing them.

One of the key priorities was ensuring IntelliLog could integrate with transport platforms rather than forcing businesses into a costly and disruptive system replacement.

How does IntelliLog differ from a traditional Transport Management System or a freight marketplace?

IntelliLog isn’t a Transport Management System, nor is it a freight marketplace.

Most TMS platforms are designed to manage workflows, administration and transactions. IntelliLog sits alongside existing systems and focuses specifically on live intelligence, optimisation and coordination.

The platform is not designed as a spot freight exchange or rate-bidding marketplace. We focus on fixed-price network optimisation, improved asset efficiency, and smarter alignment with trusted logistics partners, rather than transactional load trading.

The platform extracts traffic-planning data and analyses network conditions. It identifies routing and utilisation opportunities that may otherwise be missed – reducing empty running, easing planning pressure, and accelerating recovery from disruption.

For example, IntelliLog can dynamically identify tip-and-reload opportunities, multi-function trailer optimisation, splitter planning, 2x20ft opportunities, recovery options, routing efficiencies and alternative solutions during disruption.

If vessel schedules change, rail timings shift, or collections run late, the system continuously reassesses the wider plan, allowing transport teams to recover more quickly, reduce knock-on disruption, and maintain efficiency across road, rail, and storage activities.

It’s about enabling smarter alignment across container logistics operations rather than replacing the systems businesses already use.

Many businesses are discussing AI in logistics right now. What role do you believe AI should realistically play in container operations?

AI should support operational teams rather than replace them.

Container logistics remains a people-driven industry, and experience is still crucial. AI can help planners process moving operational data more quickly, identify patterns, highlight opportunities and support better decision-making under pressure.

Transport offices today are managing huge volumes of data and constant change. IntelliLog helps reduce some of that pressure by continuously analysing network conditions and helping planners identify the most efficient way to manage the day as situations evolve.

For me, AI has value only if it improves execution in the real world. That means reducing inefficient mileage, improving asset and trailer efficiency, lowering unnecessary fuel consumption, reducing avoidable carbon emissions and strengthening profitability per movement.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important priority across the industry, particularly for shipping lines, retailers and larger logistics groups. Better asset efficiency and fewer wasted movements don’t just improve performance — they also create measurable environmental benefits across container logistics operations.

What is the longer-term vision for IntelliLog?

The long-term vision is to create a real-time intelligence and optimisation platform for container logistics.

The industry already has significant capacity, infrastructure and expertise. The challenge is often how efficiently those moving parts work together under live operating conditions.

IntelliLog is designed to help businesses make better use of available capacity across the supply chain — reducing wasted miles, lowering unnecessary fuel burn, improving asset efficiency, and enabling more dynamic decision-making across connected systems and logistics partners.

The platform also supports off-dock visibility, storage coordination, and evacuation planning, helping operators reduce unnecessary exposure to quay rent and improve overall supply chain efficiency beyond the port gate.

In the long term, the vision goes beyond port-to-port coordination to include warehouse planning, final-mile visibility, and intermodal alignment across road, rail, and storage operations.

We’re initially focused on the UK market, but the platform has been designed with wider global container logistics operations in mind.

Our goal is simple: to help the industry make better use of the capacity, infrastructure, and expertise already in the supply chain, strengthening decision-making rather than replacing the knowledge and experience within the transport office.

As container volumes grow and supply chains become more integrated, the role of the traffic office is evolving. What was once mainly a road-planning function is now shifting towards a coordination role that encompasses road, rail, terminals, and customer operations.

UK ports handle approximately 9.6 million TEU each year, with transport planners coordinating movements between ports, depots, rail terminals and distribution centres. As networks increase and customer expectations rise, planning teams are finding themselves at the centre of increasingly complex operations.

Shifts in vessel arrival times, terminal congestion, rail schedules, and customer requirements mean that daily plans can change multiple times throughout the day. Planners must constantly update schedules, manage driver and vehicle utilisation, oversee customer communication, and ensure that deliveries and collections continue to run smoothly.

Vehicle Booking Systems (VBS), while improving terminal flow, have also added another layer of coordination, requiring planners to manage precise time slots while balancing driver hours, traffic conditions, and changing port operations.

As a result, the responsibilities of the traffic office have increased significantly. Today’s planners are not merely scheduling trucks; they are overseeing operational flow throughout various parts of the supply chain.

Steve Collins, Managing Director of Fargo Group, believes the role has changed considerably over the past decade.

“The traffic office has always been the nerve centre of a haulage operation, but the volume of information planners now handle has increased substantially. Operators are managing far more interactions, higher expectations for visibility, and stricter operational timeframes across the supply chain.”

According to Jim Slade, Customer Success Director at Fargo Group, the way planners communicate and coordinate has also evolved.

“Traffic offices might seem quieter than before, but their level of coordination has risen significantly. Planners frequently handle multiple conversations simultaneously – via phone, email, and messaging platforms – while also keeping an eye on driver utilisation and service performance.”

Meanwhile, many operators report that recruiting experienced traffic planners is becoming more difficult. The role now requires operational knowledge, customer service skills, and the ability to make quick decisions based on constantly changing information, a combination that is increasingly hard to find.

For operators working around major container gateways such as Felixstowe, London Gateway and Southampton, and increasingly coordinating movements to inland rail terminals, effective planning is becoming even more essential as operations accelerate and become more interconnected.

Darren Walne, Managing Director at 3PL, states that the main challenge for planners is obtaining the correct information at the appropriate time.

“A planner’s day rarely goes exactly as planned. Availability can change, terminals can become congested, and customers still expect timely deliveries. The biggest challenge is gathering the right information quickly enough to make the best operational decision.”

How technology is reshaping the traffic office

As operational demands rise, many operators are looking at how technology can support planning teams in managing higher volumes of activity and information.

Modern transport systems are increasingly integrating information from multiple sources, including vehicle tracking, terminal systems, rail services and customer orders, allowing planners to see a broader operational picture and respond more quickly to change.

Dan Falvey, Product Director at Fargo Group, believes visibility across the wider network is becoming essential.

“Planning container movements now involves coordinating trucks, equipment, terminals and rail services. Technology can bring that information together, giving planners greater visibility of the network and helping them respond more quickly when changes occur.”

This reflects a wider shift across the industry, where operators are moving away from systems focused purely on road transport and towards platforms that support intermodal operations across road, rail and terminal environments.

Alongside this broader operational view, new forms of operational intelligence are also beginning to play a role within planning systems. Rather than focusing solely on reporting, many operators are now seeking tools that support planners as decisions are made, helping them manage exceptions, allocate resources, and handle large volumes of operational information more efficiently.

The aim of these systems is not to replace planners, but to reduce administrative workload and provide better operational insight, allowing planners to focus on keeping freight moving efficiently.

Steve Collins believes the industry is moving towards closer coordination across the supply chain.

“Container transport does not operate in isolation. Trucks interact with terminals, rail services, depots and ports, and each part of that ecosystem influences overall efficiency. The industry is moving towards more connected operational platforms that provide visibility across these operations.”

As container transport becomes more connected across road, rail and terminal operations, the traffic office is becoming a central control point within logistics businesses.

The Fargo Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Darren Palfrey as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Darren joins Fargo to guide the company’s next chapter, bringing its business units together under a clear and unified vision. His appointment follows that of CFO Arassen Sunassee, further strengthening Fargo’s leadership team as it continues to expand its reach and capabilities.

With extensive experience in UK and global logistics, and deep expertise in freight technology and software, Darren brings a valuable combination of operational insight and strategic vision that will help drive Fargo’s continued innovation.

Steve Collins, Managing Director of Fargo, commented: “To support our growth plans, we’re strengthening our leadership team with a CEO who can guide our next phase. Darren’s appointment complements our existing management team, reinforcing our leadership as we grow. His experience and vision will be invaluable as we expand further into European and global markets.”

Darren Palfrey added, “I’m delighted to be joining Fargo and to work alongside such a talented team dedicated to developing industry-leading technology. I look forward to getting to know more about the business, collaborating with colleagues across all areas, and contributing to the next stage of Fargo’s growth and success.”

The Fargo Group is delighted to announce the acquisition of Bankside, the company behind Intermodal Manager, a cloud-based, web-native Terminal Operating System (TOS) utilised by inland terminals, depots, and intermodal hubs to manage container, equipment, and yard operations more effectively.

As part of the Fargo product family, Intermodal Manager will be renamed Fargo TERM (Terminal Management). It will sit alongside Fargo’s established solutions – Fargo TOPS (Transport Operations) and Fargo Yard (Yard and Gate Coordination). Together, this portfolio forms a unified, interconnected technology ecosystem that supports end-to-end intermodal logistics.

The Fargo TERM platform provides integrated functions for yard operations, stock visibility, gate & rail control, maintenance & repair (M&R), equipment and stack management, and customer self-service workflows. Designed to reduce manual handling and support informed decision-making, Fargo TERM helps terminal operators enhance consistency, safety, and throughput across multimodal environments.

Steve Collins, Managing Director of Fargo, explained: “This acquisition strengthens Fargo’s position as a leading provider of connected technology in the intermodal sector. Fargo TERM enhances our existing capabilities in road and yard operations, enabling us to support customers across a broader part of the supply chain. We are delighted to welcome the Intermodal Manager team and customers into Fargo, and we look forward to delivering even greater levels of operational visibility, efficiency, and value.”

Ian Rogerson and Michael Weaver, Co-Founders of Intermodal Manager, said: “Our focus has always been on helping terminal and intermodal operators work smarter through clear workflows, reliable data, and operational control – Fargo shares that philosophy. Becoming Fargo TERM allows the platform to expand within a broader, integrated technology family, offering improved opportunities for development, support, and collaboration. We are confident this will deliver meaningful benefits to our customers.”

Image: Steve Collins, Ian Rogerson (top) and Michael Weaver (bottom).