29.07.2026| Industry matters

For more than 30 years, Matthew Deer has worked in container logistics. Over that period, the industry has invested heavily in transport management systems (TMS), vehicle technology, telematics, container tracking and increasingly sophisticated supply chain visibility. Yet one critical part of the operation has remained largely manual: securing reliable haulage capacity quickly enough to keep freight moving.

“People often ask why we built FCLHUB,” says Matthew. “The simple answer is that we’ve experienced these challenges first-hand. We weren’t trying to create another piece of technology. We wanted to solve a genuine operational problem.”

That challenge is familiar to almost everyone involved in container logistics

A container needs to be collected from the port. The planner contacts one haulier, then another, to check availability. By the time a decision is made, the preferred vehicle has often already been allocated to someone else, and the process starts again.

“No one has done anything wrong,” Matthew explains. “The market has simply moved while the decisions were being made.”

For decades, this approach has been underpinned by strong commercial relationships and deep operational knowledge. However, rising costs, persistent driver shortages and increasing customer expectations mean planners now need access to capacity at a speed that traditional methods struggle to match.

Availability is the challenge

Much of the conversation around digital procurement focuses on price, but Matthew believes the industry’s biggest constraint is something else entirely.

“People assume the biggest issue is price. Most days, it’s availability. The industry still spends too much time finding capacity and not enough time moving containers.”

That insight led directly to the creation of FCLHUB.

Built by people with decades of experience in container logistics, FCLHUB is a trusted digital marketplace and growing network connecting shippers, freight forwarders, and verified container hauliers. By bringing procurement into a single secure environment, the platform reduces administration, improves responsiveness, and helps keep freight moving.

Unlike many technology businesses entering logistics, FCLHUB has been built from within the industry rather than from outside. Every aspect of the platform reflects real operational challenges, commercial pressures and the importance of protecting long-standing customer relationships. That practical understanding has shaped not only how the platform works, but also how it has been introduced to the market.

Importantly, FCLHUB is not designed to replace existing TMS platforms. It complements the systems businesses already rely on by digitising the procurement process, which often remains outside operational workflows, with future integrations planned to make the process even more seamless.

Built on trust

For Matthew, speed alone is not enough.

“In logistics, confidence matters as much as availability. Businesses need to know the operator collecting their customer’s container is professional, compliant and dependable.”

Every haulier joining FCLHUB undergoes a rigorous onboarding and verification process before joining the network. That diligence gives shippers and freight forwarders confidence that every operator has been professionally vetted, helping to reduce risk while maintaining the high standards the industry expects.

“The relationships in our industry are incredibly valuable,” says Matthew. “Technology shouldn’t replace them. It should make them easier to maintain and grow.”

Designed for the industry

Matthew is keen to distinguish FCLHUB from traditional freight exchanges.

“We’re not creating a race to the bottom. This isn’t about driving prices down. It’s about helping businesses find the right capacity more quickly, with greater visibility and more informed commercial decisions.”

The platform supports transparent commercial negotiation while protecting existing relationships across the industry. Jobs are matched through FCLHUB’s verified network, with confidentiality maintained throughout the procurement and execution process. This enables freight forwarders to retain control of their customer relationships while giving verified hauliers access to new work opportunities without creating unnecessary competitive tension.

The result is a faster, more efficient procurement process that reflects how container logistics has always operated, combining trusted relationships with commercial flexibility while removing much of the manual administration that slows decision-making.

The platform creates value across the supply chain. Shippers and freight forwarders gain quick access to verified operators when additional capacity is needed. At the same time, hauliers benefit from new work opportunities and guaranteed 14-day payment terms that support healthier cash flow. The result is a more responsive supply chain, helping keep freight moving without compromising established commercial relationships.

Looking ahead

Matthew believes digital procurement will play an increasingly important role in container logistics, but only if it aligns with the way the industry already operates.

“The industry has always been built on relationships,” he says. “Technology has transformed almost every other part of logistics. Procurement is simply the next step. If we can help businesses make trusted decisions more quickly while protecting the relationships they’ve worked so hard to build, everyone benefits.”

For Matthew, the ambition behind FCLHUB has always been to combine industry experience with practical technology to strengthen trusted connections, improve access to capacity, and help build a more responsive, resilient and collaborative container logistics sector.

Swain Group