IMI launches full supply chain software suite in UK

IMI has launched its full supply chain software portfolio in the UK, following its acquisition of British software company OMS and the Vitesse warehouse labour management system.

The rollout expands its local offer beyond warehouse productivity tools to include inventory planning, order management, warehouse management, freight cost management and delivery management.

IMI entered the UK market through its purchase of OMS, which developed Vitesse. The product already serves British customers including Mountain Warehouse, Poundland and Morrisons.

The business has increased its UK customer base by 20% since January. Across Europe, it works with more than 400 customers in sectors including eCommerce, retail, wholesale, food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and third-party logistics.

UK expansion

The wider launch is designed to deepen IMI's presence in a market where operators are facing pressure on labour and freight costs, particularly across multi-site distribution networks.

Martin O'Grady, Manager Product & Development at IMI, said: "We've seen strong interest from UK operators looking for better visibility of warehouse productivity and labour costs. Many UK businesses are running multiple sites with different ways of working, and they want a consistent view of performance across the whole network. Labour and freight are two of the biggest costs UK operators are carrying into peak, and our focus is on giving them the data to manage both with confidence."

The comments reflect a central issue in Britain's warehouse and logistics software market, where retailers, distributors and logistics providers are under pressure to control operating costs while maintaining service levels.

IMI's UK push is backed by a local team alongside its wider Nordic and European operations. The company is based in Linköping, Sweden, and built its business across the Nordics before expanding further into Europe.

Broader suite

The UK launch marks an effort by IMI to move beyond a narrower presence in warehouse labour management and establish a broader position across supply chain software categories. Alongside the products highlighted in the launch, its wider suite also includes claims management and retail store operations.

For British users of Vitesse, the broader offering may give IMI an entry point into other parts of warehouse and transport operations. It also creates an opportunity to cross-sell to the customer base gained through the OMS acquisition.

Niklas Rönnbäck, Chief Executive Officer at IMI, said: "The UK is an epicentre for Europe's most dynamic supply chains, and the acquisition at the beginning of the year allowed us to begin building a key foundation here, with a team and customer base that know the market well. Bringing our full portfolio to UK businesses is the next step towards our goal of building Europe's leading supply chain suite, and we're looking forward to continuing to invest in our UK team."

The expansion comes as software suppliers seek to win more spending from logistics and retail operators by offering connected systems across inventory, warehousing and delivery functions rather than single-purpose tools.

IMI's UK strategy appears to rest on that broader approach, using its foothold in warehouse labour management to introduce additional systems to operators seeking a more unified view of supply chain performance.

It plans to continue growing in the UK and across Europe, building on its Nordic base and its customer network of more than 400 businesses.