Microlise celebrates 30 years in business today!!
Microlise was formed in 1982 by Keith Bendon. With the help of 2 software developers, working out of his home,they developed a Warehouse Management software application.
By the end of the eighties, Microlise had grown to 50 staff members and had numerous prestigious customers, including Carlsberg-Tetley, Kellogg’s and United Biscuits – all using Microlise Warehouse Management Systems.
In the late eighties, exploiting burgeoning microelectronics technology, Microlise developed their own range of Fork-lift Truck mounted and hand-held Radio Data Terminals, eventually supplying global players like Symbol Technologies (now part of Motorola), until the mid-2000’s.
Microlise recognised the need to provide system integration skills to be able to connect their warehouse systems into third party control systems which led to developing a Systems Integration business, which delivered, often bespoke, control and automation solutions – including ones which were RFID based emerging as one of the earliest adopters of low and high frequency passive RFID tags and readers into the supply chain.
Roy Allum, one of Microlise’s first employees back in 1982, took over ownership of the company in 1992.
At the start of the new millennium, after one customer said “Using Microlise’s WMS, I can tell you exactly what stock I have, in what location and what is allocated to what order and when it needs to be picked, packed and delivered – yet I then entrust these same goods to a driver, with a pen and a piece of paper and everything disappears into a black hole” Microlise, and their now experienced staff, developed their Fleet & Distribution offering which comprised vehicle tracking & proof of delivery. At the heart of our solution was the Transport Management Centre, which allowed users to manage all journeys and deliveries on an exceptions basis.
Microlise quickly became amongst only a handful of players in the Transport Management Systems space that offer a one stop solution and service shop. They develop and test all their own software and also manufacture their own tracking & telematics hardware – the latest version of which is the MTU3. They control their own roadmap, their own priorities, their own costs, technology, and quality.
In 2007 Microlise underwent a management buyout. This change in ownership, with a new Chairman and Financial Director coming on-board, really helped to take Microlise and its Transport Management Systems business in particular, to new levels of success.
“From what started out as 3 staff, delivering a solution to a fleet of 90 trailers, the portfolio has grown over the last 9 years to encompass a wide range of features, which we are delivering to over 600 new customer vehicles a month just in the UK. In 2009, through our channel partners, we have signed contracts in Europe which will more than double this figure” stated Matthew Hague, Microlise’s Product Strategy Director.
Since then Microlise has increased its product portfolio to include a Proof of Delivery and Journey Management solutions making them one of the top telematics providers in the UK. With longtime customers such as DHL, JCB, MAN, Kelloggs, and many more Microlise is positive that they will be around for at least another 30 years.
