The UK arm of Descartes, a Canadian logistics software company, registered at Chippenham in Wiltshire since 1990 and built partly from UK software firms it has bought.
Descartes makes software and online services for people who move goods. Wikipedia lists its areas as transport management, routing and mobile tools (including fleet management), global trade information, customs and regulatory compliance, e-commerce shipping and fulfilment, and software for freight brokers and forwarders. It also runs the Global Logistics Network, a messaging system that lets shippers, carriers and customs authorities swap information, such as the electronic forms needed to clear goods across a border. If you have ever wondered how a container is cleared or how a delivery van gets its route, this is the sort of software involved.
The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1998 and on Nasdaq in 1999. Wikipedia describes a near-collapse in 2004, followed by a turnaround from 2005 under chief executive Arthur Mesher; Edward Ryan is chief executive now. In 2001 it was among the first logistics firms to sell software as an online subscription. We found no mission statement, so we have not invented one.
In the UK, Descartes Systems UK Limited, company number 02460698, has been registered since 18 January 1990 and is an active business with its registered office at Bewley House, Marshfield Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire. Its listed business type is software development. Wikipedia names several UK-linked acquisitions: Global Freight Exchange (air cargo booking, 2007), Exentra (driver compliance, 2012), Impatex (customs and freight forwarding software, 2013), Pentant (customs connectivity, 2014) and Peoplevox (warehouse software, 2020). These suggest UK teams in several locations, but we could not confirm which sites are still open.
We did not find culture information, staff stories or a values page for the UK team. Wikipedia describes the business as built largely by buying and combining smaller software firms, so it likely has teams that grew from different companies. If you are considering a career here, it is worth asking how the UK teams work together and which products each one looks after.
People employed by a logistics software company include software engineers and testers, product managers, solutions consultants who set systems up for customers, support analysts, customs and trade specialists who understand regulation, and sales, finance and people staff. Studying computing, maths, business or international trade all fit. Descartes' own website lists roles, and the Chippenham location shows that significant technology employers exist outside London and the South East.
Website: www.descartes.com
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