iForce was formed in 1997 by the merger of a software business with a logistics provider.
The intention of the merger was to create a business that possessed innovative software and operational capability to create supply chain solutions for the UK retail market which was then experiencing the rapidly expanding internet shopping phenomenon.
iForce had a clear mandate to build the industry-leading systems and operational capability to support the three key pillars of this evolving modern commerce market: fulfilment, returns processing and carriage management.
We realised from the beginning that software was the key to providing solutions for the challenges that retailers were facing and the Group’s philosophy since that time has been to manage the proprietary development and evolution of the software in a strategic manner to respond to the ever changing needs of the retail customer. Modern Commerce continues to evolve and iForce continues to meet these new challenges with innovative software and operational solutions.
iForce works with many of the biggest brands in the UK, with some of our client relationships stretching back over 10 years. We take great pride in the fact that we have played a part in the success that our clients have achieved whether that be in fulfilling e-commerce orders for John Lewis or processing Returns and recovering margin for Tesco.
Our business has continued to evolve and adapt over the years as our client needs have changed. What once was a business focussed purely on e-commerce fulfilment is now providing multi-channel software and operational solutions for retailers such as Cath Kidston, Maplin and Fortnum and Mason, where store fulfilment orders far exceed those coming from e-commerce but where the need to fulfil both types of orders from a common stockholding is paramount.
In 2015 iForce launched its Pathfinder product, underpinned by our Route Genie software. iForce developed carriage management software in 2001 but only deployed it with clients who used our iForce Gateway product. Following a £2m investment to re-platform the existing software product and building additional functionality the resultant industry leading software has been made available as a stand-alone SaaS product.
In April 2017, iForce was acquired by Eddie Stobart Logistics Ltd. This acquisition now provides iForce with access to the largest transport network in the UK thus enabling iForce for the first time to offer an integrated supply chain capability to multi-channel retailers.
In a market that is constantly evolving our aim is always to keep our clients one step ahead.