Singapore-headquartered logistics tech company Ezyhaul and German multinational package delivery company Deutsche Post DHL have invested $20 million in UK based tech start-up DigiHaul.

Ezyhaul and DHL will both take a share in DigiHaul, and the investment will be used to support “ambitious growth plans” through customer and transporter acquisition, according to a statement on Tuesday.

“We are very happy with the investment and strong support from industry leaders like DHL and Ezyhaul. It’s a clear recognition that we are on the right path and have a true opportunity to transform and modernize the UK transportation industry,” said DigiHaul Chief Executive Officer Martin Willmor.

The investment comes at a time when the UK market is facing a critical driver shortage, while at the same time roughly 20 percent of trucks on the road are running empty, Ezyhaul said.

DigiHaul said it aims to tackle these challenges at a national level by providing a platform to optimize the UK’s transportation network.

DigiHaul offers a simple, fast, and transparent digital platform that replaces the manual and time-consuming process of managing multiple subcontractors, calling around for quotes, physical paperwork, and billing.

Shippers can book a load through DigiHaul in just a few clicks, manage documentation and payment in one place and track the shipment through its entire journey.

Meanwhile, transporters can log into the app to secure the jobs they want quickly and invoice automatically.

Having built one of the UK’s largest transporter networks, DigiHaul provides shippers with immediate access to capacity across the UK with upfront pricing, and gives transporters the opportunity to take on new jobs, enabling them to grow or optimize their operations with new routes and backloading, Ezyhaul said.

“We are very excited with the opportunity to invest in DigiHaul. The team has demonstrated their ability to rapidly scale the solution in UK, growing 20 times since the start of the year. Leveraging Ezyhaul’s technology and experience combined with DHL’s network and expertise, DigiHaul will undoubtedly take a leading position in the UK market very soon and will drive positive change for both shippers and transporters,” Ezyhaul CEO Raymond Gillon said.

DigiHaul currently has a base of 700 carriers and is managing about 2000 shipments per week, 100,000 shipments per year from industries including FMCG, retail, and manufacturing.

Headquartered in Singapore, Ezyhaul currently operates in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Ezyhaul said it is South Asia’s largest digital road freight platform, providing shippers access to immediate capacity with transparent pricing and provides transporters the opportunity to find new jobs enabling them to grow or optimize their operations.

Featured image credit: DigiHaul

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