Key Points
- Swedish supply chain software provider IMI Supply Chain Solutions has launched its full portfolio of software solutions in the UK, expanding beyond warehouse labour management.
- The launch follows IMI’s January 2026 acquisition of OMS Limited, the British developer of the Vitesse warehouse labour management system.
- The expanded portfolio includes inventory planning, order management, warehouse management, freight cost management and delivery management.
- IMI says its UK customer base has grown by 20% since the acquisition, and the company plans to expand its UK team.
- Existing UK customers supported through the Vitesse platform include Mountain Warehouse, Poundland and Morrisons.
- IMI’s manager of product and development, Martin O’Grady, said UK businesses want better visibility of warehouse productivity and labour costs across multiple sites.
- IMI chief executive Niklas Rönnbäck said the acquisition provided a foundation for expanding the company’s presence in Britain and supporting its ambition to build a leading European supply chain software suite.
- The company serves more than 400 customers across Europe, including businesses in retail, e-commerce, wholesale, distribution, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and third-party logistics.
- The launch comes as UK operators face rising labour and freight costs, pressure on profit margins and increasing customer expectations for fast, affordable deliveries.
- Making the software portfolio available does not mean that every existing customer has adopted every solution; individual deployments and their results depend on each business’s requirements.
What Has IMI Announced About Its UK Supply Chain Software?
IMI Supply Chain Solutions has launched its full supply chain software portfolio in the UK, expanding its local offering from warehouse labour management into inventory planning, order processing, warehouse operations, freight cost control and delivery management. The October 2026 launch follows the Swedish company’s acquisition of British software developer OMS Limited in January and forms part of its plan to grow its UK customer base and European presence.
As reported by Fiona Briggs of Retail Times on 14 October 2026, the launch is intended to help British businesses manage rising operating costs and improve productivity across distribution networks. David Priestman subsequently covered the expansion for Logistics Business on 15 October, highlighting the pressures facing operators as they prepare for peak trading.
IMI’s expanded portfolio gives UK businesses access to a broader range of software for managing the movement of goods, from stock planning and order processing to warehouse activity and final delivery. Previously, the company’s UK presence was built around Vitesse, the warehouse labour management system acquired through OMS Limited.
The launch is significant because businesses with multiple distribution sites often manage inventory, labour, transport and orders through separate systems. IMI’s wider portfolio is designed to give these operators more options for overseeing performance and costs across their supply chains.
The announcement comes amid continuing pressure on UK retailers, wholesalers and logistics providers to maintain service standards while controlling labour and transport expenditure. Customers increasingly expect reliable, fast delivery at competitive prices, while businesses must manage operating costs and protect margins.
For organisations working in Logistics and Supply Chain, the development illustrates how software platforms can support operational planning, warehouse productivity and freight cost management. The actual benefits, however, will depend on how individual businesses implement the systems and integrate them with existing processes.
Why Did IMI Expand Its Software Portfolio in the UK?
IMI’s expansion follows its acquisition of OMS Limited in January 2026, which established a stronger foothold in the British market and brought the Vitesse warehouse labour management system into its portfolio.
OMS Limited developed software designed to help warehouse operators monitor workforce activity and understand how labour is being used. The acquisition gave IMI an established UK customer base and a local team familiar with the needs of British distribution businesses.
Nine months after entering the market through the acquisition, IMI expanded the range of solutions available to UK customers. The company now offers software covering several connected supply chain functions rather than limiting its local offering to warehouse productivity.
These functions address different operational requirements. Inventory planning supports decisions about stock levels and replenishment; order management helps coordinate the processing of customer orders; warehouse management oversees activities such as receiving, picking and despatch; freight cost management focuses on transport expenditure; and delivery management supports the organisation and monitoring of deliveries.
Combining access to these capabilities within one supplier’s portfolio may help businesses assess a wider range of operational requirements. However, the availability of several applications does not necessarily mean they operate as one fully integrated system at every customer site. Implementation, data quality and compatibility with existing business software remain important considerations.
IMI’s acquisition-led expansion also provides a route to building relationships with existing customers before introducing additional products that match their needs. The company has said it intends to continue investing in its UK team as it develops its presence in Britain and across Europe.
Which Supply Chain Software Solutions Are Included in the Launch?
IMI’s expanded UK portfolio covers five principal areas in addition to its existing warehouse productivity capabilities.
How Does Inventory Planning Help Businesses?
Inventory planning helps businesses estimate stock requirements and make decisions about replenishment. Retailers and wholesalers must balance the risk of holding excessive inventory against the possibility of running short of products that customers want to purchase.
Planning tools can support more informed decisions by bringing relevant demand and stock information into the planning process. Their effectiveness depends on the quality of the underlying data, the accuracy of forecasts and the extent to w,hich businesses account for changes in demand.
What Does Order Management Software Do?
Order management software supports the processing and coordination of customer orders. It can help businesses track orders as they move through different stages, from initial processing and allocation to fulfilment.
For companies operating several distribution centres, effective order management can help coordinate activities across locations. It can also provide a clearer view of outstanding orders and potential fulfilment issues, depending on the system’s configuration and the information available.
How Can Warehouse Management Software Improve Operations?
Warehouse management software supports day-to-day activities within distribution facilities, including receiving goods, assigning storage locations, tracking inventory movements, picking products, and preparing orders for despatch.
By organising these activities, warehouse management systems can help operators maintain accurate stock records and coordinate work. Businesses with multiple facilities may also use common procedures and performance measures to compare operations across their networks.
IMI’s existing Vitesse platform addresses warehouse labour management, providing operational information that can help managers examine workforce activity and productivity. The expanded portfolio places that capability alongside software for managing other parts of the supply chain.
How Can Freight Cost Management Control Transport Spending?
Freight cost management helps businesses examine transportation expenditure and assess charges associated with moving goods. Transport costs can vary according to shipment volumes, delivery routes, carrier arrangements and contractual ter,ms.
Software in this area can support the review of freight charges against shipment records and agreed rates, depending on the functions available. Better visibility may help operators identify discrepancies or areas requiring further investigation, although the announcement does not establish a specific level of savings for UK customers.
What Role Does Delivery Management Play?
Delivery management supports the coordination and monitoring of deliveries, helping businesses manage the movement of goods towards their destinations.
Reliable delivery information is particularly important for businesses that must balance customer expectations with transport costs and operational capacity. The ability to monitor delivery progress and respond to exceptions can support service management, provided the necessary carrier and shipment information is available.
Together, these software functions extend IMI’s UK offering across several stages of the supply chain. Their practical value will depend on individual customer requirements, implementation choices and the extent to which information can be shared effectively between systems.
What Did Martin O’Grady Say About UK Business Needs?
Martin O’Grady, IMI’s manager of product and development, said UK operators were showing strong interest in improving visibility of warehouse productivity and labour costs.
In comments published by Fiona Briggs in Retail Times, O’Grady said: “We’ve seen strong interest from UK operators looking for better visibility of warehouse productivity and labour costs.”
O’Grady explained that many British businesses operate several sites with different working practices and want a consistent view of performance across their networks.
He also highlighted labour and freight as two of the largest cost pressures facing UK operators as they approach the peak trading season. He said IMI’s focus was on giving businesses the data they need to manage these expenses with greater confidence.
His comments reflect an operational challenge for companies that have expanded across multiple locations over time. Different warehouse layouts, working methods and reporting practices can make direct comparisons difficult. Consistent performance information can help managers identify areas for investigation, although differences in workload and operating conditions must also be considered.
Labour productivity is particularly important in distribution operations because staffing requirements can change with order volumes, product types and seasonal demand. Freight expenditure is another significant consideration, especially when businesses must fulfil orders quickly without allowing delivery costs to erode their margins.
IMI’s broader portfolio is intended to address these connected pressures by giving businesses access to software for managing inventory, orders, warehouse activity, freight costs and deliveries.
Which UK Businesses Already Use IMI’s Vitesse System?
IMI has continued supporting the existing Vitesse customer base following its acquisition of OMS Limited. The company has identified Mountain Warehouse, Poundland and Morrisons among the British businesses using the warehouse labour management system.
These businesses operate in different retail environments, with distribution requirements shaped by their product ranges, stock movements and fulfilment models. Their existing relationships with Vitesse provide IMI with a starting point for developing its UK presence.
However, the distinction between existing customers and adoption of the newly launched portfolio is important. The October announcement does not confirm that Mountain Warehouse, Poundland or Morrisons have purchased or implemented every solution in IMI’s expanded UK offering.
Individual businesses will need to assess which applications suit their operations, whether the software can connect with existing systems and what changes may be required to their processes. The announcement also does not disclose new contract values, implementation schedules or independently verified savings resulting from the wider portfolio.
IMI’s existing customer relationships may create opportunities to discuss additional solutions, but further sales and deployments will depend on commercial decisions by each customer.
How Fast Is IMI Growing Its UK Customer Base?
IMI reports that its UK customer base has increased by 20% since the acquisition of OMS Limited. The company has also said it plans to expand its UK team as it develops its presence in Britain and across Europe.
The company serves more than 400 customers across Europe, operating in sectors that include retail, e-commerce, wholesale, distribution, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and third-party logistics. This existing European business provides a broader organisational base for its UK expansion.
In comments published by Retail Times, chief executive Niklas Rönnbäck said: “The UK is an epicentre for Europe’s most dynamic supply chains.” He explained that the January acquisition had helped establish a foundation through a team and customer base familiar with the British market.
Rönnbäck added that introducing the full portfolio was the next step towards the company’s ambition of building Europe’s leading supply chain software suite. He also confirmed that IMI intended to continue investing in its UK team.
The expansion therefore combines an existing local customer base with a wider range of software offerings. Its future growth will depend on demand from British businesses, the company’s ability to support customers and the practical results achieved through individual deployments.
What Could IMI’s Expansion Mean for the UK Logistics Industry?
IMI’s wider UK portfolio arrives at a time when logistics and distribution businesses are seeking better control over operational costs and more consistent performance across multiple sites.
The availability of software for planning inventory, managing orders, monitoring warehouse labour and reviewing freight expenditure may give operators additional options for addressing these challenges. However, introducing new applications does not automatically improve productivity or reduce costs. Businesses must consider implementation requirements, employee training, data accuracy, and compatibility with their existing systems.
Effective Logistics and Supply Chain management increasingly involves coordinating information across procurement, warehousing, transport, and delivery. For professionals responsible for these activities, understanding how operational data supports planning and performance measurement is an important part of managing complex distribution networks.
IMI’s announcement establishes that its full software portfolio is now available to the UK market. It does not establish that every solution has been deployed across its existing customer base or that a particular level of savings has already been achieved.
The next stage will depend on how UK businesses respond to the expanded offering, which products they choose and whether implementations deliver measurable improvements. IMI’s reported customer growth and planned recruitment indicate its intention to strengthen its British presence, while the wider portfolio gives prospective customers more options to consider.