In an exclusive interview with Apace Digital Cargo, Mr. Parvinder Singh, Managing Director of Hans Infomatic, shares how the company is spearheading digital transformation in the freight forwarding industry. With over two decades of experience, Hans Infomatic has been a key technology enabler across logistics stakeholders—from freight forwarders and customs brokers to airlines and airports. In this interaction, Mr. Singh delves into the company’s smart solutions, its innovative use of AI and OCR, and how Hans is setting the benchmark in intelligent automation and digital compliance.

What technological advancements and solutions is Hans Infomatic offering to the freight forwarding industry?

Hans Infomatic provides end-to-end virtual technology solutions for the freight forwarding ecosystem. This includes freight forwarders, customs brokers, airlines, airports, and various trade partners. Over the past 23 years, we’ve evolved with the industry’s changing demands—especially now with the rapid rise of automation and AI.

One of our major innovations is in data automation. We’ve eliminated the need for manual data entry by introducing AI-powered OCR technology. Our systems can now extract key data from scanned images or PDF documents—be it invoices, shipping bills, or bills of entry—with 98.5% accuracy. For instance, what once took a week to manually enter from a 500-page invoice can now be done in just 10 minutes.

This frees up skilled manpower from repetitive tasks and allows them to focus on strategic work. The software even distinguishes between types of documents and inputs them into the appropriate workflows automatically. Additionally, we’ve introduced smart analytics tools that help users derive meaningful insights from this data—because data alone has no value unless it’s actionable.

We’ve heard about your “One Smart Solution.” Could you tell us more about that?

Our One Smart Solution integrates advanced AI bots that monitor and respond to customer inquiries in real-time. These bots read incoming emails, recognize the type of inquiry (e.g., rate requests), and prioritize them. If someone needs a quote urgently and you’re away from your desk, the system flags it for immediate attention—ensuring you never miss a business opportunity.

This kind of automation significantly enhances responsiveness and customer experience—especially in an industry where time-sensitive communication is critical.

With AI and blockchain shaping the future, what’s Hans Infomatic’s digital strategy?

Our strategy is deeply focused on complete paperless transformation. We’ve already digitized most of the supply chain, and now we’re taking on the final frontier—the Bill of Lading (BL). We’re collaborating with FIATA to implement e-BLs, now recognized by most financial institutions thanks to blockchain technology.

Historically, banks hesitated to accept electronic BLs because they’re negotiable instruments. But with blockchain-based authentication and digitally signed documents, this is changing. We’ve integrated government-recognized digital signatures into our platform. No need for dongles or manual signing—users can sign hundreds of documents in seconds using our bulk e-signature tool.

This drastically reduces the time taken to complete document processes and ensures full legal compliance. What used to take 20 minutes to sign 100 documents can now be done in 30 seconds.