The wave of consolidation continues to sweep over the logistics software market.

Last month, two of the top providers of Web-hosted collaborative transportation management systems (TMS) joined forces. ShipLogix of Hudson, Ohio, and nPassage of Seattle, Wash., combined to form a new corporation called SLX Inc. The company will sell its products under the ShipLogix brand.

The revamped company, which now includes nPassage's assets, will offer a broad suite of applications, including modules that handle freight quote requests, international documentation, and shipment rating, consolidation, tendering, visibility, and reporting. According to ShipLogix CEO Tom Escott, combining nPassage's advanced user interface with the existing ShipLogix application suite will make it easier for users to obtain access to the online TMS.

In addition to Escott, the management team of the new ShipLogix includes Christopher Larkin, chief technology officer, and Mike Clark, vice president of client services. ShipLogix will remain headquartered in Hudson, Ohio, with an office in Seattle.

Many industry experts predict that the software industry will see further consolidation among transportation management software providers this year and next because the supply of software products in this market exceeds demand. Just this month, for instance, Descartes Systems Group acquired Centricity of Atlanta, which made software for transportation optimization. "You will see more and more acquisitions and mergers," says Chris Newton, an analyst with the market research firm AMR in Boston.