Last-mile delivery has become one of the most demanding and costly stages of the supply chain. Customers expect fast, accurate, and transparent deliveries, while businesses struggle with outdated systems, rising transportation costs, and the pressure to offer same-day shipping.
The good news? Modern API integrations enable legacy systems to connect to today’s advanced delivery tools, particularly the IBM i. With the right integration strategy, businesses can gain real-time visibility, automate processes, and optimize every delivery decision. Kato Integrations helps make that possible.
Last-mile delivery is under more stress than ever. Companies rely on core enterprise and order management systems running on the IBM i. Still, these systems weren’t originally designed to communicate with cloud apps, mobile devices, routing engines, or AI models.
As a result, many businesses face challenges such as:
These issues create bottlenecks, leading to missed delivery deadlines, high customer service call volumes, and increased costs.
API integrations allow instant data exchange between the IBM i and modern delivery tools. This enables real-time shipment tracking and provides customers with accurate Estimated Times of Arrival (ETAs).
Real-time visibility helps logistics teams plan better, react faster, and communicate more clearly with customers and partners.
Many companies want to adopt cloud-based delivery platforms, mobile apps, or AI systems, but hesitate because their IBM i feels almost too secure. APIs solve that problem by enabling the IBM i to connect with best-of-breed last-mile delivery solutions without replacing existing ERP or OMS systems.
This means businesses can modernize their delivery operations while preserving the reliability of their core system.
AI-powered logistics applications rely on accurate data to calculate efficient routes. With API integrations, the IBM i can feed historical performance, inventory levels, traffic, weather, and order data directly into routing engines.
This supports smarter decisions, such as:
Manual tasks such as printing labels, processing orders, creating invoices, or confirming shipments can be automated with APIs. Removing manual steps reduces errors and speeds up fulfillment.
APIs also support event-driven workflows. Examples of this would include automatically pushing a route update to a driver’s app or notifying a customer when a package is out for delivery.
Customers expect up-to-the-minute tracking and reliable delivery windows. With APIs connecting the IBM i to modern tracking and communication tools, businesses can deliver updates automatically and avoid surprise delays.
This leads to:
API integrations allow businesses to add new capabilities without a major system overhaul. Companies can easily adopt new carriers, mobile apps, IoT devices, and AI-powered logistics solutions as they emerge.
This flexibility ensures long-term growth and adaptability across the supply chain.
The IBM i powers many of the core systems used in supply chain and delivery operations. When APIs are built natively for the IBM i, data moves faster, security is stronger, and integration becomes more reliable.
Native API applications turn the IBM i into a connected logistics hub that is able to share and receive information instantly with any system involved in last-mile delivery.
Kato Integrations specializes in leveraging the power of the IBM i and extending it to everything outside it. Our approach keeps your existing ERP and OMS intact while adding the connectivity needed for modern logistics.
We create secure, real-time API connections directly from IBM i applications. This eliminates delays, batch processing, and manual workarounds.
Prebuilt Connectors + Custom APIsKato offers prebuilt connectors for common logistics and carrier platforms, as well as custom API development for unique business workflows.
Through RPG-based technology, our integrations support instant updates, mobile app communication, and real-time status syncing between systems.
From label creation to route updates, our RPG-based APIs connect systems to automate routine tasks and allow teams to focus on exceptions and not basic data entry.
Businesses that modernize their delivery operations with API integrations typically see:
These improvements make last-mile delivery not only faster, but also smarter and more resilient.
API integrations are the key to modernizing last-mile delivery without replacing your core systems. By connecting IBM i systems to today’s logistics, routing, and AI platforms, businesses gain the visibility, automation, and speed needed to stay competitive.
Kato Integrations helps companies unlock this potential with IBM i RPG-based APIs and workflow automation built for real-world logistics demands.
Want to learn more? Contact us today!