In the complex world of freight forwarding and customs brokerage, few companies in the Caribbean match the scale and sophistication of Ramps Logistics Ltd. Based in Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago, and operating across Guyana, Suriname, Mexico, Colombia, and the U.S., RAMPS manages high-stakes shipments for the oil and gas, commercial and manufacturing sectors with precision, and a tech-forward mindset. When legacy systems couldn’t keep pace with their ambitions, RAMPS turned to Odoo’s open-source ERP platform to power its transformation.
Founded in 1985 by Ramnarine Rampersad, RAMPS Logistics began as a customs brokerage during a period of growing demand in Trinidad. With unwavering dedication and even the bold step of mortgaging his home to launch the business, Ramnarine steadily built the company into a trusted name in Logistics. In the early 2000s, his son Shaun Rampersad joined with a vision to infuse the company with technology. Early tools like Microsoft Excel and Magaya gave way to more ambitious digital plans as Shaun worked to modernize every part of the supply chain.
Today, RAMPS is one of the Caribbean’s leading supply chain providers for oil and gas, handling logistics for offshore drilling, managing Shorebase fueling operations, and even supplying rig manpower through its sister company, El Dorado Offshore (EDO). Technology is at the heart of it all, making operations more efficient and transparent.
"We heavily integrate technology inside of everything we do: from timesheets and payroll to customer-facing dashboards. With Odoo, we’ve been able to automate and connect it all."
Before Odoo: Disconnected Tools and High Costs
Before adopting Odoo, Ramps Logistics ran on Magaya: a software designed for freight forwarding, but limited in flexibility. The company also explored Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, and Oracle. While Dynamics was the most affordable, SAP and Oracle were far too costly. Still, none offered the freedom or integration RAMPS was after.
“Our previous ERP cost us about $240,000 USD a year. With Odoo, we brought that down to $45,000 USD, for all users and full customization.”
Even with some API functionality, Magaya couldn’t support the company’s vision for a fully integrated ERP solution. Reports had to be manually generated, accounting processes were clunky, and the costs were mounting.
Odoo Changed the Game, on Their Terms
The discovery of Odoo came through a shared passion for open-source technology. As a software engineer, Kiran saw immediate potential. “Shaun (CEO) came across Odoo first. Once I looked at it, I said, ‘This looks fantastic. It’s an entire ERP system. We can do this.’”
Ramps began their journey on Odoo V12 with an on-premises setup, hiring developers from Belarus and Ukraine before building their own in-house team. Today, the platform is core to their entire operation.
At the center of RAMPS’ Odoo implementation are the Accounting, Sales, and Invoicing apps. These support their financial backbone, while custom-built modules handle their freight forwarding and brokerage operations.
Among their most impactful tools:
- GLU (Global Logistics Unit): Built in Odoo to manage freight operations.
- Brokerage Module: Tailored to handle customs documentation and compliance.
- CC360: A customer portal that pulls real-time shipment updates from GLU and Brokerage into a user-friendly web interface.
Odoo also powers their manpower timesheet system, used by EDO to manage rig workers' hours, payroll, and automated invoicing. A full contract and work order management tool was built on Odoo as well.
"Clients just log on to CC360 and see all their shipment updates immediately: there is no need to call or email. It’s all there.”
Big Time Savings and Smooth Operations
With Odoo, RAMPS significantly improved operational efficiency:
- Cost savings: $195,000 USD saved annually on ERP costs.
- Time savings: Tasks that used to take a full day now take 15 to 30 minutes.
- Man-hour reduction: Fewer manual entries and rework. Weekend office visits to correct invoices are now obsolete.
- Mobility: Staff can access Odoo from anywhere, ensuring real-time updates on the go.
RAMPS takes full advantage of Odoo’s flexible permissions system, robust audit trails, and intuitive user interface. Features like the Chatter and Log Notes are used daily to track decisions and internal communications, while the Stage History and Reversion functionality allows teams to navigate workflows more easily and recover from errors when needed. Additionally, the Time Off module integrates seamlessly with employee profiles and requires no customization, becoming the go-to tool for managing leave requests across the organization.
"We thought we’d have to build our own leave module. Turns out, Odoo’s was perfect as-is. No changes needed."
What’s Next for Ramps Logistics?
RAMPS is already looking ahead, with plans to upgrade to Odoo V17 or V18 to stay current and unlock new features. At the same time, the implementation of Odoo’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) is in full swing. Already deployed for two major global customers, the WMS has significantly streamlined processes such as inventory tracking, item receiving, and issuing, helping RAMPS expand its footprint in warehouse management services.
In addition to their extensive use of Odoo, Ramps Logistics Ltd. has developed MAWI, a custom-built, AI-powered software that automates customs documentation processing. While MAWI operates outside of Odoo, it complements the company’s Odoo-based ecosystem by dramatically improving efficiency for the customs brokerage team. What once took up to a full day, manually reading and entering customs documentation, can now be done in seconds or minutes, with MAWI reading data, assigning classification codes, and processing documents automatically.
"We're evolving into a software company. We’re now building tools like MAWI for ourselves and to sell to external clients."
For freight forwarding, oil and gas logistics, or any supply chain company ready to modernize, Ramps Logistics proves what’s possible with Odoo. Whether you’re managing customs, accounting, warehousing, or workforce ops, there’s a smarter, more affordable way. Explore how Odoo can work for your business, just like it did for RAMPS.
