Businesses boost supply chain visibility with IoT technology

cargo view stat

Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are powerful tools for managing a supply chain.  Whether businesses are shipping a container overseas, moving an excavator to a new jobsite or carrying valuable equipment on an airplane, they want to know the location and health of their assets.

As Mobeen Khan of AT&T writes, supply chain managers need technology that does more than simply track the location of a shipment. A recent survey shows that 88 percent of respondents want greater insight and visibility, and improved damage, loss and theft prevention.1 They also want more sensors to gauge things like temperature, light and motion.

AT&T Cargo View with FlightSafe® is one technology that gives businesses a deeper look into their shipments. AT&T Cargo View allows supply chain managers to track and monitor precious cargo on land, sea and in the air with a single device by placing devices with sensors in shipping packages to monitor temperature, pressure, light and shock. Those managers that ship perishable items, such as fruit and vegetables, can decrease the likelihood of spoilage and waste. Businesses transporting high value items such as expensive art, name-brand apparel and electronics can also monitor their cargo with greater ease and visibility.

Crane Worldwide Logistics uses AT&T Cargo View at its Dallas warehouse. Crane is a multi-national third-party logistics provider. They transport high-value electronics, apparel and accessories across the U.S. They use warehouses to store the goods. AT&T Cargo View not only tracks the goods in real-time, but also shows if they have been tampered with or exposed to extreme temperatures, shock or light.

Securing cargo from departure to arrival is a must for museums and art galleries. Shipping fine art often involves special handling. Art dealers need around-the-clock visibility into the status of their valuable cargo. They want to know when an expensive sculpture or painting has veered off its travel path or if turbulence may have caused a crack or chip in the artwork.

Racine Berkow Associates is a company that transports artwork for museums, galleries and private collectors around the world. Before using AT&T Cargo View, there were greater costs and uncertainty over improper handling and risks. Racine Berkow had to send a human escort with the artwork for increased security and visibility. Cargo View trackers are now placed inside crates to precisely monitor the status of the artwork and help handlers better manage security.

The rapid pace of business has created the need for supply chain managers to work anytime and anywhere. It’s hard to imagine a logistics supervisor today without a smartphone or a tablet. Mobile devices make it easier for supply chain managers to track cargo virtually at any moment. Often, a sale depends on this.

For example, a construction company may urgently need to replace a piece of equipment at a jobsite. If the local equipment manufacturer doesn’t have it in stock, they may need to ship it from another city. IoT solutions let the supply chain manager track the equipment with a smartphone while it’s in transit.  The manager can re-route it if it’s held up or left behind. This visibility and control helps the equipment maker deliver quality service to complete the sale and keep customer loyalty.

One of the biggest challenges companies face today is building a clear strategy for managing their supply chain. Key decision-makers need somewhere to turn not only for the technology, but for counsel on IoT solutions that best fit their business. Cargo tracking technology provides more insight so companies can keep business running smoothly. As IoT solutions continue to evolve, supply chain managers will see increasing benefits from greater visibility, control, and insights they gain using IoT solutions about their assets in transit.

By Mobeen Khan, AVP, AT&T Industrial IoT Solutions

Mobeen KhanMobeen Khan is the AVP responsible for AT&T’s industrial and enterprise IoT strategy and product portfolio.  His responsibilities include formulating the long term industrial IoT portfolio, partnership strategy and product management. Khan joined AT&T with more than 15 years of progressive experience in technology marketing, business development, operations and strategy.

 

 

RECENT ARTICLES

Get a US$50 Amazon voucher for sharing your IoT brand knowledge

Posted on: March 28, 2024

We want to know what you know about the IoT space. Just 3 minutes could earn you a US$50 Amazon digital gift card!

Read more

Enhance EV charging performance with cellular connectivity

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing their market share at the expense of internal combustion engine vehicles. The growth is fuelled by several factors. Perhaps most importantly, prices for EVs have started to drop as competition in the industry is intensifying. New players and models are emerging, prompting several established EV makers to lower their

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

What is IoT? A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on: April 5, 2023

What is IoT? IoT, or the Internet of Things, refers to the connection of everyday objects, or “things,” to the internet, allowing them to collect, transmit, and share data. This interconnected network of devices transforms previously “dumb” objects, such as toasters or security cameras, into smart devices that can interact with each other and their

Read more

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

9 IoT applications that will change everything

Posted on: September 1, 2021

Whether you are a future-minded CEO, tech-driven CEO or IT leader, you’ve come across the term IoT before. It’s often used alongside superlatives regarding how it will revolutionize the way you work, play, and live. But is it just another buzzword, or is it the as-promised technological holy grail? The truth is that Internet of

Read more

Which IoT Platform 2021? IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide

Posted on: August 30, 2021

There are several different parts in a complete IoT solution, all of which must work together to get the result needed, write IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide – Which IoT Platform 2021? authors Robin Duke-Woolley, the CEO and Bill Ingle, a senior analyst, at Beecham Research. Figure 1 shows these parts and, although not all

Read more

CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences

Posted on: June 21, 2021

As industry players look to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity, two different standards have emerged under release 13 of 3GPP – CAT-M1 and NB-IoT.

Read more

IoT and home automation: What does the future hold?

Posted on: June 10, 2020

Once a dream, home automation using iot is slowly but steadily becoming a part of daily lives around the world. In fact, it is believed that the global market for smart home automation will reach $40 billion by 2020.

Read more

5 challenges still facing the Internet of Things

Posted on: June 3, 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become a huge part of how people live, communicate and do business. All around the world, web-enabled devices are turning our world into a more switched-on place to live.

Read more