IoT builds supply chain resilience through visibility of everything

The major themes and priorities in the supply chain and logistics industry are centred around resilience, flexibility and control. And in today’s digital economy, these elements rely on data and the insights we can obtain through its analysis.

Internet of Things (IoT) technology has matured rapidly in the last few years, and has grown to become ready to scale. The business case is proven by many examples around the world.

IoT deployments connecting assets through retrofitted low-power and low-cost devices turn kegs, drums, roll cages and pallets into smart assets. They can tell us where products and goods are and how they are doing, anywhere and at any time.

In our new normal, real-time data insights about location and condition of shipments or assets are needed more than ever to make better informed, timely decisions. By increasing visibility to get more control, we can minimise the cost of disruptions, and respond faster.

While there may still be some mystery around IoT, in its simplest form it’s a collection of interconnected physical devices that can monitor, report on and send data.

It allows us to ask our assets “where are you?” and “how are you doing?”, and use that information to make them work smarter. And thanks to significant technological advancement, this can now be achieved at scale with thousands or even millions of connected assets, referred to as ‘Massive IoT’.

IoT networks are the most crucial factor for success as they are the central nervous system that connects battery-powered devices to the online realm, and communicate the data to the target system where it can be transformed into actionable insights.

Thinxtra built, owns and operates the only public, national dedicated IoT network capable of supporting Massive IoT. The 0G Network, based on market leading Sigfox LPWAN (low power wide area network) technology, means that assets can be simply and instantly connected, at a global scale.

Unlike cellular options such as 3G, 4G or now 5G, the network is ultra power-efficient and transmits small amounts of essential “small” data, extending the lifetime of device batteries up to 5 or even 16 years. With this approach, the right balance between the financial business case and operational viability can be achieved – all within a more sustainable package.

For example, take the tracking of roll-cages. Many companies lose hundreds of these across their supply chains every year. But if they could have access to real-time data at intervals that make sense, they virtually eliminate the chance of having those roll-cages disappear.

When we say they need to be tracked, we mean that you need to know where they are maybe once or twice a day, rather than overloading with a constant stream of information that is not adding value.

An extensive ecosystem of solution partners, all experts in their field, use Thinxtra’s 0G Network to enable IoT solutions in a reliable, scalable and cost-effective way.

In one example, after a decade of trialling expensive, complex and inefficient track and trace solutions, returnable packaging solutions service provider, Loscam, deployed their IoT solution utilising Thinxtra’s 0G Network.

According to Daniel Bunnett, Executive Vice-President A/NZ at Loscam, “We have a large volume of high value assets in our supply chain supporting a broad customer base with an extensive product range. We therefore knew that being able to track and trace these would present all parties with some significant security, cost savings and efficiency gains.”

The decision to go down the 0G route with Thinxtra helped Loscam optimise asset utilisation for customers. For one client, this has translated to a significant 30% IBC fleet reduction and also improved supply chain partner relationships by eliminating guesswork.

As we move further towards a sustainable future, IoT technology is set to play an increasing role. By being able to track where your assets are and limit loss, you can operate a much more lean and green business model by reducing waste and cutting emissions. Starting on this journey is as simple as defining a business problem that can be solved through accurate, timely data.

Thinxtra enables Massive IoT in the Supply Chain and Logistics Industry and works with an extensive ecosystem of solution partners to deliver predictable business outcomes.