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Temperature Sensor Market is Projected to Reach USD 9 Billion by 2026

Temperature sensor
Archives, EU Trade, Global Trade Daily, News

Temperature Sensor Market is Projected to Reach USD 9 Billion by 2026

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According to a recent study from market research firm Global Market Insights, The temperature sensor market is projected to garner noteworthy gains on account of surging application across diverse electronic appliances. The product is widely used in microwaves, air conditioners, battery chargers, and refrigerators. Since the introduction of AI and IoT, consumer electronics firms have started to combine these technologies with temperature sensors to improve their product’s efficiency and usefulness by gathering real-time temperature data.

Temperature sensors are witnessing massive traction across the oil & gas sector as they play a vital part in operations like extraction, production, refining, and distribution of oil, gases, and petrochemicals. This has compelled temperature sensor manufacturers to launch new product lineups. Citing an instance, earlier in October 2018, Crowcon released a high-temperature sensor that detects the levels of H2S across oil & gas applications in the Middle East.

According to a study conducted by Global Market Insights, Inc., the temperature sensor market could cross USD 9 billion by 2026.

To meet the high market demand, temperature sensor manufacturers are working towards developing novel technologies to meet the changing demands of the consumers as well as to achieve a competitive edge. For example, in 2018, Crowcon introduced a high- temperature sensor that allows the detection of H2S in the oil and gas sector in the Middle East.

Rising instances of digitalization in the manufacturing industry across Germany is one of the major factors supporting regional industrial development. Companies present in the region are working towards using advanced automation processes to enhance their manufacturing and improve competitiveness against other countries such as China. Consistent industrial advancement in Europe will bolster temperature sensor requirements.

Over the years, the automotive industry has registered notable gains due to the growing demand for different types of vehicles as a result of the improved lifestyle of people in both developed as well as developing regions. Thermistor contact sensors in the engine control units as well as exhausts are widely used in vehicles.

These sensors offer high-temperature sensing capacities with a cost-effective, robust design system. The recent emergence of e-vehicles due to the need to control environment degradation has supported the demand for temperature sensors all the more.

The prevailing coronavirus pandemic has magnified the demand for temperature sensor market due to the increasing need to regularly check the body temperature of the patients. Non-contact temperature sensors in particular have gained enormous growth opportunities in the healthcare industry owing to the growing use of infrared technology in temperature monitoring systems used towards the diagnosis of COVID-19.

Many medical device companies are working towards developing contact-less, reliable temperature checking machines. For instance, in August 2020, CORE- a venture of greenTEG AG- a Switzerland based engineering firm developed a wearable device that constantly measures the core body temperature on the go. A small temperature sensor market, about the size of 1.5 dominoes can be mounted in various ways.

Key Companies covered in the temperature sensor market are ABLIC Inc, Amphenol Advanced Sensors, ams AG, Analog Devices, Inc, Dwyer Instruments, Inc, Emerson Electric Co, Hans Turck GmbH & Co. KG, Honeywell International Inc, ifm electronic gmbh, Kongsberg Maritime, Littelfuse, Inc, Maxim Integrated, Microchip Technology Inc, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd, NXP Semiconductors, OMEGA Engineering, On Semiconductor, Pyromation, ROHM CO., LTD, Sensata Technologies, Inc, Sensirion AG Switzerland, Siemens, STMicroelectronics, TE Connectivity, Texas Instruments Incorporated, TOREX SEMICONDUCTOR LTD, Vishay.

Source: https://www.gminsights.com/pressrelease/temperature-sensors-market

IoT
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Software, Special Reports

IoT For Manufacturing: Everything You Should Know

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The Internet of Things (IoT) has become increasingly popular in both households and workplaces. From having a virtual essay writer, to fitness trackers and thermostats for smart homes, the proliferation of smart things has reached a peak. Reports have shown that up to 79 percent of US consumers have at least one smart device in their homes.

With IoT’s rising popularity, it comes as no surprise that the manufacturing industry has started to utilize and harness its benefits. In the past decade, manufacturing companies have had to struggle to adapt to the evolution of the economic landscape. Fortunately, IoT gave these companies the tools needed for modernization.

However, despite the ongoing digital transformation in the manufacturing industry, not every company has utilized and harnessed the benefits of industrial IoT.

Whether you fall into this category or not, this article will tell you everything you need to know about IoT manufacturing and its applications.

IoT for Manufacturing

Today, several companies within the manufacturing industry are integrating IoT into production and supply. In what is described by some as the 4th industrial revolution in the industry, IoT and robotics are changing the way things work. A large percentage of manufacturers are convinced that the integration of digital facilities into production will be beneficial and even mitigate risks.

This only goes to show that IoT is an extremely profitable market for manufacturers and employers who want to hop on this train.

What Objectives Can be Reached with Industrial IoT?

With Industrial IoT, manufacturers and manufacturing companies can achieve a wide range of objectives. Here are a few objectives that can be reached when Industrial IoT is utilized:

1. Predictive maintenance

Each year, manufacturing companies all over the world pump millions of dollars into operational and maintenance costs. Most manufacturers are accustomed to scenarios where a piece of equipment breaks down mid-production. To avoid these instances, it is advisable to carry out equipment maintenance on time.

But how can companies do this if they can’t even predict downtime before it comes knocking? It’s simple.

With the aid of industrial IoT facilities like sensors, data, and analytics in equipment, manufacturers can easily detect and predict failure before it occurs.

 

 

 

2.  Monitoring in real-time

IoT allows manufacturing companies to monitor their assets in real-time. Through the use of communication channels and virtual assistants, everyone involved in the production process can stay abreast of any incidences or occurrences.

By enhancing communication within the production chain, it speeds up the manufacturing pace and, of course, saves time.

3. Remote management

Previously, manufacturers had to be physically present to assess the state of machines and equipment. However, with the aid of connected sensors, any manufacturer can now oversee and assess equipment remotely.

4.  Gathering consumer insight

The Internet of Things helps manufacturers and companies to track usage and demand patterns. With this, a manufacturer can easily detect user complaints and subsequently, remodel the product to enhance customer satisfaction.

Major Applications of IoT in Manufacturing

It is predicted that by 2025, there will be 22 billion IoT devices in use. This is a glaring pointer to the IoT future. Businesses need to align themselves with the accompanying transformation in how work is going to be done if they are to remain relevant. Many companies in the manufacturing industry already use IoT in areas such as:

1. Production

The production floor is one of the most important areas of a manufacturing company. Forward-thinking companies install IoT devices into their latest equipment. This connection of IoT to equipment affords operation managers the rare privilege of monitoring production operations as they occur.

This is very handy for planning and project management as it helps these managers easily adjust plans and reassign manpower to make the production process more efficient. The fact that IoT devices can also be installed on older equipment makes it even more appealing. It extends the relevance of these machines and saves costs.

2. Quality control

IoT is applied in the quality control processes of manufacturing companies at the product development stage. Here, data is analyzed and the results are used to tweak product designs. This can directly address quality concerns that may have arisen over time.

Preprogrammed criteria are also observed and fine-tuned automatically. This gives quality control officers an edge. The automation that IoT brings is a huge leap from the traditional method of adjusting parameters after sampling.

3. Supervising machine utilization

IoT is being used to observe the rate at which equipment is being used in manufacturing. This gives businesses data in real-time about how these equipment are used. Operational staff can also see what goes on at every point in production in detail.

This can directly challenge manufacturing norms. The data gathered about these machines is sent to the cloud and processed. After analysis, results are digitally displayed in apps for the workers to look at.

Benefits of IoT in Manufacturing

The implementation of IoT technology is still thought to be some distant dream. However, smart companies observe the IoT future and see the benefits of investing in IoT. Sustainability is key for companies in the manufacturing industry and any one of the following benefits can guarantee long-term success:

1. Cost-cutting edge

Companies have seen the opportunity for maximizing profits by cutting down costs when they adopt IoT. Breakdowns can be reduced by a whopping 70% by IoT. Additionally, 12% of the money that would have been spent on repairs can be saved and channeled into other aspects of manufacturing.

Another way that IoT can help reduce costs for manufacturing companies is in the aspect of employing labor. The traditional method of hiring many workers to handle manual tasks is expensive. Adopting IoT can automate these processes, bring about predictive maintenance, and reduce the need for a good portion of staff resources.

2. Reliability

More automation means improved reliability. This gives manufacturing firms the edge while planning that a lot of risks – usually from human errors – that would have been factored into the plan can be left out altogether. This makes for greater efficiency during production and reduces the wastage of resources.

3. Reduced accidents

IoT tracking equipment use is going to help make manufacturing safer. A lot of workplace accidents are a result of machines malfunctioning. However, with the volume of data processed by IoT about the equipment, it will be easier to identify defective machines and work on them before they pose health risks.

4. Reduced time to market

Faster production and supply time will reduce the time it takes for the product to hit the market. This means that more products can be in circulation at any given point in time as consumers have supply meeting demands. This way, companies that use IoT in their machinery and processes stand to gain greater market share.

Conclusion

The manufacturing industry is one that is fully equipped to harness the potentials and benefits of IoT. Fortunately, many companies have recognized this fact and are utilizing cutting-edge technology in their production and supply chain. So what are you waiting for?

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James Baxter is a professional ghostwriter, editor at write my essay  and blogger, who loves sharing his experience and knowledge with readers. He is especially interested in marketing, blogging, and IT. James is always happy to visit different places and meet new people there.

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Archives, Executive Education, Global Trade Daily

Investing in Technology to Build Knowledge-Based Companies

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Executives understand how knowledge management as facilitating organizational processes and activities uses information technology to organize existing information. Information technology plays a crucial role in creating, retrieving, storing and applying organizational knowledge stated by Maryam Alavi and Dorothy Leidner’s MIS Quarterly review.

Executives focus on individuals as the major source of knowledge and show how followers tie together so that they can affect the sharing, storage, transfer, and apply knowledge within organizations. Executives, therefore, see these connections, and the related shared knowledge and memory, as central to the effectiveness of knowledge management.

How Technology Matters?

Executives are well versed today on information technology and usually have a fleet of followers in this department that they can depend on. Sandy Weil, a financial executive, wanted one number when he left the office that determined his value at risk. His technology team delivered and came up with one number called VAR (Value At Risk). Wiel slept much better knowing what risk he faced while running one of the largest financial organizations in the world. He was controlling operational risk and inspiring employees to follow where he leads.

Technology, as one would imagine, is often associated with information and communication dispersed within companies. Considerable alignment between information technology and the knowledge-based view connects the two to develop and disseminate knowledge throughout the organization which, in turn, is an important factor of sustainable competitive advantage.

Executives agree with Robert Grant, who states that knowledge integration is one of the main reasons for the existence of companies. Furthermore, Andrew Gold, Arvind Malhotra, and Albert Segars suggest information technology as an important resource for strategic planning for knowledge integration. Olivier Caya posits that information technology enables knowledge integration by using three possible mechanisms:

1. Impersonal

2. Personal

3. Collective

Executives can use the impersonal mechanism to enact regulations, procedures, and rules aimed at coordinating intellectual capital within organizations. Information technology disseminates protocols among members and allows them to be knowledgeable of their progress toward meeting determined milestones stated in the strategic plans.

The personal mechanism is used by executives to vertically and horizontally exchange knowledge between employees and collective mechanism is used when information technology manifests itself as a synthesizer of ideas and knowledge acquired from multiple organizational members. Thus, information technology encourages people to embark on technological facilities, such as shared electronic workspaces, to provide new ideas and possible solutions for solving organizational problems. As a result, it is viewed that information technology plays a critical role in integrating knowledge and is therefore aligned with the knowledge-based view.

Executives can use information technology as a communication mechanism manifestation and deployment and decision-aid technology. For example, Hsin-Jung Hsieh argues that communication technology provides ways to enhance interactions among members and departments within organizations. This type of technology eliminates the barriers of organizational communications while improving the extent of knowledge sharing and access for all followers at various levels of the organization.

Thus, there is a strong correlation between communication technology and social capital view that sheds light on the development of relationships within organizations to aggregate human capital into social capital so as to provide further information and opportunities for all members. This subsequently creates valuable resources for an organization as a whole.

Furthermore, decision-aid technology develops cohesive infrastructures to store and retrieve the knowledge to enable followers in creating more innovative solutions to problems and managing operational risks. Ergo, information technology supports knowledge by enabling interactions and providing more comprehensive and effective solutions to solve organizational problems.

Unleashing the Power of Knowledge in Companies

Today, technology has changed the business world ten-fold. Every day there is an easier way to process, access, and disseminate information. Technology – now referred to as Information technology – is an internal resource that increasingly facilitates organizational communication and improves the search for knowledge. When executives have people in place to manage information technology, the organization can see increased revenues, better satisfaction by employees and customers, and most importantly enhance their own effectiveness as leaders.

The social capital view supports the idea that knowledge creation is highly dependent on developing organizational communications and interactions. Information technology enables organizations to overcome space constraints in communication, and promotes the depth and range of knowledge access and sharing within companies.  More specifically, communication technologies can be employed to enhance the conversations and knowledge exchanges between organizational members. Scholars such as Andrew Gold, Arvind Malhotra and Albert Segars argue that this knowledge shared through information technology could positively contribute to knowledge integration.

I also introduced executives to what the scholar Robert Grant describes using the knowledge-based view. Highlighting knowledge integration as a major reason for the existence of a company. Knowledge sharing itself can develop more innovative climates and facilitate knowledge creation in organizations. Thus, communication technologies can play a crucial role in improving knowledge creation.

Communication technology is an internal resource that develops and integrates organizational knowledge as the most strategic factor of competitiveness. As executives use expert systems for decision-making, technology becomes a decision-aid. As mentioned earlier, decision-aid technology can be also considered as a facilitator of the knowledge creation process by providing the essential infrastructures to store and retrieve organizational knowledge.

Executives agree with Shahnawaz Muhammed who highlights major functions for information technology and explains that information technology enhances learning and sharing knowledge by providing access to knowledge, and stimulates new ideas and knowledge generation, transfers an individual’s knowledge to other members and departments, and improves knowledge capturing, storing, and accumulating, aiming at achieving organizational goals. Bringing us to the conclusion that information tech has a positive association with knowledge management performance in companies.

In Conclusion

Standing on the shoulders of scholars before us, I indicate that information technology is a major factor for knowledge management success and supports the positive impact of information technology on knowledge management performance.

For executives, this article can portray a more detailed picture of the effects of information technology on knowledge management. Many organizations still implement knowledge management initiatives without sufficient consideration of their technological infrastructures.

When executives ensure the effectiveness of knowledge management projects they increase control and lesson operational risk. I also suggest that a firm’s ability to enhance knowledge management can be highly affected when executives implement information technology. Furthermore, I suggest that scholars take these ideas and continue to conduct research using executives as the focal point so that academic scholarship can meet the needs of managerial implications at the higher echelons of organizations worldwide.

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Mostafa Sayyadi works with senior business leaders to effectively develop innovation in companies and helps companies—from start-ups to the Fortune 100—succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders. He is a business book author and a long-time contributor to business publications and his work has been featured in top-flight business publications.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, International Trade

Digital Supply Chain 2020: Here’s What Industry Players Should Know

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The new year is here and with it comes a new set of opportunities, challenges, technologies, and trends to keep a close watch on, regardless of what industry your business caters to.

In 2019, global businesses saw an influx of unpredictable economic and political changes directly impacting the supply chain and customers. This year kicked off with IMO 2020, spurring panic for those that waited until the last minute to launch compliance efforts.

Beyond these concerns remains a variety of changes on the 2020 horizon that Pervinder Johar, CEO of Blume Global shares with us and how global and domestic businesses can prepare for success in the new year. Here’s a peek behind this year’s logistics curtain.

While shipment journeys are complex and fragmented, efforts to improve the flow of products will take precedence.

All the data in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t execute on it. We’ve been talking about the potential of the digital supply chain for more than two decades. In 2020, the balance finally shifts from future potential to current benefits. Connected devices and IoT-enabled solutions are giving us more data than ever to make better decisions — connecting the legs of the supply chain path while simplifying information exchange. To improve the flow of products and information from point A to point B, we will see more shippers adding sensors on almost everything, not just the most expensive equipment.

Maximized capacity and minimized empty miles.

We will see a more concerted effort to reduce waste in the supply chain. Eliminating the empty miles and excess CO2 emissions will become a bigger focus for smaller companies as larger organizations use it as criteria when selecting supply chain partners. Major manufacturers, shippers, and carriers have the clout to move the rest of the market. Smaller companies will invest in sustainable initiatives and the reduction of carbon emissions as a cost of working with major companies.

Better technology and planning will close the gap between planning and execution.

Traditional, long planning cycles don’t align to the expectations of today’s consumers. In addition to moving products, companies must deal with the added expectations from customers around product availability and expedited delivery — and in short, customers want what they want, and they want it now. While the Amazon effect has elevated customer experience across the board, it has also resulted in companies stockpiling trillions of dollars of inventory – a cost that very few aside from Amazon can justify. As a result, we can expect to see fewer companies stockpiling inventory and more focusing on improving inventory management and execution.

The American Transport Research Institute (ATRI) conducts an annual report on the operational costs of trucking. In its 2018 report, ATRI found that trucking companies traveled over 9.4 billion miles in 2017 and 20.7 percent of all those miles were empty. The industry can do better.

It has become essential for LSPs to be able to securely collaborate with their customers, carriers, and other service providers on a neutral digital platform. Accessible data and predictive analytics will remain key competitive differentiators. By establishing a centralized, digital repository that provides the same access to all reliable data across the supply chain, retailers can promise improved customer experience, competitive prices and a higher quality offering.

Low- or no-cost TMS-like solutions will become a priority for motor carriers.

Motor carriers are a critical link in the supply chain — yet they are the most dispersed and least connected of transportation modes. While they carry a huge volume of cargo — more than 70 percent of domestic tonnage— the vast majority are part of small organizations: 90 % of firms operate six trucks or fewer (source: American Trucking Association). Carriers, LSPs and shippers need to embrace solutions that provide low- or no-cost TMS-like solutions that empower even a single-truck firm with access to logistics and supply-chain networks.

Smart technologies will decrease the amount of time it takes for an invoice to be processed.

Currently, LSPs, freight forwarders and shippers need to wait weeks/months for invoices to be processed, which impacts their bottom line. But, with the increased investment in and use of smart technologies by companies along the supply chain, the amount of time it takes for an invoice to be received and paid will significantly decrease. This will also lead to better and stronger relationships between companies along the supply chain.

Artificial Intelligence will reach its potential by becoming domain specific.

The potential productivity gains from AI are anticipated to be anywhere from $13.7 trillion to $15.7 trillion by 2030, according to the McKinsey Global Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers, respectively. The next phase of AI success happens when technical capabilities are matched with industry-specific expertise. We are at a significant inflection point in the adoption of AI-enabled solutions. Linking domain expertise and data with technical innovation is necessary for technology to reach its full potential to deliver measurable, effective results to the companies that implement them.

Tariffs and trade woes mean new supply chain opportunities in Southeast Asia.

Bigger, more sophisticated supply chains will seek out new primary sources. In part due to the tension over tariffs with China, companies are moving their supply chains out of the country and building up new footholds in Southeast Asia. Aside from tariff concerns, companies are looking at overall cost of business and the availability of resources to meet their needs.

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Despite the Name, the Refrigerated Container Market is Red Hot, Spurring Industry Moves

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The global shipping containers market is poised to experience significant market valuation and robust growth through 2025, according to industry research published last year. Sorry about the temperature mix you are about to withstand, but the hottest segment of that market in that study was refrigerated containers, a.k.a. reefer.

Be they 20-foot, 40-foot or even higher cubes, “reefer containers are projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the product type category during the forecast period,” which was 2017-2025 for Persistence Market Research. (See https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/shipping-containers-market.asp.)

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the period is forecast by PMR to be 10.2 percent for the reefer segment, with the 20- and 40-foot sub segments expected to push the positive growth. It’s interesting to note that this factoid was part of a report that more prominently played up the predicted 8.6 percent CAGR for the dry container segment.

That said (or, more accurately, written), it is telling that PMR expects the overall container market to register a “robust” CAGR of 8.3 percent throughout the eight-year period, even with the forecast of a slowing global economy in 2020.

“The growth of the shipping containers at a global level is pushed by the growth in the economy, rising seaborne trade, increasing demand for highly efficient and superior capacity shipping containers, growth in sales of specialized shipping containers by department of defense and rising trend of increasing use of remote container management (RCM) solutions,” PMR finds.

There have been anecdotal indications of the reefer market’s continued growth. Universal Africa Lines (UAL), a conventional ocean transportation carrier that specializes in handling project cargo, breakbulk and containers, boasts a fleet of more than 4,000 containers including reefers, high cubes, open tops and flat racks with the ability to provide a multitude of shipping options including door-to-door service. Last summer, UAL announced its call at Port of Houston’s City Docks as part of its U.S. Gulf/Mexico to West Africa liner service.

Port of Houston was attractive to UAL due to the available dedicated laydown area for project cargoes and berth availability, both of which provided added flexibility to the carrier’s multipurpose fleet.

Cogoport, a leading digital freight logistics business in India, announced in July 2019 the launch of reefer cargo services to and from destinations around the globe. “We are meeting significant demand for reefer exports to North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and to those importing refrigerated cargoes–enabling SME [small-to-medium enterprise] shippers all over India to deliver better productivity, service and profitability when moving their perishable cargoes,” said Cogoport CEO and founder Purnendu Shekhar at the time.

India has experienced “rapid and sustained growth in refrigerated exports during the past decade with commodities like fish, vegetables, fruit and nuts, meat, pharmaceuticals and chemicals driving demand for reefer import and export services,” explained Shekhar’s company in a press release.

“We have had a great experience working with Cogoport, moving onions to different corners of the world–saving us time and budget,” says Ankit Begwani, CEO and founder of BegwaniGlobal. “Like many other SMEs, we are also seeing huge demand for shipping of perishable cargoes, not least for fruit and vegetable exports to Malaysia and Dubai. This requires high operational output, optimization of shipments and customer satisfaction for delivering goods on time. Every cent matters to every SME business, and Cogoport has demonstrated that it can help deliver that value with better rates, better margins and better visibility.”

The reefer demand is not going one way in India, where the rise of the middle class has created a greater desire for refrigerated imports, particularly from Germany, South Korea and Russia, according to the advisory from Cogoport, which is headquartered in Mumbai and has offices in Hong Kong and the Netherlands.

Perhaps the greatest indication of reefer’s rise comes in the form of technological advances that different industry players seem to announce almost daily.

Miramar, Florida-based Wireless Maritime Services (WMS), the largest wireless network operator at sea, and Globe Tracker, the fastest growing provider of global supply chain IoT visibility for cold-chain, announced their partnership in November to bring real-time reefer monitoring to Seaboard Marine, the largest marine cargo shipping line in Central, South America and the Caribbean.

Under the multi-year, multi-ship agreement, Seaboard Marine becomes the world’s first container ocean line to implement a truly portable, fully 24/7 monitored, 4G LTE based private cellular and integrated satellite communication network for containers on vessels. The innovation and expertise from WMS and Denmark-based Globe Tracker—whose North American headquarters are in Sarasota, Florida—results in “a novel vessel network that is seamless, interoperable, and provides end-to-end enhanced visibility and real-time connectivity, both in the cloud and on the vessel at sea,” according to the companies.

They add that Seaboard Marine also becomes the world’s first ocean line to implement full IoT visibility across their fleet of intermodal assets, including reefers, gensets, chassis and vessels—all on a single integrated easy to use platform.

“By IoT equipping our Controlled Atmosphere (CA) reefer fleet and other critical assets, we are well-positioned to provide more responsive cold chain services for our trade lanes, which facilitates complex processes such as USDA cold treatment,” noted Seaboard Marine Vice President Piero Buitano in the announcement.

“The vessel system also provides real-time alerts to crew technicians, so problems can be quickly detected and corrected, if necessary, thereby increasing temperature compliance,” added Frederick Urbina, Seaboard’s Refrigerated Services manager.

Noted Pramod Arora, WMS president and CEO, of Seaboard Marine: “They have been a valuable partner in pushing us to innovate first-to-market solutions that we are now deploying within their fleet. We look forward to continuing to partner with Seaboard Marine for future innovations.”

Globe Tracker had already started the partnering mojo in September, when it announced having teamed with Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based SeaCube Containers, a global leader in refrigerated shipping containers and gensets, to provide IoT-enabled gensets for Ocean Network Express (ONE), the sixth-largest shipping line in the world.

The cutting-edge GT technology provides cellular communication of operational parameters from gensets, including fuel level, battery voltage, events and alarms and even remote shut-off capability for certain genset brands.

“The growing demand for greater tracking, transparency, security, diagnostics and asset fleet management using smart technology will continue to be a key driver for leased solutions,” said Greg Tuthill, chief commercial officer at SeaCube, in the joint announcement. “By partnering with Globe Tracker, we will continue to enhance our leading-edge technology solutions and expand our commitment to the intermodal industry by providing smart asset technology leased products.”

John Harnett, senior director Marine and Intermodal at Globe Tracker, added he was pleased to be working with SeaCube “in providing this best-in-class genset solution to ONE. In genset telematics, we are the only provider integrated into the micro-controller of two out of the three leading brands in North America. This provides ONE with the most robust amount of data and assists in setting maintenance intervals, reducing maintenance costs, extending asset life, monitoring fuel consumption and having full operational visibility of their genset assets.”

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based Carrier Transicold, which is under the umbrella of Farmington, Connecticut’s United Technologies Corp., used the Nov. 5-7  Intermodal Europe 2019 in Hamburg, Germany, to unveil its new TripLINK digital tool that is designed to make shipping perishables simple, transparent and reliable worldwide.

The tool digitally connects customers to updates on their assets, including vital cargo health information. TripLINK software securely gathers and analyzes machine and cargo-health data that it wirelessly obtains from telematics hardware in the refrigerated container and the micro controller.

“Our aim in unveiling these new digital solutions is to bring to our customers convenience, visibility and actionable intelligence, ultimately to derive more savings for them,” said Kartik Kumar, vice president & general manager, Carrier Global Container Refrigeration. “At Carrier, the future is now. Through leveraging the latest cutting-edge technology, especially on the digital front, we provide our customers practical solutions they only once dreamed possible.”

Also part of a new suite of digital solutions is the Container eCommerce portal, which began supporting customers in Southeast Asia in mid-November. The portal put on view Carrier Transicold’s full catalog of refrigerated container unit parts and allowed orders to be placed easily.

Also on display in Germany was Carrier’s new Micro-Link 5 controller, which is billed as the industry’s first wireless connectivity enabled refrigerated container unit controller that is also equipped with advanced diagnostics, allowing service technicians to save time and money by reducing container moves and the need to restack units to retrieve critical data or conduct troubleshooting. And a new DataLINE Connect mobile app allows customers to work directly with a refrigerated unit equipped to receive data via a smartphone or tablet.

Staying in Europe, but traveling back the previous month to October 2019, CEVA Logistics opened a new integrated, end-to-end cold chain facility at DP World London Gateway in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, UK.

More than 50 customers, including representatives of French container transportation and shipping company CMA CGM, attended the unveiling of The Chill Hub, which CEVA describes as a state-of-the-art facility with dedicated areas for handling pharmaceuticals, fresh and frozen produce, beverage products and flowers as well as other goods requiring temperature specific handling and storage.

The location is considered strategic because a deep-sea port is on the same site as the logistics park where The Chill Hub rests. London Gateway, which has links to more than 110 ports in 60 different countries, is considered the UK’s No. 1 reefer hub.

“With its excellent road and rail connections, our best in class warehouse management systems and direct port access, the Chill Hub is a powerful demonstration of the synergies between CEVA Logistics and CMA CGM,” said Nicolas Sartini, CEO of Baar, Switzerland-based CEVA Logistics, which has offices worldwide, including all over North America.

“This state-of-the-art facility will enable us to offer a unique value proposition to our shipper customers,” Sartini continued, “providing a faster delivery of goods through an energy-efficient building. We can also give full visibility and control of the entire inbound operation through The Chill Hub.”

CargoSmart Limited—which leverages technologies including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain, as well as a deep understanding of ocean shipping for its transportation and logistics clients—announced in November its new Connected Reefer Solution. The one-stop, AI and IoT-enabled reefer cargo management system for ocean carriers and shippers features end-to-end information transparency, including enhanced reefer container Pre-Trip Inspection (PTI) support, real-time container status monitoring updates, and predictive cargo arrival status.

“CargoSmart Connected Reefer Solution provides users with a one-stop, hassle-free solution that seamlessly integrates IoT-enabled containers with cloud-based monitoring software and APIs [application programming interfaces],” said Lionel Louie, CargoSmart’s chief commercial officer, in the announcement. “With the cutting-edge technologies and the vast volume of data collected, CargoSmart Connected Reefer Solution brings an unprecedented level of real-time cargo status visibility, empowers more accurate and responsive planning, and significantly drives down operation costs for carriers and shippers.”

Louie was not blowing smoke. CargoSmart reefer management was the winner of the Lloyd’s List 2019 “Excellence in Supply Chain Management” Asia Pacific and the 2019 TIBCO Trailblazer Visionary awards. And the solution received this praise from Li Dong, general manager of COSCO Shipping’s Equipment Management Center: “In addition to heightened visibility to reefer cargo status, COSCO Shipping replaced manual PTI with AI-enabled PTI, bringing significant enhancements in cost-efficiency savings as well as reefer management capabilities.”

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Archives, Commentary, Global Trade Daily

5 Tech Trends That Businesses Can’t Afford To Ignore

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With technology evolving at such a rapid pace, some business owners are left digitally disoriented as they try to figure out which of the latest innovations they need to invest in and what they can ignore.

It can make for confusing times.

All that bewilderment aside, though, these fast-developing advances also create opportunities that can help small and medium-sized businesses become more competitive – if they understand how to seize them.

“Technology exists today that at one time was available only to large corporations with huge technology budgets,” says Chris Hoose (www.choosenetworks.com), an IT consultant who works with small businesses.

“Every year, technology becomes even more accessible to companies of all sizes.”

Hoose says businesses that want to stay on top of their games should make sure they invest in these technological trends, if they haven’t already:

The Internet of Things. Many Internet of Things-connected devices, such as smart refrigerators and thermostats, are designed for home use, but there are also applications for small businesses, Hoose says. Some examples: smart locks use digital keys that can’t be lost or stolen, and log a record of who uses a door and when; RFID tags on merchandise can prevent theft and automatically update inventory; and mobile-card readers can replace cash registers.

Artificial intelligence. Don’t be fooled into thinking that AI is something only the big organizations can afford to use, Hoose says. “It’s making inroads into technologies accessible for businesses of all sizes,” he says. “AI can help you offer increasingly personalized experiences to customers by maximizing your time and automating manual tasks, like data entry.” AI also can be used to improve decision making, Hoose says. Essentially, AI will help you take that jumble of data most businesses have and analyze it in a way that allows you to make better-informed judgments on the actions you need to take.

Telecommuting. The office world is changing and more workers spend at least a portion of their work week telecommuting. “In many cases remote employees use their own equipment, which can eliminate some of the company’s costs with purchasing and maintaining computers, printers and mobile phones,” Hoose says. Video conferencing, instant messaging and other advances are helping to make telecommuting a viable option, he says.

Customer-relationship-management (CRM) software. Any application that a business uses to interact with customers, analyze data, or recommend products and services to customers is “part of the CRM family,” Hoose says. “This type of software helps your team manage, control and build customer relationships,” he says. “It can log your team’s touchpoints with prospects, including emails, phone calls, voicemails and in-person meetings. You can have a complete record of your team’s interaction with a prospect that’s easy for anyone to access.”

Voice search. Consumers increasingly are making use of such AI assistants as Siri or Alexa to help them do internet searches using their voices. “Voice search is changing the way people find information because these queries are structured differently than when we type terms into a search engine,” Hoose says.

“Organizations of all types can benefit from optimizing their content to improve where they fall in a voice search.”

“To help propel your business going forward, it’s important to stay abreast of technology innovation,” Hoose says. “These technologies will help you expand your customer base, create more efficient in-house processes, and increase engagement from both customers and staff.”

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Chris Hoose (www.choosenetworks.com) is the president of Choose Networks, an IT consulting firm for small businesses. Hoose started the company in 2001 to give large-scale solutions and support to businesses that can’t afford their own in-house IT department. He earned a Master of Information Systems Management from Friends University.

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Archives, Global Shippers 101, Global Trade Daily

How Shippers Can Leverage IoT Technology Solutions in Their Supply Chains

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At one time, managing supply chain logistics was among the most difficult challenges that existed for a shipping company. Previously, the shippers with the best operational management programs sat at the head of the pack by default. Today, with increased automation and near-instantaneous data availability, controlling logistics has never been easier, and just about everyone is at least competent at handling their supply chains. This is a very positive thing for consumers; however, it also means that for companies to be able to innovate, grow and maintain a competitive edge, just being “good” at supply chains isn’t enough–these days, to achieve long-term success, you have to be great.

Here are five steps shippers can take to leverage IoT technology solutions in their supply chains:

1. Map out your existing process

Knowing what you are starting with is one of the most important steps in the entire process. Map out your existing process with fine, granular detail. If you have access to a Six Sigma expert, bring them in. When you have your current process defined, then, and only then, are you prepared to further enhance and improve your supply chain with IoT solutions.

2. Build a dedicated team to implement new IoT solutions

Ensure you have a chairperson, as well as enough allocated resources with “skin in the game,” to spearhead the implementation process. Nothing will throw sand in the gears faster than a team that has minimal direction and does not have any incentive to push things forward quickly and efficiently. Identify these people, have regular meetings with them and work together on S.M.A.R.T. type goals.

3. Know your competition

Study your peers and competitors to see what they are or are not doing. It’s highly probable that their struggles are also your struggles. However, don’t just follow your biggest competitor blindly, but rather study what they’re doing and develop a competitive edge based on their weaknesses. Map out their processes, see where they have implemented IoT technology, ask the ‘why’ and then take the best parts to incorporate into your own unique strategy.

4. Ask an expert

Consultants are experts for a reason. They’ve done this before and know what works and does not work. Developing an IoT solution is no easy task, so picking your consultant is an important step. Speak to multiple experts to gain multiple, educated opinions on how to proceed. Use the task force you created earlier and choose the best path for your organization that will have the greatest ROI.

5. Study your results and constantly evolve

Once you have mapped out your existing process, built your team, studied your competition, enlisted the help of experts, calculated your ROI and implemented your IoT technology solutions – don’t stop! IoT technology is ever-changing and learning, constantly collecting and analyzing granular data for your use. The more time and data that is dedicated to this process, the sharper your process will become. This access to information will open doors to opportunities for efficiency and possibly new markets in your supply chain.

What all of this translates to is a potential market that is broader than ever before. However, as new tech continues to narrow traditional gaps in efficiency, it also means that companies are now battling one another on that basis – when competing in an environment where customers can compare shipping speed and choose accordingly, getting package there faster is of paramount importance.

Companies need to find ways of protecting current market share while expanding into other areas. In this regard, IoT technology becomes especially valuable. IoT allows businesses to be more adaptable and make decisions on-the-fly, in addition to minimizing costly errors. Data collection also gives unprecedented perspective on customer needs as well as behaviors, allowing companies to innovate based on sound evidence – all of which creates opportunity for increased revenues.

The bottom line: technology is the way forward for just about every aspect of supply chain development. As always, innovation is an ongoing process and in the pursuit of greatness there’s simply no solution for investment and creativity. With all the tools that IoT provides, and these actionable steps, the possibilities truly are endless.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Globe Tracker & SeaCube for One Network Express IoT Gensets

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One Network Express (ONE) confirmed an IoT-focused partnership with SeaCube Containers and Globe Tracker to develop a genset solution through utilizing Global Tracker’s layered technology capabilities. This along with other market solutions continue the reported increase in maritime logistics IoT demand overall.

“The growing demand for greater tracking, transparency, security, diagnostics and asset fleet management using smart technology will continue to be a key driver for leased solutions. By partnering with Globe Tracker, we will continue to enhance our leading-edge technology solutions and expand our commitment to the intermodal industry by providing smart asset technology leased products,” said Greg Tuthill, Chief Commercial Officer at SeaCube.
At the center of the development of the solution remains increasing visibility with smarter tracking abilities, specifically impacting reefer fleets. The anticipated kickoff of full operations is currently scheduled for mid-September through the end of 2019.
“We are extremely pleased to be working with SeaCube in providing this best-in-class genset solution to ONE. In genset telematics, we are the only provider integrated into the micro-controller of 2 out of the 3 leading brands in North America. This provides ONE with the most robust amount of data and assists in setting maintenance intervals, reducing maintenance costs, extending asset life, monitoring fuel consumption and having full operational visibility of their genset assets,” notes John Harnett, Senior Director Marine and Intermodal at Globe Tracker.
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Archives, Commentary, Global Logistics

The Utilization of IoT Technology in Smart Logistics

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With the new IoT-powered supply chain, the industry can now track goods from anywhere, at any time, on a global scale, transforming the modern supply chain as we know it.

We live in a complex, global world, and few industries better illustrate this complexity than logistics. In this multifaceted landscape, missteps along the supply chain are unavoidable. Most consumer goods travel thousands of miles, changing hands multiple times, before reaching their final destinations. Yet, no matter how solid the logistics network for a moving asset is, at some point a truck will get stuck in traffic, a crate will be delayed at a warehouse or an asset will go missing altogether.

Most parcels languish for much of their time in transit dead-zones; goods are first logged at factories, warehouses and delivery depots, but little real-time data exists during the journey between these points. Although radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags help track goods as they reach their destination, when it comes to following mobile assets, traditional RFID technology falls short. They give no information on what happens ‘in between’, leaving logistics managers largely in the dark about the state of the goods they’re charged with moving safely, and quickly, through a complex supply chain.

With traditional supply chain management solutions, logistics managers often only learn about delayed or misrouted assets after they arrive hours late—or not at all—at their destinations. These hours in limbo translate into lost productivity, delayed production and broken client relationships.

IoT technology unlocks the value in supply chains

Using the real-time data collected by IoT sensors, companies are now able to identify where to trim the fat and make quicker, bolder and more informed business decisions that sharpen their competitive edge. It also gives unmatched insights on customer behaviors, enabling them to innovate based on sound evidence. And by accessing data in real-time, businesses can anticipate their customers’ needs and desires before they do, enabling them to deploy resources more strategically and be more adaptable.

Real-time asset tracking streamlines field operations

As a tracking tool, IoT technology sharpens efficiencies between warehouses and distributors, giving customers clearer visibility of their deliveries. But more than this, real-time tracking provides data with fine-grain accuracy, hyper-speed connectivity, low-latency (less downtime), and deep coverage.

In contrast to RFID-based scan points, the IoT smart tracking device securely transmits real-time information about the exact location of those goods at any point along the supply chain, enabling businesses to minimize costly errors or avoid disruptive bottlenecks quickly.

Unlike most first-generation smart devices, assets connected to the IoT network don’t rely on WiFi or 4G, so connectivity issues are lessened, regardless of where the asset travels. IoT devices also benefit from deeper coverage in traditionally low-connectivity areas such as garages and basements.

Cameras installed on multiple parts of delivery vehicles give a 360° view of the travelling environment, while LTE signals in vehicles make for better GPS tracking. The quality and quantity of granular data that these intelligent devices can collect and organize is unprecedented. Thanks to this new level of information, global companies are beginning to see their supply chains become leaner and more efficient. 

Reducing delay-related costs with improved speed and accuracy

As goods make their way through the supply chain, IoT sensors return information about journey times, traffic surge spots, warehouse delays, network gaps or a change in ambient temperature. These up-to-the-minute alerts allow companies to mobilize quickly across a complex, global transportation network. Delayed assets can cause major disruptions further down the supply chain, but smart logistics turns potentially costly disruptions into a minor hiccup.

Building a lean supply chain

As our global economy becomes even more interconnected, investing in IoT-powered smart logistics solutions has no longer become a ‘nice to have’ option, but a critical necessity, giving the industry all the tools it needs to remain at the forefront of agile innovation in an everchanging world. 

 

Gregg Abbate is the iLogistics key account manager of Advantech.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Maven Wave Earns Google Cloud North America Services Partner of the Year

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Google Cloud Premier Partner, Maven Wave, now boasts its second consecutive title as Google’s North American Partner of the Year following recognition during this year’s Partner Summit at Google Cloud Next ‘19. The consulting and technology firm’s outstanding ability to deliver digital solutions to customers served as the focal point of the recognition. Maven Wave is known for developing these solutions through the utilization of Google Cloud innovations.

“It is an incredible honor to receive this award for the second year in a row. This achievement recognizes the extraordinary efforts from our teams who, together with our visionary customers and valued Google Cloud partners, have been able to realize remarkable success in enterprise digital transformation,” said Jason Lee, Partner and Founder at Maven Wave.

Maven Wave has served as a Google Cloud Premier Partner for nine years with specializations in areas such as Application Development, Cloud Migration, Data Analytics, Enterprise Collaboration, Infrastructure, Location-Based Services, Machine Learning, and Marketing Analytics.

“Google Cloud provides industry-leading, cloud-native products that allow us to accelerate the development of innovative enterprise solutions, from modernizing infrastructure to creating intelligence from data and enabling work transformation. We remain absolutely committed to our Google Cloud partnership and look forward to continued success for our customers in 2019 and beyond.”