Sigfox’s new tracking solution provides freighters with a real-time geolocation service of their containers
French tire manufacturer Michelin, together with compatriot IoT connectivity provider Sigfox and Argon Consulting, has launched a new solution for tracking sea-freight containers.
Michelin, which has actively participated in the development of this solution for the past 12 months, has already implemented the new real-time solution, which is based on Sigfox’s technology and global IoT network.
Sigfox highlighted that an international shipment can involve more than 200 interactions and more than 25 actors such as freight-forwarders, in-land transportation companies, port handling, consignees, customs and shipping lines. This is why shippers very often complain about the difficulty of getting real-time visibility on their sea-going container shipments. The French connectivity firm also said that this lack of visibility degrades supply chain agility and impacts service for final customers.
The new tracking solution provides freighters with a real-time geolocation service of their containers from the initial warehouse to the final point of delivery, Sigfox said. The new tool will also provide alerts about delays and ensure appropriate transport conditions.
“Michelin has decided to develop this solution for its customers and its global inbound supply chain. Our pilot experiences and further investigations have convinced us that achievable gains could reach up to 10% reduction of the on-sea inventory, 40% increase in Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) accuracy, and dividing by 4 inventory ruptures caused by exceptional events like weather critical conditions thanks to real time management of the relevant inventory,” said Pascal Zammit, senior VP global supply chain at Michelin. “The solution is independent from the maritime company and doesn’t require dedicated containers. The design and the ramp-up of the solution took few months. So, the effectiveness and affordability of the solution have convinced Michelin not only to deploy it internally but also to offer these services to other companies in cooperation with SigFox and Argon.”
The solution includes IoT trackers, trackers logistics and analytics platform access. Sigfox said that the new offering can be used with high numbers of containers. Additionally, new functionalities like temperature monitoring, detection of container handling and opening and geo-fencing are already being developed.
“At Sigfox we know that we have a real added value for multiple industrial sectors such as mass distribution, automotive, pharmaceutical, luxury, aeronautics and many others, as we are the only ones that can offer affordable asset tracking for devices traveling across different regions. Our solution will radically transform the way in which many companies understand supply chain today,” said Patrick Cason, CEO of Sigfox France.
At a global level, Sigfox’s connectivity serves around 803 million people, covering 3.8 million square kilometers. Sigfox is targeting a reach of 60 countries and one billion people by the end of this year.
