These days, concepts such as transparency, security and speed are taken for granted in any operation.“The freight sector is no exception,” says Casandra Barnes of CLCircular, “because there is a lack of visibility when using third party logistics. Not having the technology that guarantees these three pillars is a huge handicap for any enterprise.” Organisations that are adopting new technology will be able to survive. There is no room for improvisation; everything needs to be accurate, efficient and transparent.It’s worth reminding ourselves that in a globalised world where everything and everyone is connected, having tools that allow stakeholders to access reliable information in real time is crucial when it comes to guaranteeing the proper functioning of the logistics chain.CLCircular is a real-time monitoring service that allows exporters to know where and how their perishable products are during transport or storage. The company is developing a patent-pending circular economy model that allows it to provide the latest technology at affordable prices. “Our mission is to make real-time monitoring affordable for every sort of cargo, everywhere, so as to reduce losses and simplify track-and-trace services for basic product logistics, thanks to a sensor recovery business mode,” says Barnes.“Having this data in real time allows our clients to make better decisions and avoid product losses while increasing transparency in the logistic operations chain.” According to Barnes, technology provides an opportunity to deliver what society demands. “It’s about having insight into how processes get done: people want to know how products get from somewhere into their hands; they want to know the history behind each product. “New technologies allow for traceability and increased transparency, so that people know what they are buying. Things change at a fast pace, with new technology being introduced every day – to the point that using technology in your processes is no longer an advantage but a necessit y.”Barnes says supply chain visibility has become a technology trend. “Devices like ours, and others, allow stakeholders to get a general overview of how products go through the supply chain at any time. Real-time information enables companies to take action whenever a problem occurs and to make better decisions.”Another growing trend she mentions is the Internet of Things (IoT). “This concept has become popular in recent years. Now, we can connect devices to make exporters’ lives easier. These connections allow producers to take action before problems arise, thereby avoiding unnecessary losses. “In the case of our devices, we know when perishable products are being exposed to an undesirable temperature and we can then inform the client in real time, so that action can be taken before products spoil.”The logistics sector is increasingly adopting new technology – in particular, process automation. “Tasks that were once done manually have been delegated to machines and devices. As a result, workers are spending less time on doing tasks that don’t add value for the client. Hence, new technology is enabling workers to improve their client service levels.”Another benefit of technology, says Barnes, is that it enables companies to generate, treat and analyse large amounts of data. “Being able to select relevant data and analyse it to make decisions is vital for every enterprise.
