Logivest brokers three logistics halls in Ludwigsau to GEODIS
8. November 2022
Lack of Transparency is the Main Problem with the Supply Chain Act
8. November 2022
Dachser has equipped 8,500 swap bodies, which transport goods over long distances between European branches, with innovative Smart Tracking Devices since the beginning of the year. Through the Internet of Things, the transport containers can be tracked in real-time and arrival times can be calculated accurately. A central platform has now been launched that consolidates all position data – including that from trailers and tractors – and integrates it with the tour data from Dachser’s transport management system.
(Kempten) Through so-called ‘Telematics Boards’, Dachser employees are offered entirely new possibilities for visualization and analysis. Customers particularly benefit from the increased transparency in the supply chain.
Together with Deutsche Telekom and other technology companies, Dachser has advanced the development of innovative Smart Tracking Devices (STD) for use on swap bodies. The STDs, equipped with high-end SIM cards from Deutsche Telekom, consist of energy-saving, solar-powered energy modules, modern satellite-based positioning technology (GPS, Galileo), and radio modules based on the new 5G/LPWAN networks (LTE-M). Additional currently widespread radio standards provide further security. The holistic solution has been designed to support the entire lifespan of a swap body, which is twelve years, maintenance-free.
Real-time Position Data from General Cargo Transport
The real-time position data from general cargo transport is processed and displayed to Dachser employees via a total of five specific Telematics Boards. The boards can track traffic and display the precise location of the trackable vehicles or equipment in real-time. Incoming traffic at a branch or customer arrives with detailed ETA calculations, facilitating the planning of transshipment and local transport. Furthermore, the boards also visualize consolidation and backloading opportunities, improving collaboration between branches. Finally, the boards also inform about upcoming service appointments for the units. In the coming months, the application will also be able to display GPS data from chartered transports, which are rarely conducted with their own equipment, through a specially developed Driver App.
“With the combination of real-time localization and visualization, we are making a significant step forward in shipment tracking and management within our general cargo network,” explains Alexander Tonn, COO Road Logistics at Dachser. “Our employees are supported in capacity planning, allowing them to optimize traffic utilization and increase efficiency in transshipment. Our customers benefit from this, as we can deliver the quality they expect from Dachser, even in light of the increasingly scarce capacities.”
From the Enterprise Lab to Practice
To track the robust and durable general cargo swap bodies, which are not powered and used without a truck connection, cost-effectively and reliably, significant research and development work was necessary. “When LPWAN technologies emerged, we started exploring them very early on within the framework of the Dachser Enterprise Lab in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute IML,” says Stefan Hohm, Chief Development Officer at Dachser. “Together with Deutsche Telekom, we succeeded in making the innovation ready for practical use and generating real added value for our network.”
Photos: © Dachser
