Customer story – intercontinental freight forwarder

A freight forwarder connecting the markets of Asia and Europe wanted to increase supply chain visibility in a bid to reduce damages. The company ships numerous types of goods with a range of different requirements, including vehicles, oil rig equipment and electronics. They are using the real-time tracking solution, Visilion from Sony, to get a clearer picture of their complex intercontinental rail operations.

Challenge

95% of the trade between China and Europe is by sea. However, rail transport offers several benefits. It can save time, money and fuel emissions. While this freight forwarder recognised the advantages of rail transport, they also saw certain limitations. In order to reduce damages, they understood the need to first increase visibility. They wanted to get better insights into the cause of damages on intercontinental rail journeys. This meant monitoring the shocks and tilts that occurred en route, and identifying where and when deviations were taking place. A secondary goal was for the company to detect unexpected stops at, for example, border controls.

Solution

By implementing the tracking solution, Visilion, the company now has access to real-time shipment data. They can monitor operations closely and continuously. If goods are being handled roughly or if the rail journey is especially bumpy, our shock & tilt sensors register these ‘events’ and all relevant parties can be immediately notified. This allows them to anticipate damages and put contingency plans into action. In the longer term, information from Visilion highlights the risk factors in the supply chain so the freight forwarder can work to minimise damage and optimise operations over time.

Similarly, continuously update location information from Visilion helps the company coordinate its intercontinental transports and adapt to delays where necessary.

Results

Real-time data from Visilion provides this company with the data they need. Better supply chain visibility not only helps keep day-to-day operations running smoothly; it also provides analytics over time, which in turn enables long-term performance improvements.