Sensing For Modern Logistics

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYSensing for Modern LogisticsLead Analyst:Contributors:Lisheng Gao, Ph.D.AnalystShriram Ramanathan, Ph.D.Director of ResearchJonathan Melnick, Ph.D.Director of Research1

Executive SummarySensing solutions for logistics are diversified to meet thehighly customized demands of different clients in differentindustries.The goal of the sensing solutions is to provide hightransparency and visibility of the process with minimumcosts and frustrations.As shown on the right, the market is fragmented, filledwith players offering highly customized solutionssupporting logistics at different stages.Overall, the market will be continuously fragmentedwithout standout standards or comprehensive solutions.In the meantime, we expect gradual standardization andconsolidation of sensing solutions within each industry dueto the shared common interests that facilitate the process.2Client confidential. Not for redistribution. Right product Right quality Right condition Right place Right time

What is logistics?Logistics is the management of the flow of physical goods and information between the point of origin and thedestination. Every stage of the supply chain involves logistics. It can be moving the raw materials, delivering products, ortransferring assets between departments. Logistics is an important part of the supply chain that focuses on thetemporary storage and transit of goods. As in the example manufacturing chain shown below, logistics plays a criticalrole in the entire value chain.Planning &forecasting3Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Raw rehousing/distributionManufacturingSupply chainplatformsPoint ofconsumption/destination

Logistics has been challengingfor many industriesLogistics is the bridge that connects supply chains betweendifferent sectors. If logistics is not built, maintained, andupdated appropriately and on an ongoing basis, movement ofraw materials and products will not be smooth andsatisfactory, which in turn can drastically impact profit margins.The ongoing global pandemic has made logistics even morechallenging. Demand patterns have shifted overnight,increased restrictions have been placed on the movement ofgoods, and there is growing demand for close monitoring ofgoods as they move through the supply chain. These logisticalchallenges are expected to be exacerbated as vaccinesbecome available for COVID-19. In such a situation, it is morecritical than ever that the right goods are transported in theright quantities, under the right conditions, and delivered tothe right place at the right time. Only then will it be possiblefor society to remain functional and ensure that abundantresources are available to fight the pandemic.In this report, we discuss how sensing solutions can helpaddress some of these challenges in logistics.4Client confidential. Not for redistribution.

There are several goals to achieve at each of these criticalpoints that can prevent the breakdown of logisticsA logistics process rightly done will get the right product, in the right quantity, under the right conditions, to theright place, at the right time, to the right customer, at the right price. However, there are unique challenges ateach of these critical points that can impact the efficiency of logistics, sometimes even culminating in a completebreakdown:Goals to achieve at each pointPoint of originEnsuring that the right product in the right quantity is prepared for shipment andinformation is prepared.WarehousingEnsuring assets and goods are stored in the right conditions. In addition, keepingtrack of product location and length of stay in detail can be challenging.TransitEnsuring that assets and goods are kept under the right conditions, the journeyitself is uneventful, and only desired activities occur at the desired time and place;informing all parties of any time-related changes.DestinationEnsuring the integrity of the goods after long journeys and gaining evidence thatsupports liability transfer from transportation carriers to receiving parties.5Client confidential. Not for redistribution.

Using case studies, we highlight how sensors are used in eachpart of the logistics process to achieve appropriate goalsWe briefly introduce the four critical points in logistics. Usingeight case studies (in the full report), we discuss keychallenges and how sensing solutions can be used to overcomechallenges throughout the logistics process. In each casestudy, we describe: The pain points addressed by the sensing solution andthe core outcomes enabled by the solution The core sensing technology that enabled the sensingsolution to improve logisticsUSE CASEPoint of OriginInspection andinformationcollection 6ConditionmonitoringCoolant gas leak monitoring in cold storageFlow of assetsTracking pallets motion in beer brewery warehouseTransitReal-time location monitoring of returnable transportpackagingImpact on logistics – Measured in three levels (low,moderate, and high), this indicator measures the relativeeffectiveness, visibility, and readiness that these toolsholdEnd-to-end visibilityReadiness for adoption – Measured in three levels(low, moderate, and high), this indicator measures therelative number of companies and the level of adoptionAsset integrityconfirmationClient confidential. Not for redistribution.Fast goods inspection and information collection onconveyersWarehousingThe use cases are evaluated using two metrics: CASE STUDYStorage condition monitoring during transportation forpoultry productsUtilization, events, and condition logging of railcarsReal-time tracking of high-value toolsDestinationUsing irreversible sensors to reveal the history ofgoods

TransitWhy it’s importantHow sensing solutions helpTransit is the step that involves physically moving goodsand related information from point A to point B usingvarious vehicles. This step is the most important withinthe logistics process and usually suffers from lowinformation synchronization.Sensing solutions can facilitate the flow of informationon assets and help stakeholders gain end-to-endvisibility.ChallengesUse casesThere is a lack of transparency, predictability, andoperational agility around continuous changes duringtransit. These challenges arise due to roadblocks toinformation flow caused by both technical challengesand human-driven factors. Procedural visibility:Seamless location tracking throughout the processCondition monitoring for high-value goodsImproving utilization of capacitySecurity and control7Client confidential. Not for redistribution.

USE CASE – TRANSITProcedural visibilityWhat it is for logisticsPain pointContinuously tracking the movement andcondition of the asset throughout the transitprocess helps companies get real-timeintelligence and make timely decisions, thusallowing them to optimize the process.Although asset flow is well managed, managing the flowof information is still clunky and lacking in agility.What it achievesRight productRight placeRight quantityRight timeRight condition8Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Highlight gBothUsing the existingGPS and wirelesscommunicationinfrastructure totrack the realtime location.Various sensorsintegrated intodevices measureand communicatedata. Battery lifecan be achallenging issuefor users.Combining thetwo, focusing onfunction. This ismore costly andrequires delicatedevice design tobe energyefficient.

CASE STUDY – SEAMLESS LOCATION TRACKINGSensolus partners with Airbus to track returnable transportpackaging (RTP)Use CaseAirbus, one of the biggest airplane manufacturers globally, hasa complicated logistics system that it uses to ship parts tosites throughout the world. Airbus integrated Sensolus’solution with its IoT platform to provide full location visibilityfor its assets. Sensolus’ GPS trackers offer real-time locationdata on RTP, as they transit among Airbus’ warehouses andinternational departments.Key technologiesSensolus’ key technology is its low-power GPS trackersintegrated with various sensors. The GPS trackerscommunicate using Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, and Sigfoxprotocols. By leveraging built-in sensors, the tracker canperform self-calibration and decode the transportenvironment, such as in-flight, truck, or shipping vessels,thereby allowing it to accommodate various environments.9Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Key PlayersLUX TAKESensolus and Airbus’ use case is special. Airbus’ usecase only involves Airbus itself as the point of originand destination, meaning that the company can benefitfrom the sensor-enabled visibility of asset flow tooptimize its logistical efficiency, container utilization,and crew agility without worrying about returning thedevices.

TRANSITSummarySensor solutions for transit are diversified by solutions ratherthan by the basic technologies. Despite the importance ofusing emerging sensor technologies to achieve affordable,stable, and long-lasting solutions, they only overcome dataentry challenges. The players in the market offer solutionsoptimized for target applications. The solutions are usuallyunique and do not overlap with their competitors’ offerings.LUX TAKEThe fragmented market is both beneficial and detrimental.For solution providers, such a market is easy to penetrate.On the other hand, the lack of comprehensive andstandardized platforms increases the costs, especially whenmultiple pain points need to be tackled. Furthermore,despite the importance and readiness of the technologies,the market may show some hesitation and frustrations.10Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Importance to logisticsReadiness for adoptionHighlight playersLocationtrackingCondition/eventtrackingBoth

Sensing solution providers offer different solutions based ontheir use cases of focusPoint of origin TiHive Tech Anritsu ThruWave Ishida Kitov Systems Keyence Cognex LMI Technologies Specim11Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Warehousing SmartSense IoTConnect Balluff SenseGiz FLIR Calyx Intelligent Lumen Redpoint Positioning Pozyx Kinexon Zebra PervasID Wiliot Impinj Sixgill ArfidexTransit Sensolus Particle Samsara Tag2Sense Biolog-id Controlant TSS Tempix AntTail Tive Clockwork SenseAware Traxens NexxiotDestination Tempix Cryolog SpotSee MadgeTech DHL Smartrac Right product Right quantity Right condition Right place Right time

OutlookThe market will remain fragmented, with increasing diversifiedsolutionsDiversified requirements and asset types will keep the market fragmentedand filled with industry-specific sensing solutions. Furthermore, maturingsensor technologies will motivate innovations in emerging solutions toaddress unmet demand and untackled pain points. This will introduce morediversified solutions.Consolidation will occur within each industry sectorAlthough the market will become more fragmented, within each industry, weexpect consolidation to occur for two reasons: 1) availability of mature andlow-cost sensor technologies, and 2) it will be easier to identify shareddemands and issues.Sensing solution providers will focus more on analyticsSensor-collected data tells what happened during the logistics processes, butanalytics reveals the root cause behind the events. Sensing solutionproviders will develop analytics for their sensing solutions, but the processmay be slow for small companies due to their slow market penetrations.12Client confidential. Not for redistribution.Source: Project Cargo Journal

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Logistics has been challenging for many industries 4 Logistics is the bridge that connects supply chains between different sectors. If logistics is not built, maintained, and updated appropriately and on an ongoing basis, movement of raw materials and products will not be smooth and satisfactory, which in turn can drastically impact profit margins.