Whether shipping fruit, pharmaceuticals, high-value commodities, or any other goods, solutions that precisely track individual items throughout their supply chain journey are becoming increasingly accessible and valuable. BY TOM GRESHAM PRECISION SHIPPING: The Rise of Item-Level Visibility Solutions
I tem-level visibility has become a must for shippers and primary, overarching advantage of visibility is the precision that it brings to shipments,” notes Richie Daigle, supply chain evangelist at Tive, a Boston-based provider of visibility solutions. “Not only does visibility provide precise information about shipment location and arrival time, but it also offers detailed insights into the conditions of an item at any given moment,” says Daigle. “Shippers can monitor how hot or cold it is, how wet it is, and how it’s being handled. their supply chain partners. The technologies that make that visibility possible are becoming more accessible, sophisticated, and broadly applicable as visibility tools evolve. “Item-level visibility offers an array of bene ts, but the “Additionally, they can see if doors, boxes, or other containers are being opened,” he adds. “This information gives shippers precise insights into both the location and the condition of a speci c item at any point in time.” That precision is exactly what today’s supply chain needs. “The pace of everything is so much faster today, and it’s putting a lot of strain on the supply chain,” Daigle explains. “Companies have to be more precise with planning, inventory control, and sourcing. Everything has to be dialed in.” WHAT DRIVES THE NEED FOR VISIBILITY? Several trends are driving the rise of real-time and item- level visibility. “Ongoing regulations—such as food and drug traceability, including FSMA Rule 204, Digital Product Passport requirements, and provenance and circularity rules—lead to an increased need for item-level visibility,” says Steve Statler, CMO at Wiliot, an Israel-based provider of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. “And consumers continually demand faster delivery times for online retail, with transparency throughout the delivery process.” In non-regulated supply chains, there is growing consumer demand for verifying a product’s authenticity throughout its entire lifecycle, from vendor sourcing to purchase.
July 2024 • Inbound Logistics 175
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