Asset Management
January/February 2020
B ULK D ISTRIBUTOR
Evolution of smart containers
L
ausanne, Switzerland-based Aeler is
preparing for the launch of its IoT enriched
C3 smart container to meet the demand for
cargo logistics to be more intelligent, efficient
and ecological.
With its roots in the heart of École polytechnique
fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology Lausanne), Aeler Technologies benefits
from decades of expertise in artificial intelligence
(AI) research, composite industrial materials
innovation and cutting-edge embedded systems
design.
David Baur, co-founder and CTO, told Bulk
Distributor: “Digitalisation is a must nowadays.
With the increased pressure on the industry to be
more environmentally conscious, standard
containers are at risk of becoming obsolete in the
supply chain and the desire for a more intelligent
and efficient logistics process is growing.”
It is no longer acceptable to have containers that
are not optimised for their use, Aeler suggests,
such as flexitanks with poor structural integrity or
container insulation that is unsuitable for the
transport of sensitive goods. Optimisation, Aeler
continues, is key to efficiency, and increased
efficiency is one way that the logistics industry can
reduce impacts on the environment.
Naïk Londono, CEO and co-founder, added: “The
market is incredibly fragmented now, with around
30 stakeholders or more creating variations of
smart components for containers. We do not want
to be the 31st, we want to rethink from the
ground up something that should have been
revamped years ago.”
The Aeler C3 smart container, available from
March this year, is a dry container optimised for
flexitank transport, with a view to reducing costs,
increasing cargo protection and facilitating
ecological compliance. The containers produced
are currently ISO 22GP to ensure compatibility with
a wide range of handling tools.
The C3 container is capable of handling flexitanks
loaded to 28 tonnes, which is 16 percent more
than traditional steel containers. The transition
from steel to composite materials enables the
reduction of tare weight, improves rigidity,
increases insulation and allows a web of sensors to
be encapsulated into the structure itself, merging
hardware with software.
Combining the reduced weight of the container,
the increased load capacity and better container
aerodynamics, Aeler says using the C3 container
can reduce the amount of road fuel used by up to
4 percent during carriage. This efficient design can
lead to over 5-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions a
year, per container compared to using traditional
boxes, making this a ‘greener’ choice.
The smart technology incorporated within the
container monitors real-time conditions and
security parameters, allowing for ‘visibility out of
the box’ and offering alerts when the optimal
conditions change, such as for alterations in
temperature.
With the economics of ISO containers, dry tanks
or reefers, usually based on economies of scale, the
question of competition in the market is not
unwarranted. Entering the flexitanks market first
Naïk Londono, said: “Getting cargo from A to B is
not enough for today’s market. The demand for
service to be quicker, safer and more efficient
means that innovation is a requirement that should
be perfected before a bigger scale is adopted.”
Aeler will be providing the containers and the
data acquired by the incorporated software on a
short-term lease basis, meaning that the containers
themselves do not have to be bought outright by
the user.
With strong interest from the market already
evident, particularly from bulk liquid transporters,
there is a great level of anticipation for the Aeler
C3. Commercial pilots are under way with key
players in the industry to ensure that the ‘container
as a service’ business model, as well as the
structural and digital advantages of Aeler’s product,
meet the industry’s needs.
www.aeler.com
Aeler says using the C3 container can reduce the
amount of road fuel used by up to 4 percent during carriage
3
OptiMate aids
Lawrence
J
E Lawrence & Son Ltd has been serving its
customers throughout West Wales and
beyond since 1936. The haulier’s fuel division
delivers to homes, farms and industry.
A MechTronic customer since 2011, in 2018, JE
Lawrence invested in OptiMate, an electronic
metering system for fuel oil distributors. Owner
Richard Lawrence said: “I chose OptiMate as I felt
this was a system that offered efficiency savings
and increased reliability.
“Since we started using OptiMate we are seeing
efficiency savings. The automatic line change
procedure means that drivers don’t need to return
to the tanker to perform a line change; which
means deliveries are faster and exact fuel
calculations are automatically made, resulting in
no fuel wastage.
“Driver feedback has been positive, they like the
functionality that the system offers, and the fuel
contamination prevention measures that are in
place, ensure that OptiMate provides real peace of
mind to both our drivers and us as fuel oil
operatives.”
www.mechtronic.ltd.uk
THE MOST RELIABLE
REMOTE TANK MONITORING
COMPANY IN THE WORLD
600,000+ Monitored Assets Worldwide
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[email protected] / 866.493.7762 / anovasolutions