28 B ULK D ISTRIBUTOR
Asset Management
Satellites - beƩer
value and security
Corry Brennan, Simplex regional sales manager at Globalstar,
explains how tracking solutions with built-in satellite
communications deliver enhanced security while helping
maximise the overall value of assets
W
e all know that by having precise
have expensive equipment out in the field, it’s
information about the location of
crucial to know if it has been stolen or used in
your cargo there are benefits to supply
an unauthorised manner.
chain operations and customer
The live motion-sensitive monitoring that
relationships. Delivery times can be more
satellite-enabled tracking devices can perform
accurate and production schedules can
can be viewed as rather more effective in
run to time, both of which can galvanise
theft prevention than, for instance, alternative
solid long-term customer satisfaction.
systems based on tagging. The latter are
But if you are only using satellite
typically intended to act as a disincentive to
communications for GPS tracking then you are
the resale of stolen items, while with satellite
missing out on further benefits that can
tracking, you have a fighting chance to stop
increase the return on investment. For
the theft taking place or to limit the distance
example, assets can be optimised if you know
the stolen item travels.
that a rail tank car has been emptied and is
These devices are very flexible and versatile,
available for use, or that a shipping container
and have the reliability that comes with using
can be redeployed at a particular time to
the ubiquitous, reliable reach of satellites for
accept a new shipment in another location.
staying connected in rural areas, and further
Additionally, a smart, always-connected
afield.
satellite solution enables operators to reliably
Moreover, while conventional wisdom tells us
plan for and predict maintenance
that any urban or suburban area of Western
requirements for their fleets, thereby
Europe enjoys GSM mobile coverage, many of
maximising utility.
us know from personal experience that you
When an asset is being actively used and
often do not need to go far beyond the city
intelligently managed, it is generating
centre to discover that mobile signals tail off or
revenues, increasing profitability, and
completely disappear.
unproductive downtime is kept to a minimum.
Relying exclusively on GSM to track your
In order for these benefits to be derived
assets means holes in your security net.
reliably, and continuously, you need visibility of
We know from the market that customers
SmartOne Solar could make affordable satellite-enabled asset
your assets and shipments 24/7, 365 days a
are
getting more and more utility from
tracking a reality for many
year even when they may travel well beyond
satellite-enabled asset-tracking solutions
the reach of GSM mobile signals. Only by
which deliver truly wide reach and deliver rich,
using satellite communications can this be
real-time data. Users are deploying the
achieved.
technology to help monitor and safeguard an
But not only can smart logistics solutions
ever-greater variety of fixed and movable
provide operational efficiencies, these same
assets. And we see our solutions being used in
systems also deliver a valuable security
ever more diverse security operations, while
SmartOne Solar makes power-efficient, low-cost ubiquitous
function.
yielding a broad range of operational and
tracking a reality for businesses of all kinds
One of the features of intelligent satellite-
resource management benefits.
enabled asset tracking devices that is particularly valuable for
This is great news for anyone who wants to maximise the value of
security is the ability to create a geo-fence. For instance, you can
their tracking technology investments, and of the items they are
create a geo-fence which maps where an item of machinery is
tracking.
moving. If the item moves outside of its typical patch, or beyond the
Perhaps the best news of all is that they are keeping their partners
virtual fence you’ve set up, you can get an alert or alarm, by text or
and customers happy and loyal in the process.
email that lets you know what is happening.
Globalstar will be present at transport logistic, Munich Messe,
A smart satellite enabled tracking device can be programmed to
booth A3 231
check in with an asset at pre-set intervals and if the asset is not
where it is supposed to be, you will know in an instant. When you
www.globalstar.com
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May/June 2019
IMT has placed more than
40,000 sensors on tank
containers worldwide
TelemaƟĐƐĂƌe
taking over!
T
he world gets digitised. And that is good news, also for
liquid bulk logistics.
Intermodal Telematics (IMT), the independent telematics solution
partner for the tank container and tank wagon industry, offers smart
sensor technology and a data platform with which operators,
container manufacturers, lessors and shippers obtain the insights to
improve product quality, efficiency and safety.
“Measuring is knowing,” says sales manager Bernard Heylen of
the Breda, Netherlands-based company. “Determining the location,
temperature, pressure, filling level, heating temperatures and getting
control over this, is not the future. It is possible today. To this end,
IMT has placed more than 40,000 sensors on tank containers
worldwide. These sensors are 100 percent developed and produced
in-house by 10 hardware engineers and 12 production people at
IMT headquarters. “IMT also controls the process quality using ISO
9001 and all of their products and production hall is ATEX certified.”
Next to hardware development and production, IMT has 35
programmers working on the generic platform and specific client
dashboards. This all is based on the combination of IMT sensor data
as well as data they retrieve from the stakeholders involved: the
operators, lessors and shippers.
“We can offer every customer tailor-made solutions and make
management by exceptions possible. All data is, and will stay, the
property of the customer who can access the data and use it in its
own internal applications via the IMT API. Data security is
guaranteed as the cloud services of IMT are ISO 27001 and ISO
27017 certified,” adds Heylen.
“In the short term, we will move from alerting to pre-alerting
within the whole supply chain through smart combinations of data
algorithms and artificial intelligence. And then telematics will really
take over!”
www.intermodaltelematics.com
IMT has 35 programmers working on the
generic platform and specific client dashboards
Monitor any asset in one system
Are you using telematics devices and sensors from several suppliers?
Frustrated from using different systems?
Do you need more content and better tools?
Not satisfied with your current solution?
Fleetmonitor is the leading service platform for telematics-based asset
monitoring in the rail and intermodal freight industry.
You can easily benefit from the unique and powerful content, services and
tools in the Fleetmonitor portal. Data from any telematics device or sensor
can be sent to Fleetmonitor and refined into business intelligence and value
designed for your needs.
www.fleetmonitor.com | [email protected]