24 WESTERN PALLET
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location and environmental data on assets in transit all over the world from the point of palletization to the final destination via a CalAmp telematics gateway and the CTC. The solution helps address blind spots, reducing the potential for theft while also minimizing spoilage as products travel across sea, land, and air.
The system has been validated by Pallet Alliance through field experience. “We began field testing more than a year ago, and have had pallets in a live pool for over a year,” explained Mike Jones, a principal at The Pallet Alliance Inc. (TPAI). “The approach is new to the (wood pallet) market but definitely isn’t new to us.
“As supply chains continue to modernize, customers are increasingly interested in adding efficient, cost-effective data gathering,” Jones told Western Pallet Magazine. While CalAmp is flexible regarding technology, the original IoT use case involved the use of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tags and wireless hubs to connect up to 60 BLE-enabled pallets at a time to the cloud.
“Not only will our iOn Tags and gateways help corporations monitor shipment departures and arrivals, but access to our CTC information dashboard will also provide environmental conditions and data analyses to ensure optimal shipment control,” said Jeff Newman, vice president of supply chain visibility solutions at CalAmp. “In today’s connected economy, there is no reason for a company not to have point-to-point traceability about the location and conditions of their valuable assets throughout the shipment process, from the first mile to the last. Smart pallets enable more efficient business operations that help maintain product quality and maximize revenue potential.”
Pallet Alliance’s success integrating CalAmp’s advanced telematics technology with wooden pallets eliminates the need to convert to alternate materials, according to TPAI. With the IntelliPallet platform service, monitoring compliance, handling, and environmental changes can be more effectively managed by making more informed decisions based on real-time supply chain insights.
“The ability to integrate end-to-end IoT connectivity with customers’ existing pallet systems will transform the logistics industry,” said Jones. “Customers can implement location and data services without abandoning their wooden pallet systems, avoiding the added expense and limitations resulting from converting to plastic or composite pallets, not to mention the other required infra-structure investments."
“And because we work with existing pallets, it’s not necessary to make the massive investment to convert all pallets