An IoT solution for fleet management and the transport of perishable goods

During transportation, sensitive perishable goods can spoil quickly, easily and for many reasons. This has always been a major concern for logistics and distribution companies, who are always looking at improving their sustainability levels whilst at the same time reducing waste and spoilage.

The challenge

The ability to maintain optimum storage conditions during transport is essential, and the storage temperature in which these goods are kept during transportation has the most major role. Other environmental factors such as humidity, packaging, as well as the duration of time that it takes to deliver the goods from source to customers, also come into play.

Traditionally, supply chain and distribution managers made use of manual checks and tracking, but, as with everything that requires human intervention, this method is highly susceptible to mistakes and inaccuracies – both of which could lead to the loss of an entire cargo.

The IoT solution

By providing an unprecedented degree of control and automation, a new IoT solution offered by melita.io addresses the overreaching challenge of significantly improving the efficiency of transporting perishable goods such as agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, as well as frozen and fresh food.

At any point during a supply chain, a change in environmental conditions such as a rise in temperature could mean disaster for perishable and sensitive products.  In the past, monitoring temperatures and other conditions throughout the entire journey has never been available in real-time, but now, by outfitting products and vehicles with IoT smart sensors, real-time monitoring is entirely possible.

The sensors can transmit real-time data such as the product’s temperature, whether storage doors are open or closed, how many times they have been opened, the exact geo-location of the product, and whether they are in motion or stationary. All this is transmitted through Melita’s gateway, and onto an IoT platform that instantly presents it to the distribution company. If and when necessary, such real-time information enables the distribution company to act before it is too late and before the perishables are spoilt or contaminated.

Instant notifications on mobile devices alert the right people about issues such as a change in temperature or a vehicle’s malfunction so that the problem can be immediately rectified, mitigating the loss of perishable products and loss of goods.

By immediately communicating information to fleet drivers, exposed perishables can quickly be transferred to another vehicle or refrigeration system. This timely action can preserve product quality, reduce waste, and ensure that the products reach the end customer in pristine condition.

In the long term, these data insights provide organisations with the basis to optimise processes and operational systems to better serve customers and reduce waste, ultimately improving their bottom line and customer satisfaction.

To learn more about how melita.io can help your business take advantage of the power of the Internet of Things, contact us.