A report titled ‘IoT in Logistics: Technologies and Usages Cases’ by analytics company GlobalData, looks at the growth of IoT and how it can help reduce warehouse and distribution costs.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly being used by businesses to reduces logistics costs. IoT is a system that connects various web-enabled devices. Businesses spent £70m on IoT systems in 2015, but this is expected to grow to £2.44bn by 2020.
The report’s author, Alok Singh, said that IoT devices in logistics operations can track vehicles and locate parcels in real time. He said:
“Integration of IoT and big data in logistics is expected to be a game-changer, which can enhance the accuracy of organisations’ demand forecasts, discover new demand patterns, and develop new services by sharing data with partners across the supply chain.”
As well as tracking parcel locations, apps connected to IoT devices fixed inside vehicles can calculate fuel costs, detect when maintenance is needed on vehicles, and monitor driver health. The data provided by the apps can be used to improve fuel efficiency and driver performance and health. They also provide information for customers who want to know where their parcel is.
Most warehouses still rely on human workers to pick items. Parcels with IoT chip technology can guide workers with aisle picking trolleys to their location. When picking several items, the parcels can communicate with each other to plan the quickest picking route. This saves both costs and worker stress.
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