World Trade - December 2008 - (Page 32)

SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY a pervasive 3G network “is the wirelessly via a 3G network to a biggest factor in making all of this less to a data modem in the operahappen.” With such a network tions center for viewing. “you can put in place processes to As solutions for the networked track the truck, the driver, the shipvehicle advance—what’s called ment and what’s in the warehouse, telematics—Sibio is witnessing along with instituting measures to improvements in how hand-held increase security, efficiency and computers and sensors are able management control.” communicate within the truck’s With earlier generations of ecosystem and from there to the wireless deployments, Raney says back ofﬁce using one communiit was possible to track the tractor. cation pipe—a single wide area “Now we can track the tractor, the network connection—rather trailer and even the employee. You than multiple conduits. may have learned that the status Already embedded sensors report order was picked up. Now within RFID (radio frequency you can know the status of the identiﬁcation tags) are creating pick up in real-time.” new potential for transmitting “Mobility is enabling Although he sees 3G networks information as varied as temexpanding “all the time,” Jeff distributors and service peratures of refrigerated vehicles Sibio is a bit more circumspect to the location of trash barrels. In providers to build about 3G’s potential until coverthe future, Pierce envisions more age is ubiquitous. Director for “environmental applications” for entirely different client wireless, sensor-based networks Industry Marketing, Transportation and Logistics with Interthat will pick up a limited amount relationship models.” mec Technologies in Everett, of information—things like load Washington—manufacturer of a status or temperatures—as a — Jack Higgins, wide range of wireless devices pallet crosses a doorway. Director of including mobile computers— Like Pierce, McLaughlin says Transportation, Sprint Sibio says that 3G is primarily the day will come when warefor vehicles on the move, rather house workers and drivers won’t than inside warehouses covered by local area networks. need to scan inventory. “Every pallet and every case will Sibio doesn’t think 3G will signiﬁcantly affect data have a tag that will be read automatically” by sensors as collection capabilities such as status messaging back the stock enters or leaves storage shelves. Inventory counts and forth between dispatch and the truck or signature “will be a click away,” he said. capture. He does see the potential to “push” streaming Ellis argues that the Internet will be “more and more video—meaning person-to-person display rather than enabled” in the wireless world, extended beyond rugbroadcast—for functions like ﬁeld training, virtual repair gedized laptops to PDAs and other devices for use outwork, or displaying an accident scene. side the enterprise. Moreover, McLaughlin believes the Adds Lisa Pierce, vice president of Telecommunications wireless networks, like the Internet, “will always be on.” Research at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Massachu- The increased bandwidth and speed of future wireless setts, 3G will allow a driver to complete a standardized generations will allow for visual representations not posform on a 3G computer, share scanned documents or enter sible today. So, for example, cameras attached to a truck a change order into an inventory management system, to will relay video back to a dispatcher who will be able to name a few examples. In the future, far more detailed infor- literally see the road from the driver’s perspective. mation will be relayed to a mobile device onboard—things “We’re interested in taking the wireless applications to like the size of the load, fuel usage, location or driver certiﬁ- their next level—from information and notiﬁcation tools cation if hauling hazardous materials. to data providers for making decisions,” said Ghosai. If more limited than on-the-road applications, 3G is And in time, says David Alexander, principal analyst being applied in the warehouse. For instance, Conner envi- for ABI Research in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we’ll see sions using video transmission to monitor a loading dock, the merging of warehouse and transport management as an example. “If someone approaches the fence from the solutions that will allow the linkage of the driver and outside, [the incident] could be recorded and information delivery piece “into a seamless chain from factory to the shipped wirelessly back to the data control center on a 3G consumer.” WT network,” he explained. And, Conner believes that 3G offers a number of security Contributing Editor Amy Zuckerman writes about supply chain techoptions for logistics customers managing high-value goods, nology from Amherst, Mass. like diamonds, that are hauled in armored vehicles. Instead of a video camera mounted in a cage inside the truck, video For reprints of this article, please contact Cindy Williams cameras can be mounted inconspicuously outside each at williamsc@bnpmedia.com or 610-436-4220 ext. 8516. door to record a break-in or hold-up. The video is relayed 32 WORLD TRADE DECEMBER 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Trade - December 2008

World Trade - December 2008 Contents The Promise of Peril The Current Reality with IP in China Supply Chain Watch Tradewinds Performance Partners: Awards of Excellence Managing With Mobility What 2009 Bodes for the Supply Chain Small Business Takes to Export Green is Here for Good Fast Fashion

World Trade - December 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.