ID Logistics Poland, an international logistics service provider, Carrefour Poland, and Keratronik, specializing in GPS monitoring systems, are implementing an innovative solution – electronic seals. They will form the basis of a new transport management system for the Carrefour retail chain, tailored to the flow of goods between warehouses and over 600 stores across Poland. The use of electronic seals will provide a wide range of information regarding transport and delivery control. This will increase safety and allow for cost optimization within the supply chain. According to the plan, the implementation process will be completed in the autumn. By then, every truck delivering goods from the warehouse to a Carrefour store will be equipped with an electronic seal.
Reusable electronic seals are easy-to-use devices that are attached to delivery truck trailers. Based on innovative technological solutions, they are used to monitor transport and transmit detailed data about its progress to an IT platform. The devices have been designed to meet the transport requirements of the Carrefour chain.
The electronic seals are equipped with a GPS transmitter. This enables real-time tracking of delivery trucks from the moment goods are loaded at the warehouse until they are delivered to the store. The current location of the truck, the direction it is traveling, and its speed are monitored. This solution significantly increases delivery security. In the event of an attempt to open or damage the seal during transport, the device sends an alert (SMS and/or e-mail). This also applies to unforeseen road events. Information about this will be immediately transmitted to the system, allowing for the quick selection of a new route. Tracking vehicle journeys, combined with analysis and planning, allows for route optimization, reduction of unproductive stops, and checking driver working hours.
The use of electronic seals allows for the monitoring and full control of deliveries from warehouses to individual Carrefour stores. Thanks to the transmitted data, it is possible to accurately determine
the location of a truck approaching the unloading point. Stores will be informed of the planned arrival time via SMS, which will allow them to prepare for receiving goods in advance. The system provides the ability to check delivery history and read detailed data regarding a specific case. Additionally, the electronic seal allows for monitoring the temperature inside the trailer, which is important for deliveries requiring controlled temperatures during transport, e.g., fruits and vegetables.
Electronic seals prevent unauthorized opening of trailers during transport. The pallets transported in them will therefore not need to be additionally secured. This will simplify warehouse processes related to additional pallet wrapping, and as a result, reduce the consumption of protective materials. It is estimated that 4.5 million square meters of plastic hoods protecting pallets and 6 million meters of security tape will be saved annually. Traditional single-use seals, made of plastic or metal, must be properly sorted and disposed of. On an annual scale, 320 kg of this type of waste was generated in two warehouses. The introduction of reusable electronic seals will eliminate this problem.
– Carrefour places great importance on responsible resource management and the implementation of eco-friendly solutions aimed at increasing business efficiency and reducing the impact on the natural environment. Together with our logistics operators, we are currently implementing an electronic seal project, which on one hand will increase the security of transported loads, and on the other will contribute to more efficient fleet utilization and reduced plastic wrap consumption in our warehouses – said Paweł Górecki, Logistics Director at Carrefour Poland.
– Preparing a dedicated logistics product to support the Carrefour chain’s transport management process required great commitment from all project participants. The result of this cooperation is a solution that meets the expectations set by our client. This confirms that innovation, embedded in our company’s DNA, is not just an empty word – concluded Yann Belgy, General Manager of ID Logistics Poland.
Cooperation on the project began in February 2015. The first system tests took place during the summer.