Unisys Corporation announced Tuesday that it would be providing airlines with new software that tracks the status and location of each piece of a shipment over the course of their journey.
The new software will be integrated with the Unisys Cargo Core application and available to airlines so they and freight forwarders can use the information to develop insights into the supply chain. The new “piece-level tracking” functionality lets airlines accelerate the operational efficiency of cargo shipments.
“With the growth of e-commerce and the increased quantities of special cargo flown, online retailers and shoppers want to know where their individual cargo pieces are at all points of the supply chain – starting with the freight forwarder and continuing all the way through to when it is delivered to the consignee – as opposed to just the larger shipment of which the individual pieces are a part,” said Rodney Melton, senior director of Industry and Client Management at Unisys.
Melton said the software provides critical new capabilities for suppliers that need information at the individual piece level for more effective planning and storage, as well as for improved visibility.
According to a December 2020 survey, 92 percent of supply chain professionals say they cannot trust the data they have on products traveling through their supply chains. Additionally, survey respondents said lack of visibility contributes to significant annual losses in inventory due to product spoilage. Pharmaceutical companies cite as much as $138 million in losses per year.
During a recent session of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals annual conference, Gregory Pritchard, head of global logistics and JAPAC Distribution at AbbVie, said real-time visibility can improve operational efficiency.
“Immediate real-time understanding of the position of your shipments, and then being able to respond, creates a level of added assurance for your customers and enhances that service experience,” he said.