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LOGISTIC TECH SOLUTION PROVIDERS
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INSIGHTS 3D Printing Changing the facets of logistics Matthew Telesca President & CEO
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Editor’s Desk
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MOST T H E
PAGE 26 LEADER’S VIEWPOINT The Changing Dynamics of Insurance Industry
RECOMMENDED
LOGISTIC TECH SOLUTION PROVIDERS
2020
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INSIGHTS 3D Printing Changing the facets of logistics Matthew Telesca President & CEO
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MGN LOGISTICS LOGISTIC SOLUTIONS CRAFTED WITH EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY
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Tagged and Delivered
he internet has become a genie of sorts, with every consumable item being delivered to our doorstep. Just one click and your wish will be granted. While we might be in love with this genie showering us with choicest products (though not for free), its true magical powers lie in the hands of the Logistics Industry. Without the tech-enabled, fastgrowing logistics industry, those wishes would remain just what they are, wishes! The Logistics Industry itself has undergone tremendous changes and is now being led by efficient manpower and superior technology. Over the years, the growing demand, expanding trade, and economy, the growth of the internet have together catapulted the industry and made it embrace technology. Improved technology has ensured increased productivity in the supply chain simultaneously minimizing costs and errors. Technology has ensured that all the aspects – trucking and international transportation (ocean and air), supply chain management, and shipment tracking – are benefited from it. Prime technologies that have come forth for enhancing the mechanisms of the industry are automation, Shipment tracking systems, IoT, RFID, Autonomous Vehicles, and cloud computing. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in particular, has become very popular when it comes to tracking inventory. And going by the way e-commerce is
booming, maintaining inventory has become a huge challenge, and RFID is helping tackle the same. For speedy and accurate delivery of goods, it is essential that it id moved from one location to another effectively and efficiently and RFID solutions enable the same to ensure business success. RFID technology captures digital data, encodes them in smart labels and RFID tags which can send information through a reader via radio waves. Many companies today use RFID tags in their distribution warehouses to monitor shipment and containers. While it may sound like barcodes, the biggest advantage RFID tags provide over them is that it doesn’t need to be placed or positioned relative to the scanner. The RFID tags contain an integrated circuit and an antenna that transmit data to the RFID reader to be converted into radio waves and finally readable data that can be stored and analyzed. RFID tagging improves Monitoring, delivery, and safety of a package is being delivered. The tags are usually placed on both vessels and containers to ensure accurate tracking and locating of a container’s journey. Combined with other suitable technologies, RFID plays a major role in enhancing the visibility of a package right from the point of manufacturing, to transit and finally delivery. To help the logistics industry capitalize on technology solutions, several companies are engaged in creating the right solution.
Most Recommended Logistic Tech Solution Providers 2020” that ensure the delivery of happiness at your doorstep. On the Cover we have an early pioneer of web-based transportation management solutions, MGN Logistics. Further pages showcase solution providers Aheer Transportation LTD, a name synonymous to reliable, on time service; Intelligent Audit (IA), a logistics company focused on reducing transportation costs through automated audit and freight recovery, business intelligence, and contract negotiation solutions; Simple Route and Ubimax, the global market leader for Enterprise Wearable Computing and Augmented Reality Solutions. Other key notable players are BoxC, Globaltranz, Premier Logistics Partners and ODW Logistics. Do go through the insightsful interview with Bradley Moore, the Founder and CEO of SAFR Removals, a wellknown logistics company in South Africa. We also present an in-house article Envisioning the Future of Logistics Technology. Happy Reading
In this issue of Insights Success, we bring you “The 10
Sneha Sinha
MGN LOGISTICS LOGISTIC SOLUTIONS CRAFTED WITH EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTENTS
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Managing Editor Publishing Control Team Quality Assurance Team Contributing Editor Visualiser
Anish Miller Sneha Sinha Shruti P. Jambhale Abhishaj Sajeev Anmol Preet Singh David King
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MGN LOGISTICS LOGISTIC SOLUTIONS CRAFTED WITH EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY
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MGN Logistics provides customers with transportation and distribution options to help them excel in an ever-changing marketplace
Matthew Telesca Founder & CEO MGN Logistics
The 10 Most Recommended
LOGISTIC
TECH Solution Providers 2020
The logistics space, like so many other industries, continues to be disrupted by new and compelling technology. Advancements have increased productivity in the supply chain and minimized costs, while reducing errors. The benefits are being reaped by all areas of the industry, from over-the-road transportation, railways, international shipments (waterways and airways), as well as supply chain and logistics management. In addition to the technology, new entrants have pushed the envelope of an already crowded space, creating a race to develop the fastest delivery supply chains. Now, more than ever, logistic companies need to show and adopt genuine improvement through better technology. As these changes occur, many are being spearheaded by those companies that not only possess the technological vision, but also the transportation and supply chain real-world experience. Highly adaptive and specialized companies like MGN Logistics, Inc., have distinguished themselves as industry leaders. An Industry Stalwart An early pioneer of web-based transportation management solutions,
MGN Logistics’ innovative and proprietary Transportation Management Software (TMS) was designed by experts in the field. Their TMS platform has been the backbone of some of the country’s largest 3PLs for many years. Originally launched as a fully automated freight marketplace online called logisticsquote in 2000, the website was sold to a group of private equity investors in 2004, after exponential user growth. Building upon the company’s early success, in 2007 MGN acquired a Boston-based freight management company and launched an entirely new TMS. With a focus on cutting edge technology, the company continued to develop unique transportation modules, which included predictive pricing, extensive KPI metrics and intelligent transportation routing, which outpaced all major players in the space. By 2009, the company had opened offices outside of Philadelphia, Boston and Orlando to assist with demand. Then in 2013, the company opened an office in Santiago, Dominican Republic and developed an international TMS platform. In 2014, the company continued its expansion and acquired a specialized truckload brokerage in New Jersey, and the following year, made another strategic acquisition of a Chicagobased digital freight brokerage with a unique proprietary truckload pricing app. Then again in 2018, the company acquired one of the leading parcel auditing and management software firms, along with their exclusive Rating Agreement Management System (RAMS).
Today, MGN operates with offices spanning Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Chicago, Orlando, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. A five-time recipient of Inc. magazine’s prestigious recognition as one of the country’s fastest-growing private companies, MGN has continued its explosive growth through numerous acquisitions and organic growth with no outside investors. What MGN Offers MGN Logistics’ cloud-based TMS supports all modes of transportation including Truckload, LTL, Ocean, Air, Rail, Intermodal and Parcel, providing customers with a powerful, yet easy to use, single platform for their entire supply chain. MGN’s state-of-the-art, NextGen platform offers seamless integration into existing Enterprise Resource
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MGN Logistics ultimately provides excellent value to our customers and fair reward to our employees, partners, and owners.
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echnology has changed the way business is done. Today, customer and product location is no longer important. Product travels across the globe with the promise of rapid or even sameday delivery. And to make those promises come true, logistics providers are streamlining processes and creating new Supply Chain Solutions assisted by enhanced technology.
Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or can be implemented as a stand-alone solution. Functionalities include mode and carrier selection, rate optimization, automated tracking and tracing, including GPS, freight bill auditing and payment, along with business intelligence, blockchain, artificial intelligence and sophisticated analytical tools. MGN provides the highest level of consulting intelligence coupled with technology to implement best practice, compliance, and auditing to maximize all available opportunities for improvement. An Inspiring Leader Matthew Telesca is the Founder and CEO of MGN Logistics. Telesca is a serial entrepreneur, investor and successful businessman. After early success of selling his first start-up, Telesca focused on building MGN to be one of the logistics and supply chain industry’s premier technology companies. His background in finance and logistics management, as well as software development, positioned him perfectly to lead an industry that was only in its infancy, with technological developments in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
As CEO, Telesca is someone who inspires those around him to see and follow the company’s vision. He acknowledges that often the best innovation doesn’t come from a single person, but rather, from a collaboration of different individuals with a diverse set of ideas that ultimately come together to create something special.
compliance reporting. MGN’s features utilize artificial intelligence for optimization, blockchain for enhanced data security and also provide clients access to live market data.
At MGN, Telesca and his executive team strive to create a corporate environment where employees are empowered to think about innovation and make suggestions. The managing team not only encourages participation but incentivizes other team members to engage in creative thinking. MGN has crafted a specific strategy to look ahead and innovate, and this has helped to align the direction of their ideas and the execution of the implementation.
Since the beginning, MGN Logistics has been at the forefront of immersive freight data visualization, optimization and outright creativity. MGN has always believed that data collection and more importantly, accurate data analysis is a crucial part of true business intelligence. It has developed one of the most robust freight analytics dashboards in the industry with comprehensive drilldown capabilities and super-intuitive user controls. “Our reporting suite is designed not just to engage the executives with information, but to assist in real-time decision making,” Telesca responds.
Why Clients Prefer MGN
Words of Wisdom
MGN Logistics offers customers reliable and high-quality services that optimize all facets of logistics operations. Clients often benefit with immediate cost reduction from carrier and mode optimization and full transparency into all shipment invoices. Clients get real-time visibility into any shipment metric, vendor shipment execution and
As a successful entrepreneur, Telesca believes that entrepreneurship requires grit and discipline. “You have to be able to get back up when you fail.” He says, “Everyone wants to be successful and yet, for the majority, success is very elusive. However, I always worked while thinking you never truly fail unless you stop trying.”
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MGN Logistics proudly combines over 100 years of industry experience with a working knowledge of the top technology tools.
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His advice to budding entrepreneurs is, “Be prepared to work above and beyond everyone else. You should be the first one in the office, the last one to leave, so you can inspire those around you. And you should be willing to do what everyone else only talks about doing. If you have this quality, then, perhaps you have one of the necessary building blocks to creating a successful business.” Evolving with Time Along with advances in technology, come challenges. Today shippers have more choices than ever before, but the marketplace is full of dated legacy software that has been rebranded as something new. All too often shippers have purchased software or services that are using old technology. MGN Logistics, on the other hand, has not only been a part of the industry’s original pioneers but has continued to be one of the leading innovators at a pace beyond their competitors. Today, MGN Logistics is one of the top 3PLs in the country with an award-winning TMS designed by logistics professionals using only the latest technology. MGN continues to innovate and lead, inspired by founder and industry veteran, Matthew Telesca, MGN has launched a new technology startup in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AI Logistics will explore opportunities and focus on integrating blockchain technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence, to efficiently optimize some of the industry’s antiquated processes.
SAFR REMOVALS OFFERING EFFICIENT FREIGHT SOLUTIONS
Bradley Moore Founder and CEO
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radley Moore is the Founder and CEO of SAFR Removals, one of the more well-known logistics company in South Africa. In an interview with Insights Success, Bradley shared some valuable viewpoints about the Logistics Industry. He also has also elucidated on how his company is experimenting and innovating dierent ideas that are transforming the industry. What is the present scenario of Logistics Tech Solution industry from your point of view? We still have much to do to enhance eďŹƒciencies within Logistics Tech Solution space. The logistics technology is there but
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Interview with Insights Success the knowledge, training and coordinative functions for this technology aren’t maximizing the solutions that are available. The logistical playing ground has too many players that are all preoccupied with their own limited focus and survivals instead of combining their resources, clients’ needs and truck space management for more efficiency, and therefore cost savings. A more simplistic business infrastructure can be initiated with the Logistics Tech solutions. However, it needs a human element to integrate and coordinate all viable platforms with the logistics players. We believe the human element is necessary for manipulating the Tech functionality into the logistics arena. Would you like to enlighten us about your mission, vision, philosophies you follow, and the future goals? As the Founder & CEO of JHB Removals, I am set about testing a business philosophy and increasing efficiency by implementing IoT and improving the coordination with co-players within the transport industry. The philosophy was to collect and coordinate with co-industry players who share a passion to deliver quality customer service and use our collective market intelligence to effectively represent local removal and storage service needs. This market intelligence would not only enhance all role players to source new business opportunities, but it would also provide logistical efficiency whereby each team can concentrate on specific regions within the provinces. This would eliminate diesel wastage, travelling time and grappling with unnecessary traffic which contributes so much inefficiency to logistical service delivery. The SAFR Group (PTY) Ltd management philosophy is based on carefully selected staff and teams that are selfdriven and have a natural instinct to provide the best possible communication and service delivery to our clients. Each team and person are their own authority without being policed and motivated. The rewards are reflected in the results of their own work.
Brief us about your company and its inception story. Cape Removals (https://www.caperemovals.co.za/) Cape Removals was incepted in October 2012, Cape Town, Western Province, South Africa. The regionally focused furniture removal & storage business was founded with the objective of providing a collective brand that would represent 4 to 6 independent removal teams which all had the same service delivery commitments but lacked technology integration and regional brand identity. The business model was extremely well received by the localized removal teams in The Western Cape. We coordinated and provided a platform to launch The 1st leg of our national strategy in 2012 and launched Cape Removals business in 2012. The success of Cape Removals and its formula was duplicated in other key regions within South Africa which included Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban in the Gauteng & KwaZulu-Natal regions respectively. JHB Removals (https://www.jhbremovals.co.za/) Johannesburg and Pretoria, as regions, are essentially the financial zones which drive South Africa’s economy and our localized business JHB Removals was born with the same business model and formula, hoping to reap the same results that Cape Removals had. JHB Removals’ localized formula was extremely well received and the progression to KwaZulu-Natal followed naturally and easily. DBN Moving Company (https://www.dbnmovingcompany.co.za/) DBN Moving Company was launched in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal in 2017, to connect the logistical dots for a starting national infrastructure and to expand our selection of services which now facilitates a national furniture removal service.
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We are bringing together localized teams and services from all corners of South Africa.
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SAFR GROUP (PTY) Ltd (https://www.furnitureremovalssa.co.za/) SAFR GROUP (PTY) Ltd was born in 2019 with the purpose of providing a coordinative hub for us and our partners with the objective of maximizing logistical efficiency, Increasing our reach and optimizing customer service at ground level. SAFR Group has found a purpose in bringing together localized teams and services from all corners of South Africa. SAFR Group (PTY) LTD will consolidate its position before reaching out internationally. What kind of ‘out-of-the-box’ strategies does your company follow to differ from your competitors? SAFR’s out-of-the-box strategy is to coordinate ourselves and localized role players into an efficient machine. This starts with leadership managing, communicating and re-emphasizing our common goals in providing the best possible service at the best possible price. Working towards service excellence and professionalism are key aspirations for us. How does your organization contribute to the Company Social Responsibility cause? We are a young company with our resources being reinvested into our business to ensure we all have job security first and foremost. We are now expanding on this and we are ensuring that our own staff and their children’s dignity and social status are enhanced and uplifted to healthy levels. Besides looking after our own, we provide financial support to community sports initiatives for children as well as animal rescue and rehabilitation. How do you diversify your offerings so as to benefit your customers? Removal Costing, personal goods security and protection are the primary focuses for us and our clients. The training and selection of our staff are obvious attention areas for us but we still continually search for strategic dedicated employees, share load transportation, technology options as well as supporting services like packing, crating, protective wrapping and packaging material. Personal goods and their safety are emotionally and sentimentally attached to our clients and therefore we strive to provide innovative protective options for our clients.
ultimately reduce trucks and time on the road but still facilitate logistical collecting and delivering of all furniture to our clients’ depots, offices, and houses. We are pro diesel phase out and we maintain our objective of diesel efficiency by using less diesel and ultimately no diesel at all. We aim to be the leader in Electric adaption and the 1st in South Africa and Australia to do so. With the massive advancements in technology such as IoT, Autonomous Vehicles, AI, Electric Vehicles, and more what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it? Opportunities for AI, IoT, and Electric trucking is massively exciting for us. The intelligence and analytics derived will enhance our ability to eliminate inefficiencies, reduce human error, enable management & clients to be proactive and be more directly involved. This is an area that SAFR Group is aspiring to prepare and incept as quickly as possible. Our challenges will be to develop the expertise to implement and manage all AI and the IoT. What can be expected from your company in the near future? To provide and populate an interactive service for our clients and selected contractors to communicate directly on an efficient logistical transporting platform per region, per district, nationally and internationally. Any advice for the budding entrepreneurs in the industry? Opportunity and entry into our industry have never been easier nor more exciting. The Logistics offers so many areas of expertise which can and should be independent with a very little capital cost of entry. The Logistics industry was a very capital intensive industry with the need to have trucks and supporting infrastructure to provide a complete service to their clients. The playing field has changed drastically and it’s becoming increasingly easier for an entrepreneur to enter the logistics market from a large variety of expertise channels.
From the beginning till today, list out the toughest difficulties you’ve faced and lessons you’ve learned from them? What is the effect of the current Diesel phase-out plans proposed by many countries on your company? Our difficulty is primarily coordinating an efficient share load space utilization with clients and our own schedules to minimize the empty spaces being wasted. We are aspiring to
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The 10 Most Recommended
LOGISTIC
TECH Solution Providers 2020
Bringing the Best Logistics Solutions to Your Company
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ogistics has played a significant role in almost all kinds of industries. When it comes to transport and freight management, logistics is the key aspect of all processes involved. To understand the intricacies and risks involved in the logistics part of the business, companies hire experts who know the in and out or every small detail. These experts or logistics solutions providers are equipped with the right tech and talent required to provide the best of service to clients. This edition, The 10 Most Recommended Logistic Tech Solution Providers, 2020, was curated with the intent to exhibit such solution providers that showcase the necessary potential to deliver what is promised. One prominent name among such experts is Intelligent Audit (IA). Headquartered at Rochelle Park, New Jersey, Intelligent Audit is a leading supply chain technology services company focused on reducing transportation costs through automated audit and freight recovery, business intelligence, and contract negotiation solutions. The company aspires to develop innovative analytic intelligence to drive efficiencies and optimize its client’s global supply chain processes. Intelligent Audit is the technology leader in parcel and freight audit, business intelligence, and spend optimization. IA’s proprietary technology, paired with its team of strategic account managers, provides an unrivaled ability to uncover opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement.
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IA leverages technology to help customers become smarter shippers; getting shipments delivered faster to their consumers, with less exceptions at cheaper costs. IA’s cloud-based solution addresses logistics pain points using data-driven analytics and reporting to analyze, benchmark, optimize, and help shippers gain critical insights into their global transportation networks. With best-in-class audit and reporting technology, clients are able to leverage their data to reduce costs, enhance realtime visibility, and improve endcustomer experience. With more than 2,800 clients representing over $16 billion in annual transportation spend, Intelligent Audit prides itself on providing clients with the tools and insights to help them ship smarter. “Intelligent Audit’s best-in-class audit and reporting technology allows our clients to leverage their data to reduce costs, enhance real-time visibility, and improve the end-customer experience,” expresses Hannah Testani, the Chief Operating Officer. Intelligent Audit was recently named the Fastest Growing Company in the Transportation and Logistics Industry by Inc. Magazine. It was also recognized by Gartner as a Global Provider in the 2018 Market Guide for Freight Audit and Payment Providers. IA has recently partnered with Triumph Bank to provide fully integrated, bankbacked, freight payment processing. Through this partnership, the company can help its clients streamline accounts payable, optimize working capital, become a shipper of choice, and
enhance the security of their supply chains. Exhibiting Business Excellence Intelligent audit has a wide range of services and solutions to offer: Freight Audit and Recovery – Intelligent Audit helps identify existing and potential future issues and maximize refunds from carrier companies worldwide. One can audit over 150 points to recover opportunities regardless of dollar amount, automate dispute submission and resolution tasks, and create systematic processes to drive and increase cost savings. Business Intelligence and Analytics – Intelligent Audit captures and consolidates business data, then coordinates and synchronizes it to provide clients with actionable intelligence reporting. Using cloudbased business intelligence and analytics tools, the company empowers clients to untangle the complex web of data surrounding total transportation spend to make the best decisions for their organizations. Carrier Contract Optimization – Intelligent Audit provides the knowledge and industry experience to ensure that clients receive best-in-class service at the lowest possible price for all their shipping needs. By optimizing clients’ entire supply chain, Intelligent Audit provides a holistic view that offers suggestions to improve overall transit time, lowered costs, and improved customer satisfaction. On average, clients can save 12-18% of total shipping costs after a carrier contract negotiation managed by Intelligent Audit’s team.
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Intelligent Audit’s best-in-class audit and reporting technology allows our clients to leverage their data to reduce costs, enhance real-time visibility, and improve the end-customer experience.
Hannah Testani
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Chief Operating Officer Finance and Accounting Tools – Clients can effectively manage complex GL coding and cost center allocation entries, automate multicurrency freight payment and remittance processes, accurately categorize costs by business unit, and model and forecast accruals and landed costs, through Intelligent Audit’s Finance and Accounting Tools. Freight Payment – Intelligent Audit streamlines clients’ accounts payable processes, ensures that carriers are paid correctly, on time, and in line with current payment terms, accurately manages and allocates costs across clients’ organizations and simplify operations and improve their bottom line. Advisory Services – Intelligent Audit’s team of experienced data analysts will leverage their in-depth knowledge of freight, transportation, and logistics to help clients’ company find opportunities for cost reduction, process improvement, and resource optimization. The company believes that by helping clients respond to a rapidly changing business environment and make fast, strategic decisions, they become more flexible and competitive. Surpassing Adversities
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When asked for her opinion on the impact of the current COVID-19 crisis on the logistics industry, Hannah states, “We see visibility becoming even more critical for shippers in the years ahead. One question we’ve been asking shippers for years that has become even more relevant now is: how could a shipper possibly become more effective and deliver shipments faster to their consumers at cheaper costs if they don’t have a good grasp on what they are doing today? How does a shipper even start to define what ‘better’ looks like if they don’t (quantitatively) understand the current state of affairs? We also see network optimization playing an even more significant role going forward, especially for those shippers who are working to shift their channels to offset the changes in purchasing habits of consumers.” “As more and more of our economy reopens, the shippers that will survive will be the ones who can quickly adapt to an ever changing world, which means they will need to have their finger on the pulse of their transportation data at all times. The days of being more than 30 days behind in understanding your supply chain are gone and shippers need to
find partners like Intelligent Audit who can quickly turn massive amounts of disparate data into actionable business intelligence in real-time,” adds Hannah. Additionally, in her advice to the aspiring entrepreneurs and logistics enthusiasts, Hannah says, “As with every industry, logistics is constantly changing and evolving. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape is surely to look very different in the coming years. Always make sure to be one step ahead, with a focus on leveraging technology to maintain efficiency.” A Promising Future Talking about her vision for the company for the future, Hannah states, “Intelligent Audit sees the coming years as an opportunity to help shippers streamline their operations even further. Though we don’t know exactly what will happen as a result of COVID-19, it’s clear that things are going to change. What’s important is that shippers move quickly, before carriers begin to make significant changes to the way they structure their pricing.”
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The 10 Most Recommended
LOGISTIC
TECH Solution Providers 2020
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cean freight is a dynamic market. The giant container ships that transport everything from garments to Barbie dolls to strawberries around the globe, is booming day by day. Same is the case with the companies that own them. And this million- dollar industry is achieving newer heights every single day with digital innovations. About the Company “Nothing of worth was ever accomplished without enthusiasm!”, this quote by the great litterateur Samuel Johnson is the inspiration behind the success of Aheer Transportation Group. The enthusiastic team at the organization works towards emerging as a valuable vendor, ally and partner of any client facing uncertainty with the Canadian economy. The team is working with Canadian Importers and Exporters in the Port Vancouver market. This asset-based company, founded in 1993, is totally Canadian owned and operated by Shinda Aheer and his family. A Brief Glimpse of its Services Aheer owns the 15 acres of Prime Industrial Real Estate on River Road in Delta. Besides its Real Estate base, the Group consists of several operating divisions:
Aheer Transportation Ltd. (non-union) Burton Delivery Service Ltd. (Teamsters Local 31) Triangle Transportation Ltd (Flatdeck Division, Teamsters Local 31) AG Transport Ltd (UNIFOR) Pacific Transportation Group (PTG) Dayal Transport Ltd. Together we total over 80 Tractors and 800+ Chassis, on the road hauling their clients’ import and export cargoes. In addition to its considerable throwing weight in the Ocean Container Drayage Sector of the Port Vancouver market, the Aheer Group has diversified into Ocean Container Handling and Storage Operations over the past five years. Aheer CY Yard Terminal located at 8713 River Road, Delta is the designated CY Yard for all of Hamburg-Sud Line’s 24 | MARCH 2020
and Maersk Line’s dry boxes. Aheer’s Lift Capacity is north of 80,000 lbs and the company has the newest Hyster TopPick units in the Port Vancouver market. While Ocean Container Drayage remains the Aheer Group’s primary activity, the Equipment Handling and Storage Division is gaining ground rapidly. Aheer has a second CY Yard, subleased from Vancouver Fraser Port’s Real Estate Division which totals over 3 acres at 10008 River Road, Delta, Aheer’s “Nordel Yard”. On the Drayage side, qualitatively, it’s worth mentioning that Aheer Transportation Ltd.is the designated Ocean Container Drayage provider for Canada Post Corporation. As such, and in dealing with a quasi-Government agency like CPC, all of Aheer’s drivers have been vetted by Canada Post Security in Ottawa, including criminal checks, fingerprinting, etc. The CEO of the company feels proud to have this Canadian Government Security designation as it underscores the quality of driver that he has been hired over the years. Let’s meet the acclaimed navigator… The word ‘Proficient’ defines him The President and CEO of Aheer Transportation Group, Shinda Aheer moved to Canada from Punjab, India, when he was only ten years old, the youngest of four brothers. After attending school, Shinda became a very proficient Tractor Driver, hauling Heavy Steel, Aluminum Products, as well as Ocean Containers and General LTL Freight. In 1992, when the company he was driving for was on the verge of drowning, Shinda made a pact with the largest client, a prolific Aluminum Can manufacturer and reenlivened the company. Gradually, Shinda built an asset-based, multi-faceted company that most recently has accelerated its growth via the acquisition of smaller competitors in the Ocean Container Drayage sector. His entrepreneurial skills continue to flourish with the recent purchases of Pacific Transportation Group and Dayal Transport Ltd. just over the past ten months. www.insightssuccess.com
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Loyalty is a two-way virtue. Shinda still counts on many of his original drivers from the beginnings, as longstanding employees to this day. Loyalty also is evident on the commercial side as most of Shinda’s customers have been with the company, literally for decades. On the Import side with longtime Freight Forwarder supportes like db Schenker and on the Export side with Canadian produces like Catalyst Paper and Interex Forest Products, the clients tend to stay with Aheer through thick and thin. Shinda Aheer is a very proud as well as grateful Canadian who wants to give back to the nation that accepted him as a young boy. To wit, Shinda is an active participant in Charities, philanthropic deeds like the BC Children’s Hospital, the United Way, and many more. Reflecting on his cultural ethics, Shinda’s generosity is legendary for donating funds, equipment, and manpower to help bring success to many annual Indo-Canadian Festivals, Parades, and other Sikh Temple events. Shinda believes in giving back to the Communities he belongs to, both to the Canadian and the Indo-Indian organizations who reach out to him for assistance. Dynamic Management team working towards Client’s Benefit The Management Team at Aheer is made up of experienced freight industry professionals, who have forged relations with not only valued Aheer customers, but other important commercial entities like the Canadian Railways and the
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Ocean Steamship Lines. Moreover, operating in a Regulated Environment like Trucking, contacts with the three levels of Government, Port Metro Vancouver, the new Office of the BC Container Trucking Commissioner, the BC Trucking Association and other NGOs have been established. The entire staff of the company thrives for excellence by exceeding the customer expectation. Safety- the Primary Focus Trucking is rightly designated as a regulated industry in Canada and the Aheer Group recognizes the need for Safety Regulations that ensure the safe and secure movement of their clients’ cargoes on Canada’s Public Roadways that are also used by the Canadian public. Safety has always been the Aheer Group’s primary focus throughout the company’s history. Aheer’s standings have always been top-drawer vis- a- vis: National Safety Code; BC WorkSafe Compliance; Insurance Compliancy; Port Vancouver Truck License Compliance; BC Trucking Association “Historically, safety has been viewed as a responsibility we owed to our Customers, to our Employees, and to our fellow Canadians…..and Safety will continue to be so…..first and foremost in our dealings and operations going forward!”, ends Shinda on a bright tone.
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CHANGING THE FACETS O
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s 3D printing continues to take more steps into production, from product design right up to the production floor, science fiction is becoming an almost scientific reality. Some companies recognize 3D printing as an opportunity ‘to do things differently,’ starting from engineering to cars and healthcare. This encourages us to deeply rethink how the logistics industry will develop and manufacture goods and to reassess the nature of supply chains in general. For several reasons, the relationship between logistics and the 3D printing industry is fascinating. The 3D integration of the supply chain management seems normal, almost unavoidable. Its potential applications in the production are in line with the revolution that has been presented so far by this technology. The industry leaders in the logistics trend radar identify 3D printing as one of the biggest disruptive trends in the near future. The assumption is that 3D printing has tremendous potential for instant production and distribution models that allow both businesses and consumers to print complex objects within the constraints of a single printer. Before jumping into how 3D printing is shaping the logistics industry, let’s see what 3D printing is with some basic functionalities.
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Insights
INTING
OF LOGISTICS
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UNDERSTANDING 3D PRINTING
logistics industry. Some of these benefits are:
The origins of 3D printing were automated prototype production technology. This method primarily works with a computer-aided design in order to create material layers (plastic, ceramic, metal powders, etc.). This so-called additive procedure entails that each layer is printed and overlaps the last layer until a 3D product is created.
Shipping Volumes and Air Cargo Reduction Any products made in China or other Asian markets can theoretically be developed closer to America and Europe. Thus, the amounts of shipping and air cargo are reduced.
3D printing has gained its industrial position for prototyping purposes. Prior to conventional “reductive” manufacturing processes, where it has been roughed to form the item from a mass of material, resulting in slower and more expensive operation. For applications in many niche markets, 3D printers have evolved as a viable choice.
Mass customization will mean that inventories will be high as goods are ordered. This is a general boost to the retail sector, but a profound positive shift for small and medium-sized business growth.
This technology is now being used to develop finished products. Although traditional mass production is viable due to economies of scale, for “special” products, it is not cost-effective. 3D printing has the power to eliminate this difference when the original (or exact copy) element is produced, and instruments that only produce one piece can be as accessible as mass production costs. There are other benefits to manufacturing the final product by 3D printing. Things can be lighter but heavier and thicker. They also cause less pollution. Furthermore, the choice of independently making an item means that the process is suitable for mass production, in which customers will be more interested in the goods they are buying and manufactured according to their preferences. With all such, additive production supports the democratization of the fabrication process in the industry through 3D printing. This is valued for the printing of small-volume products that are customerspecific and are much more complex than traditional means possible. EXERCISING 3D PRINTING The implications of this modern manufacturing method would be particularly important for the
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Reduction in Inventory
Clear Customer Distribution A near-immediate delivery can be guaranteed in view of the possibility of manufacturing on demand. The two consumer needs we are able to meet in this technology are personalization and immediacy. New Transportation Needs The amount of transportation by sea, air, and land in some goods will be decreased while others will increase. Unlimited Parts There is currently a significant investment in the maintenance of stocks to supply replacement parts for different types of industries. One of the industry’s most vital needs is to satisfy the need for immediate action and to send the parts as quickly as possible. By 3D printing, it can be a few hours of operation to get new pieces. The staff could even download and print the replacement part file within the company. A New Sector A new important sector in the logistics sector will emerge in light of the changing needs. The domestic distribution demand for such products will expand as 3D printers meet the general and industrial public massively.
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Economy Stimulation and a Greener Future Additive manufacturing will help companies to improve the productivity of the materials by eliminating the waste accumulated in traditional manufacturing; it will, therefore, promote the development of a beneďŹ cial circular economy with a considerably smaller environmental impact. The world of logistics and supply chain management will change radically through 3D printing. It can reduce delivery and marketing times substantially
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and satisfy customer needs with a positive effect on the world. In such ďŹ elds, this technology will remain important, as more companies learn the best ways to adapt and implement it. And, to do this, these reforms will entail the development of new models and the transformation of the logistic structures that we know are crucial for a shift in mindset towards local communities with a global impact. - Anmol Preet Singh
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The 10 Most Recommended
LOGISTIC
TECH Solution Providers 2020
Simple Route Plan: Disrupting the Fleet Management with Real-Time Software
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he fleet management system is still at its infancy. There are only few fleet management companies who have fully adopted the benefits of Artificial Intelligence and other digital innovations. Fleet management is complicated. There are so many things that impact the fleet. While managing a large fleet, there are chances the details can get lost. However, it’s the details that often make all the difference. Without the right tools, fleets can’t be managed effectively. Headquartered in Bucharest, Romania, Simple Route Plan is an easy-to-use fleet management platform specialized for the courier industry. Founded in2016, this company offers a solution that considers every element of routes without any area limitation. The main features of this platform include: plan optimal routes worldwide, estimate delivery time, contact customer via text messages or email, GPS fleet tracking with the live traffic updates, delivery live tracking and advanced reporting. Featuring the Passionate Leader Alin Boncioaga, the CEO of Simple Route Plan is a graduate from University of Transylvania. He is passionate about software development and security. He holds vast experience in software architecture, various programming languages, AI & Blockchain. Before Simple Route Plan, Alin used to work with Pentalog as a Software Developer. “My goal was to automate part of the transportation industry. The company offers a key fleet management solution as well as automated communication with customers throw SMS and Email. Part of the team are logistic professionals that made it possible to develop a platform to answer real customer needs”, asserts Alin. Exclusive Offerings The advanced tools of Simple Route Plan help the fleet companies in many ways: 36 | MARCH 2020
Automatically Track Vehicles: GPS Fleet Tracking helps to locate every asset in real time. One Platform for your Entire Fleet: This software can be used to manage the entire fleet, regardless of where they are located in the world. Find Insights: Reporting options allow its clients to review the history of routes so they can determine if there are ways to improve routes and save money. An Investment in Your Future: Fleet management software will soon help you realize a return on investment. Simple Route Plan is affordable, and just by using it you’ll enjoy better productivity as it automates many manual tasks. As you learn what routes are the least expensive, you’ll find your return quickly. Reduce Risk: An essential facet of fleet management is minimizing risk. This has many applicability in the industry from enhancing safety to ensuring vehicles are well maintained. Operational Efficiencies: Simple Route Plancan also help with reducing fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance. Idling Trucks Cost the industry $20 billion in Fuel Costs Each Year: The company can help one to find and implement smart ways to avoid the idle. Reroute instantly: If there’s a blocker on the preferred route, Simple Route Plan has an option to circumvent the hazard, notify drivers immediately and reroute proactively not reactively. Track Fleet Metrics: With the report features, it has been easier to look at metrics like idling, fuel consumption, and route history. These numbers can shed light on how the
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operation can be improved. The inefficient routes may be identified, or determined how drivers are performing. It also gives the option to compare the same route information for two different drivers to see what the differences are. The out-of-the-box Strategies The software platform of Simple Route Plan has been designed with the user experience in mind trying to create a layout where settings and options are in the most intuitive places and many processing stages are integrated so there are fewer things the user needs to focus on. Courier companies can update their customers on the delivery location and status through Simple Route’s control panel. This is what keeps it apart in the global market. The company operates worldwide and plans routes across multiple countries and continents. Benefits for Clients Simple Route Plan offers its clients to have better tools to measure company progress. The reports, history, and statistics will allow companies to improve the ways to manage their key performance indicators. It increases endcustomer satisfaction because of excellent communication and transparent procedures (customers are notified when
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delivery has been registered, the hour the courier will arrive at the destination, etc). Impact of Diesel phase-out plans Diesel phase-out plans are moving the transportation industry forward. Logistics Tech solutions will adapt accordingly. “When the vehicle manufacturing industry will be ready to place advanced planning software solutions in the vehicles themselves we will be there to meet the demand”, says Alin. Opportunities Evolving with Digital Advances The logistics tech solution providers are getting closer every day to optimizing their internal business processes and reducing cost. Autonomous Vehicles would be a huge leap forward automating the entire industry. On the other hand, IoT is looking to redefine the industry and it is seen that pioneers like Amazon are also testing it and trying to make the most out of it. Envisioning Future With the rapid business growth, the company is looking forward to expand to all continents. Simple Route Plan is continuously enriching the platform by adding newer software features.
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The 10 Most Recommended
LOGISTIC
TECH Solution Providers 2020
Revolutionizing Global Enterprises with Wearable Computing and AR
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ounded in 2011, Ubimax is the global market leader for Enterprise Wearable Computing and Augmented Reality Solutions. As a one-stopshop, Ubimax provides an all-in-one solution-Augmented Reality software, Wearable Computing devices, configuration and deployment services, as well as support. The company has built up a very strong partner ecosystem with more than 250 enterprises around the globe and operates from offices in Germany, the US and Mexico. We approached the renowned CEO, Dr. Hendrik Witt for an interview about the glorious and successful journey of Ubimax throughout: Brief us about your company, its inception, and journey. Our company started out like a fair number of start-ups: A bunch of people having spent some years in strategy and management consulting with a joint vision working on their business idea in a small room almost around the clock. But we know what we were working on was worth it: Improving industrial processes with the help of wearables and augmented reality, enhancing deskless workers, so they can reach their full potential. Tell us about the Founder/CEO of your company, his ambitions, and philosophy. Before Ubimax, I was working in the field of wearable computing already. My background of now more than 15 years in wearable technology for enterprises, does not only consist of PhD from the University of Bremen and Georgia Tech, where I was working with the wearables pioneer Thad Starner, but also from being the Co-Head in the EU-funded research project ‘wear IT at work’.
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From then on it was the goal to mature the technology to be able to meet the market’s needs and make it profitable. Ubimax’s roots lie in a strong team of the three founders Percy Stocker, Jan Junker and Dr. Hendrik Witt. We met during our strategy and management consulting time and realized they had fun working together and pursuing the same ideals. Shortly after the founding, Ubimax became the global market leader for industrial augmented reality-based wearable computing solutions creating digital tools for real world problems. While Percy has taken over as President of Ubimax Inc. in the US, Jan is leading the commercial activities as CCO and I have taken over the role of CEO. What is the present scenario of Logistics Tech Solution industry from your point of view? Right now, the fear of automation erasing jobs in logistics is omnipresent. We are here to shift that fear into opportunity. Yes, digitized working environments optimize processes in warehouses but the human factor cannot be underestimated. Aspects like intuition and flexibility are bound to people. Globally, 80% of this human workforce are deskless workers. In digitization over the last decade, this majority of workers has been forgotten. They are often still working with paper lists or cumbersome stationary computers. And if software solutions are provided, they frequently have complex requirements or are just not user-friendly. For us, it is all about empowering these frontline workers with the tools they need to maximize their abilities. This also means that companies implementing the innovative technologies are way more likely to achieve their efficiency and quality improvement goals in an even shorter amount of time.
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We help frontline workers focus on what they are really good at: real-world physical tasks, not complex and timeconsuming computer prompts. Dr. Hendrik Witt CEO
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What kind of ‘out-of-the-box’ strategies your company is following to differ from the competitors? With Ubimax Frontline, we have created the world’s first fully integrated end-to-end enterprise platform for wearable computing. Designed around the four award winning AR solutions xPick for intralogistics, xMake for manufacturing and quality assurance, xInspect for field service and xAssist for remote service, we are able to support deskless workers in their daily tasks alongside the entire value chain. Our software works intuitively without complex requirements. So, workers are not distracted from their actual tasks and can work more productively while it increases their workplace safety and ergonomics at the same time. With Ubimax Frontline we create an innovative and digitized working environment for hands-on workers. It is like Microsoft office – only for the blue-collar worker. The goal is that companies, processes and the workers can benefit from our solutions likewise.
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How does your organization contribute to the Company Social Responsibility cause? Social responsibility for us is all about people. After all, connecting people with and through technology - this is what Ubimax stands for. That is why we not only support deskless workers all around the globe but we also put the human being with all his qualities and experiences in the foreground in our own company. We see internationality and cultural diversity as opportunities. Our team consists of 17 different nations with 15 different languages. Without our diverse team, it would not have been possible to become the world market leader in such a short time. Our clients are large corporations operating on an international scale. Only with our diverse team, in which intercultural exchange is a given, we are an attractive partner for the international market. Diversity thus provides us with a real competitive advantage and drives us forward.
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How do you diversify your offerings so as to benefit your customers? We are a company that listens. We found, the more we are ready to learn from the productive use of our platform, the better our solutions become. A lot of the features found within our software are either based on concrete customer wishes or derived from challenges being solved in productive usage. We do not think that creating new technology only because it is feasible but it does not have a productive value is advantageous for anyone. With every new feature we want to meet real industry challenges. So far, we can rely on 250 customer projects. The experience gained from these is a valuable source for new ideas on how to adapt our software even more precisely to our customers’ needs. This way, we grow as a company with every new challenge, with every new project with every new customer. From the beginning till today, list out toughest difficulties you faced and lessons you have learned from them? What is the effect of the current Diesel phase-out plans proposed by many countries on your company? The Diesel phase out plans and other environmental challenges are actually a big opportunity for us. Our main goal is optimizing industrial and logistical processes along the entire value chain. That reduces not only generally costs but also specifically the need for resources of any kind. Through optimizing logistics, we are driving lean processes forward which helps to reduce transportation and storing efforts. With our remote assistance solutions traveling for problem solving becomes obsolete in a lot of cases – again a great chance in times of environmental challenges. Also, our solutions support the construct of a paperless factory by providing all needed information digitally right in front of the worker’s eye. With the massive advancements in technology such as IoT, Autonomous Vehicles, AI, Electric Vehicles, and more what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it? At Ubimax we have recognized these opportunities long ago. Features like IoT components are integrated into our platform as well as AI features like image recognition for recognizing picked items for example. With the help of wearables, data collection has become easier than ever before. The analysis of that accumulated data offers a
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precise base for profound decisions. Through the mobile devices the connectivity is maximized, too. That way, a powerful collaboration between humans and machines – the so-called Internet of Humans - is achieved. With our solutions we are augmenting the workforce’s intelligence. One challenge that we are facing is the acceptance of the technology among workers. All provided advantages can sometimes not trump ethical concerns like data security or surveillance at the workplace. We at Ubimax have implemented features like a recording symbol when the camera is started remotely. The worker is then informed that his supervisor is watching. These steps seem small but they are powerful tools for increasing workers’ autonomy. What can be expected from your company in the near future? For us, the future is an augmented workforce. We want to achieve this not only through wearable computing and augmented reality but through this combination enhanced through artificial intelligence. That is what we call augmented intelligence. Driving industry and logistics forward with next-level technologies and providing real added value with digital processes. While artificial intelligence offers an array of advantages on the business side it also empowers frontline workers by supporting healthy working environments and making information even more easily accessible. That way we create a win-win situation for all involved stakeholders. Any advice for the budding entrepreneurs in the industry? We believe that after mobile and smart phone era the next computing decade belongs to wearable devices. In the last years, the market has developed rapidly and continues to grow up to an estimated market value of 35 billion by 2023. Thus, the field is offering plenty of opportunity for new companies with good ideas. The most important aspect for us is not to lose the focus on the workforce. After all, they are the ones to use the technology on a daily basis. With that in mind, we are looking forward to new faces entering the market driving the industry forward together.
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