Logistics companies, particularly CEPs (Courier Express Parcels), have been at the forefront of IoT adoption, and this has only accelerated during the global pandemic. But while logistics companies have clearly seen the benefits IoT brings adoption of digitalization in companies where logistics or fleets play a supporting role – any kind of business operation with an existing warehouse or logistics operation internally to support their main operations – is all over the map. Looking at companies like Budbee or other CEPs, I can see they are more used to working with real-time information and data collection, because it has been crucial to them solving their customer needs and challenges. Logistics that are part of a larger operation, such as a production facility, may have even more to gain with IoT technology
Adding more data points to any production plant brings many of the same benefits as it would to a purely logistics operation, although many warehouses or production plans do need a larger amount of digitalization, because with more data collections points, the more insights you’re going to get. So, not only will you be able track vehicles, you will also be able to track movement in your warehouse, which in turn can reduce injuries, increase efficiencies, and more precisely predict where things could go wrong in advance. Additionally, IoT can also act as a foundation for building out IoT solutions – AI, robots, cobots, droids, etc. – when the time is right.