Global Tracks and IPP announce a joint project to develop an IoT solution for the 'connected pallet'
’s-Hertogenbosch, 9 June | Global Tracks, a specialist in IoT, and IPP today announce the launch of a ‘Connected Pallet’ project; a bespoke IoT development initiative for IPP’s pooling system, one of Europe’s leading circular economy models. The project will underpin the development of greater insight into one of the most established re-use models in the supply chain.
Global Tracks is a Netherlands based expert in the development and provision of specialist IoT solutions in many sectors; logistics, automotive, solar and mobility. Global Tracks technology deploys bespoke IoT modules to enable the digitalisation of existing business processes and the development of new models and processes. By leveraging advanced data technology, companies can gain greater insight into their products, processes and supply chains.
IPP is a long-standing expert in pallet pooling solutions for FMCG, Industry and Recycling. Every year, the company supplies more than 50 million pallets to customers across Western Europe. IPP is part of Faber Halbertsma Group, one of Europe’s largest circular economy businesses, producing pallets and operating a number of leading pallet pooling solutions.
The two experts have agreed to work together to develop insight into how to deploy Global Tracks’ IoT expertise in the context of the IPP Pool and the extensive data provided every time a pallet is used. The new solutions can be used to help make it easier for customers to work with IPP by digitalising the data flows that up until now are provided in a more analogue way. Based upon the data available, IPP can gain insight into asset damage, usage and loss. In the future, the connected pallet may become pivotal in new, unique applications and possibilities.
Eric Schrover, CCO at IPP: “in a reuse model its vitally important that we maximise recovery of pallets in a timely way. It’s what we do as poolers. At any given time, millions of pallets are being processed across the breadth of many supply chains. Any inefficiency in a pooling model can mean enormous loss of value. IPP are focused on sustainable sourcing, efficiency improvement, waste reduction and collaboration across the supply chain , in order to mitigate costs and environmental impact. By monitoring physical location and flows, we gain insight into process inefficiencies. We expect that Global Tracks will be instrumental in helping us to access such insight as part of our wider digitalization ambition.
Ralf Heeremans, CEO at Global Tracks: “These solutions that we are developing shows that IoT is especially useful in highly traditional business processes and can even be applied to low value assets. The potential of IoT is not limited to high tech companies. Whilst the humble pallet has been in use since the 1940s, we are facing the challenge together with IPP of taking it into the 21st century. It’s all about efficiency with regards to future material handling, storage and distribution.”