The current COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the supply chain of just about every category, from Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Consumer Products to Industrial & Manufacturing Parts, Warehouse & Distribution, and Freight and Logistics. While many companies have managed to battle their way through the shortages, contaminations, closures, and transportation difficulties, it has often come at the cost of reducing or ignoring the supply chain security protocols that ensure the safety and integrity of shipped items.
This is not to diminish the dedication and accomplishments of the manufacturers, farmers, producers, truckers, and retailers (among many others) whose extraordinary efforts have ensured the reasonably steady supply of high-quality food, drugs, and other necessities to the population. The situation has unfortunately provided nefarious actors with increased windows of opportunity for malfeasance, whether that take the form of theft, tampering, counterfeiting, or sabotage.
Real Time GPS Tracking
One of the fastest growing tools to combat supply chain security issues is Real-Time GPS Tracking. When effectively implemented, this technology provides each shipment with a unique identifier, or signature, that is developed from such specifics as point of origin, route, number and location of stops, timing, and scheduled arrival time at destination. Industry experts point to the difference between reacting to something live - as it is unfolding - as opposed to responding to a past event. Utilizing connected devices such as electronic tracking locks and seals enables companies to oversee their shipments throughout transport, from origin to destination.
Confidence for Shipper and Receiver
The benefits of these devices are not limited to merely real-time observation. Mobile tracking improves both on-time performance as well as adding a substantial layer of security to reduce the chances of theft or tampering. When utilized in concert with tamper-evident security seals, these devices provide both the shipper and receiver with the protocols and confidence to be certain that the products have arrived with uncompromised, with their integrity, authenticity, and quantity intact.
Reducing Costs
In addition, real-time tracking enables both shipper and receiver to react quickly to plan in the event of a delay, theft, or other circumstance. These systems also provide shippers of perishables and temperature-sensitive products to closely monitor cargo to ensure their timely and safe arrival. Real-time tracking information can also be integrated into a company’s back-end system to reduce costs, inaccuracies, and inefficiencies. And as the technology and connectivity costs have dropped, these mobile tracking solutions have become increasingly economical for companies and fleets of all sizes.
Accuracy, Efficiency, & Multi-Layered Security
In short, the benefits of real-time track-and-trace devices reflect in both improved performance, accuracy, and efficiency as well as in enhanced supply chain security. When utilized by a trained workforce within a robust supply chain protocol that includes tamper-evident security seals and tamper-evident tape and labels, the solutions provide the kind of multi-layered security that dramatically improves the safety and reliability of the supply chain.
Cambridge Security Seals is renowned for its partnering with leading producers, distributors, and transportation companies to develop and improve security protocols designed to safeguard their shipments from theft, malicious tampering, contamination, and any other event or circumstance that can produce a less-then-100% verified chain of custody along the supply chain.
