Global supply chain data analytics pioneer Nexxiot is partnering with rail sensor technology innovator TransRail Innovation Group (TRIG) to deliver cutting-edge solutions for rail freight operators, the companies announced today. The partnership will integrate TRIG’s proprietary rail cargo sensors into Nexxiot’s industry leading modular hardware and cloud data network and is scheduled to begin rollout to North American rail companies beginning this month.
“The rail industry in North America is currently using forty-year-old technology to monitor the location of rail cars, and fewer than 0.2 percent of those cars have sensors to monitor their current condition and status,” says Rob Tasker, President and CEO of Calgary based TRIG. “The collaboration between Nexxiot and TRIG is enabling a monumental change in the industry to improve safety, supply chain efficiency, and sustainability.”
“The IoT and Big Data ecosystem for cargo relies on the sharing of ideas and data to maximize business impact and success,” explained Stefan Kalmund, CEO of Zurich based Nexxiot. “Our partnership with TRIG will help advance the much-needed digitization of the North American rail fleet and enable our customers to deliver freight safely, securely, on time, and at optimum quality, which is vital to keep cargo owners, shippers and their customers on time and on budget.”
TRIG develops transloading solutions using digital sensors that evaluate liquid level in real-time, monitor whether railcar handbrakes are on or off, and assess the open / closed status of doors, hatches and manways. The data is sent via wireless communications to the Nexxiot cloud where it is cleaned and processed by powerful algorithms to create business value for operators and cargo owners. Multiple benefits are extracted from the Nexxiot Intelligent IoT Cloud Platform for different stakeholder groups.
With the location, timestamp, and asset and cargo status, it is possible to streamline operations and provide a whole new set of services for various participants and facilitators who need them. As a modality, rail is between three-to-seven times more sustainable than road, and yet lack of transparency has often left it trailing. Now with improved safety capabilities, which comes from having real-time visibility on asset conditions, rail becomes a better option and sustainability benefits can be realized. To date, TRIG has received significant funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (www.sdtc.ca) and Nexxiot has recently been awarded an IoT Climate Award for its contribution to enabling sustainable transport and de-risking rail for freight.
With sensors and IoT gateways sending critical data, and with the right processing capabilities on the software side, more cargo can be moved with the same number of assets. Improved safety standards mean less incidents for workers and the public. New innovative business models can be delivered to multiple supply chain ecosystem participants, and this means innovative operators can disrupt old operating models to create an uncatchable lead on competitors.
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