Indoor Asset Tracking Case Study
Logistical Asset Management with BLE Beacons
Enhancing asset visibility and management for a freight and transport company using Bluetooth Beacons.
Overview
A leading freight and transport company implemented Blackhawk’s Bluetooth Beacon technology to track and manage a large number of transport cages and dollies. This delivered key results in improved asset visibility, reduced losses, and enhanced operational efficiency.
The Problem
An international freight and transport company faced significant challenges in managing and tracking their extensive fleet of transport cages and dollies.
These dollies are essential operational assets required to transport specific types of goods. They are a key component of the service required by the company’s customers and part of shipping and handling agreements (SLA’s). Despite having large numbers of these dollies and cages they would often end up with too many in some locations and none available where they needed to be. Operationally, no one was able to keep track of where these assets were and where they needed to be, leading to delays, cost over-runs and service delivery problems.
Pain Points
Asset Loss and Misplacement
Frequent loss and misplacement of transport cages and dollies, leading to increased costs and operational inefficiencies.
Lack of Visibility
Limited real-time visibility of asset locations, resulting in difficulties in locating specific items when needed.
Manual Tracking
Inefficient manual tracking processes that were time-consuming and prone to errors.
Operational Delays
Delays in freight and transport operations due to the inability to quickly locate and deploy required equipment.
High Replacement Costs
Increased expenses associated with replacing lost or misplaced transport cages and dollies.
Inventory Management
Challenges in maintaining an accurate inventory of transport assets, leading to overstocking or underutilization.
The Solution
To address these challenges, the freight and transport company implemented a comprehensive Bluetooth Beacon tracking solution provided by Blackhawk.io. The solution includes:
Bluetooth Beacons
Equipped transport cages and dollies with Bluetooth Beacons that emit signals detectable by nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices and handheld gateways. These are rugged beacons with ultra-long battery life and easy mounting options.
Self-Managed Rollout
Equipped the freight company’s staff with a device installation app so that their own staff could install and provision BLE beacons at their convenience.
Integrated Handheld Gateways
Field workers were already equipped with Zebra handheld freight scanners running Android OS. Blackhawk enabled a BLE gateway scanning app which could be easily deployed to all devices by the IT department using existing centralized change management tools.
Real-Time Tracking
Enabled real-time tracking of transport assets within warehouses, distribution centers, and other operational areas.
Geofencing
Established virtual boundaries to receive alerts when assets enter or exit designated areas.
Centralized Monitoring
Provided a centralized platform for monitoring and managing all tracked assets, accessible via web and mobile applications.
Automated Inventory Management
Integrated with the company’s inventory management system via API to automatically update asset status and location.
Historical Data Analysis
Offered insights into asset utilization and movement patterns through historical data analysis.