IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-September 2019

Products

• The Rite-Hite Dok-Guardian XL Safety Barrier helps facilities with loading docks comply with Walking-Working Surfaces regulations mandated by OSHA. At nearly 5 feet tall, the Dok-Guardian XL provides a physical barrier at loading dock openings and can stop up to 30,000 pounds of force.
• Transflo Trailer Tracking is a solar-powered device that provides near real-time communications and GPS-based tracking of trailers, containers, and other assets. Manufactured by Flex, the compact TT600-series telematics device has a solar cell and back-up battery that lasts up to four months with no solar charge. The unit provides information on utilization, dwell time, and movements of critical assets.
• Omnichannel retailers can streamline reverse logistics with the Dematic Merchandise Returns System, a processing solution for product returns. The materials handling sub-system for distribution centers accelerates the processing steps to provide customer credit, enter exchanged order, and make returned items available for sale.
• Asiana Cargo completed its inaugural scheduled flight between Wuhan, China, and Rickenbacker International Airport in August 2019, marking the start of its Ohio service in partnership with freight forwarder APEX Logistics. The flight kicked off weekly scheduled cargo service between Rickenbacker International Airport and the airline’s global hub in Incheon International Airport.

Services

• Americold Realty Trust opened its most automated cold storage facility in Rochelle, Illinois. The facility receives customer product, including thousands of pounds of frozen desserts and potato products for restaurant and grocery store chains, through 5 rail and 23 truck dock doors. Items are inducted into its automated system, and stored and transported through 55,800 pallet positions.
• Intermodal, distribution, and logistics services provider RoadOne IntermodaLogistics launched RoadOne LogisticSolutions (ROLS), a full-service drayage brokerage division. ROLS provides end-to-end drayage brokerage and related logistics services, offering shippers real-time visibility to shipments with geofencing and analytics capabilities.
• Supply chain solutions provider A. Duie Pyle opened an integrated logistics center in Saco, Maine. Pyle runs both LTL and custom dedicated operations out of the new facility, located 15 miles south of Portland, providing shippers in the region with greater flexibility.
• SEKO Logistics‘ new facility in Chicago is a cross-border e-commerce parcel processing hub. CTPAT- and Indirect Air Carrier-certified, the 103,000-square-foot facility combines 17 dock and ramp doors and a five-high pallet racking storage system.

Technology

• Fleet management platform KeepTruckin launched Facility Insights, a tool that leverages data from its network of more than 250,000 trucks and 55,000 carriers to build a complete picture of facility dwell times. By offering transparency into arrival and dwell times, the tool aims to decrease the number of late deliveries.
• Supply chain software and services provider BluJay Solutions released the latest version of its Global Trade Network. The updated platform includes supply chain execution applications that help shippers, brokers, forwarders, LSPs, carriers, and other supply chain stakeholders move goods across borders more quickly, share information more readily, and eliminate waste from operations.
• Cargo Chief’s updated C4 platform helps pinpoint the carrier best positioned for a load. The database pairs live capacity with actionable information from carriers, ranked by optimal match for when and where the carrier is available to haul the next load.
• Shippers gain visibility to service levels offered by carriers as well as facility reviews with 3PL Coyote Logistics‘ updated digital freight platform. The updates include a new Carrier of Choice Program, which rewards high-performing carriers with better access to the market while providing shippers with information on increased service levels across its network of nearly 75,000 carriers.
• The Descartes ShipRush™ cloud-based e-commerce shipping solution now supports both parcel and LTL freight to let shippers evaluate parcel and LTL options to match shipping requirements. Descartes ShipRush now offers an extensive list of national and regional LTL freight carriers.
• Cloud-based WMS solutions provider 3PL Central unveiled SmartScan, a mobile scanning application that integrates with 3PL Warehouse Manager. Offering a hands-free solution for warehouse staff, SmartScan allows warehouses to increase accuracy and efficiency.
• LTL shippers can now access volume spot quotes via API connectivity with Roadrunner Freight‘s new dynamic pricing tool, which adjusts spot quote rates based on real-time capacity needs. Through Roadrunner Freight’s 29 service centers and partnerships, shippers now have visibility to spot quotes in more than 500 long-haul lanes.
• Shippers using MercuryGate’s transportation management system (TMS) now have instant visibility into Uber Freight’s carrier network of more than 400,000 drivers with real-time pricing and guaranteed freight lane capacity in their existing routing guides. The partnership between the TMS provider and Uber’s on-demand logistics business lets shippers estimate and compare freight cost savings before booking.
• Retailers can now tap a range of supply chain software solutions for order fulfillment and distribution from Softeon, including a new warehouse management system, order fulfillment system, and order management/distributed order management software. Available as integrated systems or as stand-alone capabilities, Softeon’s new solutions also include a reverse logistics and store fulfillment option.
• The new Serco Digital Master Control Panel by Entrematic offers integrated dock equipment control to enhance safety and dock operation. The control panel features a guided sequence of operations, an intuitive graphic interface, color and shape status light, and on-board data and diagnostics.

Transportation

• CN and CSX launched an intermodal service between CN’s greater Montreal and Southern Ontario areas, and the CSX-served ports of Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, and the New York City metropolitan area.
• Hamburg Sud is offering expanded service between Australia and Southeast Asia, beginning October 2019. The service offers faster transit times to and from key markets in Australia and Southeast Asia including new direct calls at Port Kelang (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia).