Smart Change. Smart Engineering. Smart Supply Chain

whitePaper | December 2, 2019

I met Janie at college. She was dating my roommate, Fred, who was a total knucklehead. Sound familiar? Our two children are now at college. Tuition runs a bit north of $100,000 annually. Both kids are stellar students and athletes, so I’m ‘okay’ with the spending the cash. Janie has a boutique on-line travel business, which is earning more than I do, as Janie reminds me whenever I complain about the kids' tuitions. I’ve recently accepted a role as Vice President of Operations with a very promising consumer packaged goods company in the Pacific Northwest.

whitePaper | November 30, 2022

Ports and terminals have become increasingly automated, necessitating accurate and reliable technologies to keep operations running smoothly while protecting personnel safety. Avoiding collisions is especially critical to prevent potentially hazardous accidents, costly downtime, and damage to equipment. LiDAR solutions enable safety, security, and efficiency at ports and terminals around the world. With powerful 3D visualisation, long ranges, and resilience to the harshest environment day or night, 3D LiDAR sensors solve a wide range of critical applications including positioning, navigation and collision avoidance, bulk material profiling, and perimeter security and intrusion detection.

whitePaper | December 31, 2019

This study builds on a previous project in which we examined the potential for telematics systems to streamline the data collection and reporting methods used in the SmartWay program. Here, we delve deeper into various aspects of the telematics industry in the heavy-duty trucking sector in Canada. This study catalogs the products and services available from leading telematics providers for trucking companies and discusses the ways fleets leverage the systems to improve their overall efficiency and safety

whitePaper | September 9, 2022

There are almost no supply chains left unbruised right now, as multiple waves of hard-hitting disruptions challenged even the most experienced of operators. We are, by now, completely aware of the fissures in supply chains that can rapidly open into chasms. The next big question is how to move on and create the supply chain of the future that is resilient against shocks? The answer lies in strengthening the shared data links across supply chains, and then turning this information into insights that can then be acted upon rapidly and decisively. The inherent complexity of most modern supply chains means that this is no easy task and that human operators need help in moving towards this goal, especially as the data flows are only going to increase with the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT).

whitePaper | November 14, 2022

The Industrial Internet of Things is shaking up the world of manufacturing and all of its supply chains. Thanks to IoT devices and the steady rollout of 5G connectivity, companies have an unprecedented look into the health of the shop floor, can monitor for shipping-disruptive weather conditions, and can plan maintenance to ensure the least amount of downtime. These sensors are an absolute revolution, but there’s a dark side to the sensors as well. Manufacturers must consider new cybersecurity concerns as each new IoT device represents a potential weak point in the company’s network. Each device presents a tempting target for hackers who are looking to break into the network, but focusing on the individual devices is the wrong answer to the problem. The solution should be a secure network using a zero-trust model.

whitePaper | June 1, 2022

The world is walking out of the shadow of the COVID-19 lockdown. However, the pandemic has long-lasting side effects on the automotive industry. In the past 18 months, the supply chain has seen several disruptions that worsened as new geopolitical events occurred. Rising material prices are hitting supplies, while logistics costs remain high, and the availability of major components such as semiconductors remains far below requirements. Moreover, the acceleration of electrification adds a layer of difficulty. Electric vehicles require many more semiconductors and rare earth materials, while the supply is still in shortage. Lately, China’s supply chain was hit with lockdowns, slowing down raw material processing and component deliveries that are critical to the automotive industry from a global perspective