Digital container management with LOGSOL and SmartMakers

Container cycles 4.0 – LOGSOL and SmartMakers work hand in hand digitally

A partnership that gets things moving

Containers are indispensable components of the supply chain in every manufacturing company. Without them, no material, no part, no product flows. But this is precisely where immense challenges lie: Often, there is no overview of where the containers are currently located. This uncertainty often leads to incorrect planning, duplicate stocks and expensive repurchases. Manual bookings and paper-based processes do not completely solve the problem. In the rush, a container is not recorded, data is entered incorrectly or simply forgotten. The result is a digital inventory that does not correspond to reality. For companies, this means disrupted material flows and unclear planning bases.

This is precisely where LOGSOL’s partnership with SmartMakers comes in. The vision is: Digital visibility and smart networking transform a simple load carrier into an intelligent component of the value chain.

When containers are automatically tracked digitally, transparency is created across the entire cycle. Every change of location, every usage status and even wear and tear can be visualised in real time. This opens up enormous potential: Processes can be controlled more precisely, bottlenecks identified at an early stage and inventories reduced to a minimum. Sustainability also benefits, as container loss is reduced and unnecessary new purchases are avoided.

Why LOGSOL and SmartMakers are such a good match

LOGSOL and SmartMakers form a perfect symbiosis: What one side brings to the table in terms of experience, process orientation and software expertise, the other complements with IoT innovation, real-time technology and modern sensor technology. Together, we are creating a container management system that not only manages containers, but also designs processes in an intelligent, transparent and sustainable manner. With

BinMan^®, LOGSOL offers a platform that standardises processes, opens up interfaces to ERP systems and provides users with a central tool for their container management. SmartMakers expands this foundation with crucial future technology, such as IoT sensors, low-power wireless networks, and the thingsHub platform, which intelligently connects objects and makes data available in real time. “It is a valuable opportunity to deploy our technology in a targeted manner in proven processes and achieve maximum benefit there,” says Julia Bayer of SmartMakers.

But it is the customers themselves who benefit most. You will see how assumptions become reliable facts. Anyone who had hoped that the container fleet would be sufficient will know for sure in future. Instead of creating excess stock out of caution, companies can now purchase in a targeted manner according to their needs. “Transparency is the new currency in logistics. If I know where my containers are in real time, I can plan differently, schedule differently – and save money”, summarises Andreas Weber, Product Manager at LOGSOL.

The future of container management is networked, proactive and sustainable – LOGSOL and SmartMakers are already shaping it today.

A day in the life of container LS-2106

To illustrate the benefits, it is worth taking a look at everyday life. The container with the number LS-2106 is transported from the warehouse to production in the morning.

Automatic localisation and geofences record the transition on an account basis and display it directly in the BinMan^® overview – without any manual booking or pushing the container through a gate.

During transport to the production line, the container continuously transmits data such as location, condition and temperature. If a fault occurs, it is identified immediately. After use, it automatically returns to the empties warehouse – ready for the next cycle. This allows the dispatcher to keep track of available containers at all times.

No paperwork, no subsequent bookings, no uncertainty. The container itself becomes an active part of the process – and thus an intelligent logistics player.