Logistics and Supply Chain Technology Report 2021

中国电信（欧洲）有限公司 C h i n a T e l e c o m ( E u r o p e ) L t d .

Though a significant portion of the businesses we surveyed were using IoT capabilities within their supply chain and logistics operations (39%), the overwhelming majority had yet to embrace the technology (61%). This lack of buy-in might be explained by several factors - poor product fit, security concerns or a lack of business need.

Does your business use IoT for any of following processes?

50%

100%

Real-time location tracking Monitoring storage conditions

59%

44%

Forecasting ETAs

35%

Robotics

29%

Locating goods and assets

21%

Other

12%

Of those respondents who were currently leveraging IoT capabilities, the majority of our respondents were deploying them for real-time location tracking and telemetry across their operations (59%). Those utilising reliable map-based IoT services for real-time tracking find themselves better able to cut down on asset management issues (misplacement and delays) and converge with route optimisation systems for improved fleet management capabilities. In addition to this, monitoring storage conditions (44%) has been a clear cut use-case for IoT infrastructure across the supply chain. Over the past 18 months this has become particularly apparent as growing attention has been paid to the cold chain for climate and condition sensitive goods such as perishable food items and COVID-19 vaccines. Similarly clear cut has been the use of IoT for robotics in warehouses and distribution centres (29%) as well as locating goods and assets within facilities (21%). IoT promises also to have a significant impact upon retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors, particularly as retailers look to bring the benefits of e-commerce to their brick-and-mortar outlets, responding faster to changing stock levels and consumer demand.