A low-cost and disruptive supply chain optimisation and asset tracking system

可重复使用的包装在供应链中变得越来越普遍，例如超市里展示水果和蔬菜的厚厚的绿色塑料盒。它们非常健壮，可以多次重复使用，是一种环保的解决方案。然而，这些集装箱可能成为一个挑战，因为它们很容易在大多数复杂的供应链中丢失（在仓库闲置，由于空间不足或货物损坏而转移到其他地方，错误地装满其他物品，而不是归还或被盗）。根据2015年可重复使用包装论坛的数据，** 15% -20%的可重复使用包装丢失**，这一数字在许多行业都是一致的——仅在欧洲，每年就有大约14亿箱的可重复使用包装丢失**。在Sensize，我们开发了一个概念验证系统，用于使用最新的物联网技术监控全球供应链资产，该技术可以跟踪包装的整个生命周期（5-10年），并提供有关其状况的信息（通过温度，加速度计和倾斜传感器），以便：*可重复使用的包装所有者可以控制其宝贵的资产，并确保它们被用于客户支付的单周期；*整个供应链的利益相关者可以识别薄弱环节和管理不善的仓库，提高效率，更快地周转库存；*利益相关者可以避免被盗和损坏（例如，在错误温度下保存的冷冻食品，物品掉落等）；*尽量减少因遗失/弃置包装而产生的塑胶废物；*减少食物浪费（据波士顿咨询公司称，广泛采用数字化供应链工具每年可减少1200亿美元的浪费）；*降低整个供应链的成本。我们的解决方案已经引起了市场的极大兴趣，包括世界领先的公司，但它仍然有局限性。在InnovateUK的支持下，我们将进行必要的工业研究，以模拟现实世界的应用，完善技术并开发原型演示跟踪系统。这也将能够执行供应链分析和实施优化的通信和电源管理策略。Sensize有限公司成立于2016年11月，是一家总部位于剑桥的公司，致力于使用最新的物联网技术监控全球供应链。可重复使用的包装物品配备了跟踪器，可以监控位置和环境，并将数据发送到托管在“云”上的公司后端系统。这将为供应链用户生成可操作的情报。在我们的颠覆性项目及时交付后，我们将**创造265个工作岗位**，到2025年累计**利润为7100万英镑**（投资回报率为143倍）。

Reusable packaging is becoming increasingly common across supply chains -- for example the thick green plastic boxes displaying fruit and vegetables in supermarkets. They are robust and can be reused many times, making them an environmentally-friendly solution.These containers can however become a challenge as they are easily lost in the complexity of most supply chains (left idle in warehouses, diverted elsewhere due to lack of space or damaged goods, wrongly filled with other items instead of being returned or being stolen). According to the 2015 Reusable Packaging Forum, **15-20% of reusable packaging goes missing**, with numbers consistent across many industries -- that's approximately **1.4bn crates that are lost each year in Europe alone**.At Sensize, we have developed a proof of concept system for monitoring supply chain assets worldwide using the latest IoT technology that can track packaging throughout its life-span (5-10 years) and provide information on its condition (via temperature, accelerometer and tilt sensors) so that:* Reusable packaging owners can control their valuable assets and ensure they are being used for the single cycle their clients paid for;* Stakeholders across the supply chain can identify weak links and mis-managed warehouses, improving efficiency and rotating stock more quickly;* Stakeholders can avoid theft and damage (e.g. frozen food kept at the wrong temperature, items being dropped, etc.);* Plastic waste from lost/abandoned packaging is minimised;* Food waste is reduced (according to BCG, widespread adoption of digital supply chain tools could reduce the problem by $120 billion annually);* Costs can be reduced across the whole supply chain.Our solution has already generated considerable interest from the market, including the world leader, but it still has limitations. With support from InnovateUK, we will perform the industrial research necessary to simulate real world utilisation, refine the technology and develop a protype demonstrator tracking system. This will also be able to perform supply chain analytics and implement optimised communication and power management strategies.Incorporated in November 2016, Sensize Ltd is a Cambridge-based company dedicated to monitoring supply chains worldwide using the latest IoT technology. Reusable packaging objects are fitted with trackers that monitor location and the environment and send the data to the company's back-end system, hosted in the 'Cloud'. This generates actionable intelligence for supply chain users. After timely delivery of our disruptive project, we will **create 265 jobs** and generate accumulated **profits of £71 million** by 2025 (143x ROI).