Page 71 - Inbound Logistics | April 2017 | Digital Issue

Companies keep finding

new ways to gain
supply chain improvements

with help from the
Internet of Things.

By Merrill Douglas

very day, more data than we can imagine zings across that
global conduit we call the Internet. Much of that data comes
E directly from devices, without human intervention.
Drivers carry cell phones in their cars to feed GPS locations to
a traffic information and navigation service, which uses the data to
detect congestion. A home security system in Michigan alerts the
resident, wintering in Florida, that someone is lingering at the front
door. An electronic chair in a dentist’s office tells the manufacturer
it’s time to perform preventive maintenance.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is making its way into every aspect of
life. By 2021, 22.5 billion devices will be connected to the IoT, com-
pared with 6.6 billion in 2016, according to a BI Global Intelligence
survey. The world will invest $4.8 trillion in IoT technologies and
products during that time, the company forecasts.
The future of IoT is intimately bound with the future of the
supply chain. Already, applications are emerging to capture data
from “things” equipped with sensors, barcode labels, GPS anten-
nas, and other devices, move that data across the Internet, and use
it to improve supply chain operations. IoT technology can help
companies manage transportation fleets, inventory, and warehouse
operations; make replenishment decisions; refine delivery routes;
generate better demand forecasts; and a good deal more.

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