CHEP Aerospace Solutions, one of the world’s three leading specialists in providing airlines with ULD devices and relevant IT back-up systems has won the first IATA Air Cargo Innovation Award.
The award was presented to CHEP managers during a ceremony held at the World Cargo Symposium which was held last week in Shanghai.
‘CanTrack’ is the name given by CHEP Aerospace to its latest ULD tracking system.
This is what CHEP terms as an energy harvesting self powered tracking device.
The system is fitted onto the aircraft container and is integrated with a so called back-end information system which provides the carrier with real time information on the ULD and its
contents.
The Zurich-based provider of outsourced unit load devices and aircraft galley cart services claims that the CanTrack system will ensure better container and cargo damage reduction as well as what
they term as an increased velocity in the air cargo supply chain.
The latest of CHEP’s systems is said to also provide value-added applications for high value and temperature-controlled cargo as well as other benefits for the users.
A democratic decision
Can Track was one of three finalists on the shortlist of a total of twenty-five entries for the award.
The three finalists then presented their projects individually to the full WCS delegation who were requested to vote for a winner based on what they saw as the innovation which would be most
beneficial for the air cargo industry as a whole.
Dr. Ludwig Bertsch, President of CHEP Aerospace Solutions, is quoted as saying: “We are very proud to have won IATA’s first Air Cargo Innovation Award recognizing that our innovation efforts
bring benefits not only to our business but to most stakeholders of the air cargo industry as well.”
Monetary advantage
He further stated that the CanTrack system is worth around U.S. $5 million in annual revenues for CHEP Aerospace but should bring benefits of more than U.S. $200 million each year throughout the
air cargo supply chain by solving operational and logistical problems.
The CanTrack system has apparently undergone an initial feasibility test phase with Cargolux, Air Canada and Hawaiian Airlines.
ULD outsourcing and its added-value sytems has in the meantime become a hard fought market segment.
This stretches from normal ULD and aircraft pallet outsourcing up to temperature controlled devices and special containers for the transport of highly sensitive cargo.
Airlines are recognizing more and more the bottom line benefits for them by allowing professional companies, of which CHEP is one, to provide them with ULDs and supporting systems.
John Mc Donagh
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