Yusen Logistics upgrades pharma tracking with FourKites platform

Yusen Logistics' European healthcare division has introduced FourKites' carrier visibility solution, NIC-Place, to manage road haulier tracking and temperature control throughout its European operations.

The new digital platform is designed to provide real-time tracking and temperature monitoring for temperature-controlled vehicles transporting pharmaceutical products. Such functionality is a requirement for pharmaceutical customers, who demand close monitoring of their goods at every stage of the supply chain.

The deployment of FourKites' NIC-Place solution enables Yusen Logistics to monitor assets, facilitates efficient data sharing among road carriers throughout Europe, and manages logistics processes on a unified platform. The ability to track shipments in real time and receive notifications of delays and temperature deviations is seen as a crucial step forward in maintaining shipment integrity and compliance with pharmaceutical standards.

Frank Gosnell, Head of CI & Digitalisation, Healthcare at Yusen Logistics (UK), explained the significance of these upgrades.

"Any mistakes in temperature tracking can cost money, negatively impact reputation and most importantly risk people's health," says Frank Gosnell, Head of CI & Digitalisation, Healthcare at Yusen Logistics (UK). "We used to gather temperature reports from hauliers manually, which took too much time, and frustratingly, we often could only get this information after a trip was over. Thanks to FourKites, we can now proactively provide our clients with highly accurate real-time visibility into temperature at any time, no matter where our fleet is. This has significantly increased our credibility and skyrocketed our customer service."

Prior to adopting the NIC-Place solution, Yusen Logistics relied on a legacy in-house tracking system, which Gosnell described as outdated and lacking temperature reporting capabilities. Issues with fragmented and disorganised data often hampered their monitoring capability and responsiveness. By comparison, the new solution integrates effectively with hauliers and internal systems, providing a comprehensive view of moving assets in real time.

Gosnell added, "The custom alarms, from temperature deviations to door openings, are preventing costly delays and ensuring our customers' goods arrive safely and pass every regulation. Additionally, onboarding hauliers to NIC-Place has been a dream, both for us and our carriers, because it's so easy and fast."

Kevin Kruekis, Managing Director at NIC-Place, highlighted the improvements in shipment tracking achieved since the adoption of the FourKites platform. "Real-time visibility, high-quality data and customised alarms are making a difference to Yusen Logistics business and we're delighted to be part of their success story," he said. "Previously, Yusen Logistics were tracking about 70% of shipments. Since launching NIC-Place, Yusen Logistics is already tracking close to 100% of their shipments."

The Yusen Logistics European healthcare division's adoption of NIC-Place has already led to higher customer satisfaction and improved transportation processes. The company now manages its fleet of subcontracted European carriers more efficiently, with consistent and accurate monitoring of critical factors, such as cargo temperature, which is key when handling pharmaceutical products.

As the company looks to the future, Gosnell stated the team is interested in exploring how AI can be more widely applied to their operations. This could include automating workflows or using predictive analytics to identify and mitigate supply chain disruptions before they develop, as well as automating corrective actions.

Yusen Logistics manages logistics for numerous global pharmaceutical companies, all of whom require strict temperature control throughout the logistics chain. The new platform is expected to provide substantial business benefits by reducing the risk of errors, supporting regulatory compliance, and protecting both the company's reputation and public health.