“By integrating Samsara Asset Tags, we’ve gained real-time visibility over £7.2 million worth of specialist equipment. What used to take weeks to locate is now found in minutes, allowing us to prevent theft and loss to the tune of £60,000 annually,” said Amber Kirkby, Product Owner of Samsara at Lanes Group. “It has transformed our operational efficiency by ensuring our teams always have the right tools exactly when they need them.”

Operations network just got better

Over the last two years, Samsara’s Network has doubled in density, reinforcing its position as one of the industry’s leading industrial-grade Bluetooth networks. This expansive mesh network leverages millions of Samsara-connected devices. By using industrial-grade Bluetooth signals to continuously ‘listen’ for Asset Tags, a single Asset Tag can be detected in real time.

To provide an even more comprehensive view, Samsara has integrated Hubble’s Terrestrial Network, comprised of 90M consumer smartphones. This integration builds on Samsara’s presence on roads, at job sites, and in residential areas by extending visibility into buildings.

“The integration with Hubble complements Samsara’s existing network,” said David Gal, VP of Connected Equipment at Samsara. “The Samsara Network leverages millions of gateways on assets from construction sites to motorways to rubbish trucks, while Hubble’s network uses primarily consumer smartphones, ensuring no lost or stolen asset can hide, even inside buildings. The best network in the business just got better, delivering unprecedented asset visibility.”

Intelligence delivers increased visibility and rapid asset recovery

With Samsara’s end-to-end theft and loss workflow, organisations can now detect at risk assets sooner, investigate incidents, and coordinate fast recoveries.
● Proactively identify at-risk equipment: With the new Left Behind Incident feature, managers are immediately notified when an asset is separated from its vehicle outside a trusted geofence. Rather than discovering the loss days or weeks later, customers can respond in real time to recover assets and prevent costly disruptions.
● Investigate with real-time information: Customers can mark an asset as missing and see critical context, such as photos of who last had the asset, which vehicle it was last seen with, and more, powered by StreetSense. This rich context helps determine the most efficient recovery method and allocates the resources needed for a successful retrieval.
● Rapidly recover assets and avoid lost time: Customers can coordinate quick asset recovery by dispatching a driver or sharing asset location with local authorities. Once dispatched, crews can quickly pinpoint an asset’s exact location using Compass Mode.
● Demonstrate return on investment: The new Asset Tag Overview page analyses asset photos with AI to calculate the value of assets protected and recovered. By tracking the total monetary value of assets, managers can demonstrate financial impact on the business.

Sized for equipment big and small. There’s nothing you can’t track.

The new Asset Tags are ruggedised devices engineered to operate in the most extreme and remote environments. With the compact Asset Tag and ultra-compact Asset Tag XS, equipment managers can mix and match devices based on the equipment’s size and shape.

● Asset Tag: Designed for both large and small equipment, the Asset Tag provides up to six years of maintenance-free battery life—a 50% increase over the previous generation.
● Asset Tag XS: Ideal for even smaller, high-value handheld tools or specialised equipment such as gas meters or IV pumps, the ultra-compact Asset Tag XS offers three years of battery life and flexible mounting options for the most obscure equipment.

“The scale of equipment loss in physical operations goes far beyond the cost of the tools themselves—it’s about lost productivity and project delays,” said David Gal, VP of Connected Equipment at Samsara. “To solve this, we’re doubling down on innovation, laying the foundation for new use cases. We’ve supercharged the network, the hardware, and the recovery workflow, and with the Asset Tag XS, now even the smallest assets stay within reach.”

New research reveals the multi-million dollar impact of asset loss

In physical operations, small assets play a big role in getting the job done; however, keeping track of these mission-critical tools is a growing challenge.

Research from Samsara’s forthcoming State of Connected Operations: Asset Theft & Loss report shows that in the past 12 months, 77% of organisations say a missing critical asset has resulted in a significant operational shutdown or delay. Moreover, asset shrinkage costs the average organisation without an asset tracking solution nearly £9.6 million annually, with smaller assets driving more than 70% of that cost.

The post Samsara Launches its Most Compact Asset Tag appeared first on Logistics Business.

With UK logistics companies continuing to play a critical role in European supply chains, solutions like this can help streamline operations, reduce friction at borders, and improve overall driver experience —particularly for fleets navigating evolving regulatory requirements across multiple countries.

In December 2024, a new regulatory requirement was introduced in Poland related to SENT (System for Electronic Transport Supervision) for tracking high-risk goods transported within the country. In regard to this, a project to validate one of AiDENS services/products within the platform was initiated. This was done in a project with Volvo Trucks through CampX, Volvo Group’s global innovation arena for technology and business transformation.

It was a successful project leading to high value for the fleet owner and truck drivers enabling seamless compliance with Poland’s SENT without the need for external GPS devices or aftermarket installations. Due to the successful outcomes from the initial project, another phase is now initiated with Volvo Trucks to evaluate further commercial markets during 2026.

We asked Niclas Gyllenram, CEO of AiDEN Auto, to explain further:

How does AiDEN’s integration with Volvo Trucks address regulatory compliance challenges that are comparable to those faced by UK fleet operators, particularly in areas like customs, cabotage, and emissions reporting?

What we’ve demonstrated with SENT in Poland is that compliance can be embedded directly into the vehicle, rather than managed as a separate operational burden. While the UK has its own regulatory landscape — whether that’s post-Brexit customs processes, emissions zones, or cabotage rules — the underlying challenge is the same: fragmented systems and manual workflows. Our approach is to unify those requirements into a single, in-vehicle interface that automates data capture and reporting. That reduces errors, improves traceability, and ultimately gives operators more confidence that they are compliant without adding complexity to their day-to-day operations.

The UK logistics sector is dealing with increasing operational complexity post-Brexit—how could a built-in, OEM-native compliance solution like AiDEN’s help reduce administrative burden and cross-border friction for UK hauliers?

Post-Brexit, UK operators are navigating a much more complex cross-border environment, with additional documentation, checks, and reporting obligations. Traditionally, this has meant more paperwork, more devices, and more time spent managing compliance rather than moving goods. By embedding compliance into the truck itself, we remove much of that friction. Data is captured automatically, reporting can be handled in real time, and drivers don’t need to interact with multiple systems. That translates into fewer delays at borders, fewer compliance risks, and a more streamlined operation overall.

Given that the initial use case focuses on Poland’s SENT regulation, what lessons from this deployment are most relevant for the UK market, where digital compliance requirements are also evolving?

One of the key lessons is that operators don’t want more tools — they want fewer, better-integrated ones. In Poland, the biggest value came from eliminating the need for external GPS devices and separate applications, while still meeting strict regulatory requirements. That principle applies equally in the UK. As digital compliance frameworks evolve, success will depend on how seamlessly these requirements can be integrated into existing workflows. If compliance becomes invisible — something that just happens in the background — then adoption becomes much easier and the value becomes immediate.

UK fleets often rely on a mix of legacy systems and aftermarket solutions—how significant is the shift toward fully integrated, in-vehicle compliance tools in terms of cost savings, uptime, and driver experience?

It’s a fundamental shift. Aftermarket solutions typically introduce additional hardware, installation time, maintenance, and points of failure. They also create a fragmented experience for drivers, who may need to manage multiple devices or interfaces. By moving to an OEM-native solution, you eliminate those layers. There’s no additional hardware cost, no installation downtime, and far fewer integration challenges. From a driver’s perspective, everything is accessible through a familiar interface. From an operator’s perspective, that means lower total cost of ownership and improved fleet uptime.

From a broader transportation perspective, how do you see embedded compliance and connectivity platforms reshaping fleet management, safety, and operational efficiency across the UK logistics ecosystem?

We see this as part of a broader transition toward software-defined vehicles. Compliance is just one entry point, but once you have a secure, connected platform in the vehicle, you can layer in additional services— everything from safety features to operational analytics. For UK fleets, that means moving from reactive management to real-time, data-driven decision-making. It improves safety by ensuring regulatory adherence, enhances efficiency through better visibility, and creates opportunities to optimize routes, reduce emissions, and improve overall performance.

Following the successful proof-of-value project with Volvo Trucks and the planned evaluation of additional commercial markets in 2026, what are AiDEN’s priorities for expansion into the UK and other European markets, and what criteria determine where you scale next?

The success of the initial project has validated both the technology and the business case, which is why we are now moving into the next phase to evaluate additional markets. Our expansion strategy is guided by a few key factors: the level of regulatory complexity, the digital maturity of the market, and the presence of strong OEM and fleet partnerships. The UK is naturally a market of interest because of its scale and the operational challenges fleets are facing today. Ultimately, our goal is to bring the same value we’ve demonstrated in Poland — simplifying compliance and reducing operational friction — to fleets across Europe, adapting to each market’s specific regulatory environment while maintaining a consistent, integrated user experience.

The post Compliance Software for UK CV Fleets in Europe appeared first on Logistics Business.

There’s a moment in every critical Service Level Agreement (SLA) parts network where something small reveals something structural. A part misses a four-hour SLA not because it wasn’t in the country, but because no one was quite sure who owned the handoff. A shipment sits at customs while teams debate who the Importer of Record should have been. Two regions quietly increase safety stock on the same SKU ‘just to be safe’. An escalation call includes five organisations and no single line of accountability.

Nothing catastrophic. Just friction. Individually, these moments look operational. Together, they are architectural.

How Fragmentation Creeps In

Global service parts networks rarely begin fragmented. They evolve that way. A regional specialist is added to close a performance gap. A repair partner shortens turnaround time. A trade advisor manages compliance complexity. A 4PL layer is introduced to connect it all.

Each decision is rational. Often necessary. But over time, orchestration becomes layered rather than unified. In high-availability environments such as cybersecurity infrastructure, optical networks, data centres and medical systems, that layering begins to create hidden costs.

Where the Costs Appear

Fragmentation first shows up in inventory. When regions operate with partial visibility of each other’s positioning, they hedge. The US carries stock to protect its SLA exposure. Europe does the same. APAC does the same again. Individually, the decisions make sense. At the network level, they inflate safety stock, tying up working capital in duplicated buffers that exist purely to compensate for uncertainty.

It also distorts performance reporting. One provider starts the SLA clock at dispatch, another at delivery attempt. Reverse logistics is measured separately from forward fulfilment. Dashboards appear aligned until volatility hits, and suddenly, no one can reconcile where the delay actually occurred.

Trade governance becomes another pressure point. In global service networks, customs clearance is not a back-office activity; it is part of the uptime system. When Importer of Record responsibilities shift between providers or vary by region, ambiguity creeps in. A customs hold under a four-hour SLA is no longer just a compliance issue. It becomes a service outage.

Reverse flows create their own consequences. Repairable assets moving across borders without unified visibility become what operators quietly call ‘dark inventory’. The asset exists somewhere in the network but cannot be deployed when it is needed. The forward network compensates the only way it can, by carrying more stock.

When problems escalate, fragmentation becomes most visible. In multi-provider models, root cause rarely sits neatly in one organisation. Escalations move sideways before they move forward. Accountability becomes sequential rather than simultaneous. Under stable conditions, the system absorbs that latency. Under disruption, including tariffs, geopolitical shifts and capacity shocks, the latency becomes exposure.

The Fragmentation Tax

Multi-provider strategies are often adopted to reduce concentration risk. That logic makes sense.
But in high-SLA service environments, fragmentation introduces a different risk: coordination failure.
When orchestration is disjointed, the network begins paying what might be called a fragmentation tax, in duplicated inventory, premium freight, delayed recovery times and the growing overhead required simply to keep the system aligned.

The tax rarely appears on a single P&L line. It accumulates quietly across buffers, expediting, working capital and management attention.

A Different Question

As global service networks expand and trade regimes tighten, leaders are starting to ask different questions. Not ‘Are our providers performing?’ but ‘Is our orchestration structurally unified?’, because in high-availability service networks, architecture is no longer just an operational choice. It is a resilience strategy. Every network pays for its design. The only question is whether the cost is visible.

The post The Hidden Cost of Disjointed Orchestration appeared first on Logistics Business.

Leveraging the agility of its global network and its integrated logistics capabilities, the Group is deploying alternative multimodal solutions combining sea, rail, and road transport to maintain the smooth flow of logistics despite the situation in Hormuz.

Secure logistics corridors via the United Arab Emirates: Located south of the Strait of Hormuz, Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, and Sohar serve as strategic entry points for Gulf-bound flows.

From these ports, CMA CGM offers logistics corridors to serve:
• The main hubs in the UAE (Khalifa, Jebel Ali, Sharjah)
• Other countries bordering the Arabian Gulf via a combination of regional road and maritime transport

This multimodal organization ensures continuity and efficiency of supply chains in the region.

Alternative road corridor via Saudi Arabia

The port of Jeddah on the Red Sea also provides an alternative to passing through the Strait of Hormuz. From Jeddah, CMA CGM has established road corridors, with or without maritime connections, for onward delivery to Saudi Arabia (Dammam), the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq. This setup also allows flows to connect to the Mediterranean and Asia without exposure to the strait.

Complementary road solution via Oman

CMA CGM also leverages Omani ports to provide a third major alternative road route. These ports enable road connections to the UAE and northern Gulf countries combining road and feeder services, offering a reliable alternative for regional and cross-border flows.

Through this setup, CMA CGM aims to use its ability to manage geopolitical risks and provide robust, flexible, and secure logistics solutions in support of international trade.

The post Emergency Multimodal Solutions Deployed for UAE appeared first on Logistics Business.

From a logistics perspective, the data indicates that cross-border shipping to the UK is no longer treated as an unstable or experimental route. Instead, it operates as a predictable flow with measurable return ratios and defined cost structures.

Shipment structure reflects diversified parcel flows

The structure of shipments is distributed across multiple product categories:

Home & Interior – 24.10%
Beauty – 15.14%
Garden – 12.52%
Supplements & Vitamins – 7.82%
Clothing – 5.85%
Toys & Sports – 5.54%
Footwear – 5.09%

The distribution shows that parcel flows are not concentrated in high-return segments such as fashion. A significant share comes from categories typically associated with lower reverse logistics pressure and more predictable fulfilment processes.

Returns are not a barrier to entering the UK market

“There is still a persistent myth surrounding sales to the UK, particularly in the fashion segment, that return risk is high. Our data shows something different. Even in clothing and footwear, we are not talking about levels that could destabilise a business. It is not a barrier to entry. It is a parameter of the category that should be built into the business model.” says Paweł Zakielarz, CEO of Global24 & Shopreturns.
“Even in clothing and footwear we are not seeing levels that could destabilise a business. Returns are not a barrier to entry, they are simply a parameter of the category that should be incorporated into the business model.”

Zakielarz notes that the perception of the UK market has evolved in recent years:

“After Brexit, many sellers paused expansion plans. Today we see a clear shift. Cross-border has become part of long-term international strategy rather than a test market. The relatively low return rate suggests that sellers increasingly understand both customs requirements and the expectations of British consumers.”

Marketplace ecosystems raise the bar

International expansion increasingly takes place within marketplace ecosystems, where return rates influence seller performance indicators. In such environments, returns are not only a logistics cost but also a factor affecting offer visibility and sales performance. Lower return levels may indicate better product-market alignment and more accurate product communication.

Industry observers note that cross-border expansion is no longer limited to large enterprises. Specialised brands in sectors such as home, beauty and supplements are increasingly building international presence through selected marketplaces.

What are the biggest logistical challenges in the area of returns?

Returns in cross-border logistics are among the most operationally complex processes in the entire supply chain. They require coordination of multiple elements simultaneously – from organising reverse transport and handling customs clearance, to managing costs and delivery times, as well as efficient processing of returned goods in warehouses. An additional challenge is the unpredictability of volumes and regulatory differences between markets, which can impact both the time and cost of return handling. As a result, effective reverse logistics management is no longer just an operational issue, but a key factor influencing the profitability of international sales.

In the traditional returns model, the process remains costly, time-consuming, and difficult to control. Returns are often handled via expensive international shipments paid for by the customer, without full tracking capabilities or real-time status verification. There is also a lack of effective quantity and quality control mechanisms, which complicates further inventory management. An additional challenge is the inability to meet the requirements of marketplaces such as Amazon, Zalando, or eBay, where return handling standards are becoming increasingly stringent. Moreover, each individual return generates high CO₂ emissions due to the need for international transportation.

“The Shopreturns model changes this perspective by shifting return handling to the local level. Returns are processed by local couriers, with full tracking and scanning within 24 hours, significantly reducing operational time. Thanks to local return centres, costs are lower and the process becomes more predictable. Each return can undergo quantity and quality control, supported by photo documentation, enabling faster decision-making and improved process control. The solution has been designed in line with the requirements of major marketplaces, facilitating international sales. At the same time, localising returns reduces the need for long-distance transport, resulting in a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions,” adds Zakielarz.

From a logistics industry perspective, the growing importance of returns management indicates a clear shift in the role of operators within the supply chain. Reverse logistics is no longer a supplementary service but is becoming an integral element of cross-border process design – on par with first-mile delivery. Companies that are able to optimise return handling at the local level gain not only a cost advantage, but also greater operational control and compliance with marketplace requirements. In practice, this means that the efficiency of returns logistics is increasingly determining the scalability of the entire international sales model.

The post Poland–UK Logistics Shows Stable Return Ratios appeared first on Logistics Business.

“I am glad that we now have signed an agreement with Witron for automation in the logistics centre that we will establish. This solution will give us a more flexible, efficient and sustainable logistics chain for product supply to our stores in the southern parts of Sweden, thereby strengthening the entire Axfood family’s competitiveness,” comments Simone Margulies, President and CEO of Axfood.

Logical next step

“It feels very good to have the agreement in place for this strategically important automation solution. With the experience we have built together with Witron in Bålsta, we know that this technology will give us the right conditions going forward, and as a natural step, we feel confident in continuing this journey also in southern Sweden. This investment is fundamental in strengthening Dagab’s and Axfood’s future logistics structure, and for continuing to deliver on our ambition of market-leading efficiency,” says Hans Bax, Managing Director of Dagab.

High level of automation across all temperature zones

In Kungsbacka, products will be stored and picked across three temperature zones: ambient goods (+18 °C), fresh goods (+2 °C), and frozen items (-26 °C). As in Bålsta, the solution relies on standardized Witron logistics modules, including Order Picking Machinery (OPM with a total of 37 COMs), All-in-One (AIO), the Car Picking System (CPS), and a fully automated shipping buffer. Within this shipping buffer, store-friendly picked and consolidated order pallets are buffered and provided just-in-time on heavy-duty lanes, sequenced by delivery route for efficient truck loading. In addition, the Goods-to-Person (GTP) solution enables ergonomic semi-automated picking operations in the frozen food area.

High-performance warehouse management system

The overall material flow includes more than 500,000 storage locations for wooden and plastic pallets, roll containers, totes, and refrigerated containers, 111 stacker cranes, as well as 16+ kilometers of conveyor technology. All processes are controlled by a multifunctional warehouse management system with open interfaces from the WMS to the customer’s supplier systems, route scheduling systems, and sales systems. This enables a high level of end-to-end optimization across Axfood’s entire internal and external supply chain. A Witron OnSite service team of more than 60 employees ensures consistently high system availability in multi-shift operation around the clock – 365 days a year.

Successful omnichannel project

Both companies can reflect positively on a jointly and successfully implemented project. Since early 2025, following a phased ramp-up, one of the most innovative logistics centres in the retail industry has been operating at full capacity in Bålsta, around 40 kilometers northwest of Stockholm. Axfood and Witron designed and realized a cutting-edge omnichannel distribution centre that supplies stores as well as end customers via click + collect and home delivery. The highly automated system handles a product range of 22,000+ dry, fresh, and frozen items.

The post Another Full-range Distribution Centre in Sweden appeared first on Logistics Business.

Torus will provide resilient, agile and integrated defence supply chain solutions, helping the UK defence sector adapt to the evolving threat landscape and build the agile capacity required to enhance sovereign capability.

Designed to help address the UK Government policy shift to readiness, visibility and data exploitation, Torus draws on alliance members’ proven capabilities and mission-critical expertise in military domain, procurement and supply chain. The alliance is underpinned by a shared commitment of collaboration, compliance and continuous improvement to solve complex challenges in the UK defence market.

• Amentum will provide overall integration and programme management based on more than 60 years of support to UK defence operations, procurement, logistics support, programme/project delivery and transformation. Its global expertise, built over decades of defence, aerospace and national security experience in the USA and UK, ensures interoperability with allied sustainment systems and proven global buying power. Last September, Amentum announced plans to add another 3,000 people to its current UK workforce of more than 6,000 over the next four years.

• GXO will develop and operate innovative logistics solutions, leveraging its more than two decades of experience partnering with leading aerospace and defence organisations. With A&D operations spanning more than 30 global sites, GXO recently bolstered its UK defence capabilities through the acquisition of Wincanton, a longstanding trusted partner to the UK defence and industrial sector. GXO currently employs more than 60,000 team members across 450 sites in the UK and is a Gold Award level member of the UK’s Defence Employer recognition scheme for its work with the Armed Forces.

• Accenture will lead digital reinvention with a core role to deliver digital enablement and integrated decision support capability. Accenture’s deep experience of defence logistics information systems and digital transformation will enable real-time, single-version-of-the-truth visibility and smarter, data and AI-powered decision making that balance readiness, cost and resilience.

• Maersk will provide global integrated movement solutions utilising its extensive network across multiple modes to enable global reach ensuring compliance with stringent security standards for defence and government cargo whilst ensuring the scale of its owned assets provide agility and resilience to allow defence to plan and react to a changing need.

Loren Jones, Amentum Senior Vice President, said: “Our combined global reach and military domain experience, specifically Amentum’s proven success in deployed logistics and integrating complex systems for the U.S. Government, perfectly aligns with the UK Defence sector’s requirement for future operational resilience and it’s imperative to move beyond systems optimised for just-in-time to ones of assured readiness and global reach.” 

Gavin Williams, Managing Director, GXO UK & Ireland, said: “The defence sector is tasked with responding to dynamic global challenges which has created substantial demands on its supply chains. GXO’s proven capability in the global defence sector optimises efficiency and builds resilience in complex supply chains, providing leading defence organisations with the assurance they will have the adaptive capacity required to deliver with confidence.”

Mark Smith, EMEA Defence Lead at Accenture, said: “This alliance brings together unmatched expertise in logistics systems and data-driven digital transformation – enabling scalable, interoperable solutions that enhance mission readiness. Accenture’s deep defence logistics knowledge and cutting-edge digital capabilities, refined through working with over 20 NATO countries, can help ensure operational continuity and resilience in complex global environments.”

Beyond focusing on supporting UK sovereign mission readiness, the alliance is committed to investing in UK infrastructure, contributing to economic growth and fostering digital skills in local communities.

The post Supply Chain Solutions to the UK Defence Sector appeared first on Logistics Business.

Jonathan Barrett (pictured, below), CEO, Kallikor, provided this comment:

“The challenge is that these plans often rely on assumed responses rather than tested outcomes. In practice, it can be difficult for organisations to see how different decisions – rerouting shipments, adjusting sourcing, reallocating inventory or changing service commitments – will actually behave across the entire supply chain once disruption begins.

“We’ve seen this before through the Suez Canal obstruction in 2021 and the Red Sea shipping disruption in 2023–2024, when pressure in one part of the global trading system forced companies to make rapid operational choices with limited visibility into the wider consequences.

“Many companies we work with have an answer on paper for how they would respond to disruptions like these. The ones with most confidence in that answer have already tested it — running scenarios to see how those decisions will actually behave across the supply chain before disruption forces the choice.

“The organisations navigating disruption best are rarely the ones reacting fastest. They are the ones that have already explored the scenarios and understand how their supply chain will behave before disruption forces the decision.”

The post Strait of Hormuz and the Supply Chain appeared first on Logistics Business.

In many smaller facilities, yard operations remain one of the least digitized areas in the supply chain. Trucks wait at the gate, dock doors are occupied longer than necessary, and teams rely on phone calls, radios, and manual lists to keep track of trailers and containers. This leads to unnecessary dwell times, higher detention and demurrage costs, and a constant risk of miscommunication between warehouse staff, transport partners, and gate personnel.

“In Europe, a lot of everyday yard operations still run on clipboards, spreadsheets, and local knowledge,” says Gary Van Tassel, Director of Sales for Terminal & Distribution Center Logistics at INFORM. “At the same time, customers feel growing pressure from rising transportation costs, driver shortages, and increasing service expectations. YMSlite gives small and mid-sized facilities a practical way to gain control over their yards. With real-time visibility, better dock planning, and fewer surprises at the gate. Without the overhead of a big system implementation.”

As a standalone system, YMSlite combines yard, dock, and gate operations in a single web-based application. Operations teams can configure their yard layout – including parking spots, docks, and bulk areas – and track trailers, containers, and chassis in real time. A live yard overview shows where each unit is located and for how long it has been there, allowing teams to reduce search times and act early when dwell times become critical.

Within the application, users can assign equipment to doors, block and unblock locations, and move trailers between parking slots and docks. Gate staff benefit from a clear overview of expected arrivals and departures and can mark check-in and check-out directly in the system, linking each truck to the relevant unit and yard location. A compact KPI view provides insights into yard occupancy, dock utilization, gate activity, and dwell times to support data-driven decisions.

Built for smaller facilities – fast start, low risk

YMSlite is tailored for small and mid-sized warehouses, distribution centres, carrier and container yards, 3PLs, and manufacturing sites that need professional yard management without the complexity of enterprise systems. The user interface is intentionally simple and immediately understandable for operational teams on the ground – so users can get started without extensive training. Setup is equally straightforward: new sites can be configured within 30 minutes, enabling teams to work with the software quickly and productively. Fully cloud-based, YMSlite can be implemented directly without dedicated IT projects or in-depth IT know-how.

YMSlite is offered with a transparent subscription model, with a flat monthly rate and no hidden fees or long-term commitments. A free trial of 15 days allows interested companies to test the solution with their own data and processes before making a decision.

“Over the past decades, INFORM has built a strong portfolio for complex logistics operations all over the world,” says Karsten Schumacher, Product Manager YMSlite, Terminal & Distribution Center Logistics at INFORM.

“With YMSlite, we are deliberately extending this portfolio to smaller logistics facilities. Many of these sites face the same visibility and efficiency challenges as large operations but have lacked a solution that fits their scale and resources. YMSlite closes exactly this gap and allows us to support customers from small businesses through to global enterprises with the right level of functionality in each case.”

During customer pilots of YMSlite, companies were able to replace paper-based yard lists and manual gate logs with a shared digital view of all trailers, docks, and appointments. Participants reported faster access to information, fewer misunderstandings between staff, and more predictable yard flows, particularly during peak periods.

“YMSlite has been a clear step up from working in Excel. The interface is clean, the system is easy to understand, and we were up and running in about five minutes. Cloud access means we can reach the same up-to-date information from anywhere and don’t have to worry about different file versions. If you’re looking for a straightforward, more structured alternative to spreadsheets, I’d recommend giving YMSlite a try,” says a Warehouse Manager for a leading regional 3PL and YMSlite Beta User.

Ongoing feedback from beta users continues to shape the product’s evolution. Upcoming enhancements in analytics and reporting will expand the system’s capabilities without compromising its intuitive, user-friendly design.

The post Yard Management for Smaller Logistics Facilities appeared first on Logistics Business.

CoreX Ports & Terminals / Yilport Holding operates 22 Marine and 5 inland terminals in 12 countries and relies on a fleet of container handling equipment to meet strict customer deadlines in a wide range of demanding environments. To keep up with demand, Yilport decided to replace older equipment at four of its terminals with 19 of the latest Konecranes lift trucks to ensure continued safe and efficient operations and maximum uptime.

“We appreciate Konecranes’ continued participation in our equipment purchase tenders and their responsiveness to our operational requirements. The addition of these reach stackers, empty container handlers, and forklifts further strengthens our equipment fleet across multiple regions, supporting higher productivity, operational resilience, and service reliability. As we continue to expand our global terminal network, investments in modern equipment remain a key driver in delivering efficient and competitive port services to our customers worldwide,” says Erhan Çiloğlu, Deputy CEO & CMO, Yilport Holding.

This delivery reflects Yilport’s confidence in Konecranes. We’re proud to have delivered the right solution with our Turkish distribution partner Portunus playing a key role to make this happen, supported by our unmatched global after-sales service through our distribution partner network

says John Elisson, Regional Director MEA, Lift Trucks, Konecranes.

The 5 reach stackers, 5 empty container handlers, and 9 forklifts meet a wide range of capacities and handling requirements at four terminals. For deeper insights, ‘TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring’ will collect usage data and send it via secure mobile connection to the Konecranes customer portal, where Yilport can follow one truck, a group of trucks or its entire lift truck fleet around the world. With up-to-date information about truck performance, the port operator can analyze and optimize its operations.

The post Terminal Operator Updates Port Equipment appeared first on Logistics Business.