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FourKites Partners with 3T to Offer Enhanced Cost and Sustainability Benefits to Customers
FourKites' carrier data will be used to enhance 3T’s global digital transport platform
Leading real-time supply chain visibility platform FourKites today announces that its carrier data will be used to enhance 3T’s global digital transport platform.
The deal will give 3T’s shipper customers access to FourKites’ supply chain visibility data, bringing them powerful flexibility in the way they use carriers, thereby reducing costs and improving sustainability initiatives.
“FourKites’ broad coverage of carriers in Europe allows us to give our customers a more comprehensive shipment visibility offering as part of our digital transport management software,” says Rob Hutton, Group Sales and Marketing Director at 3T. “That gives them more flexibility in the carriers they can work with, keeping both costs and carbon emissions down.”
3T is a UK-based global SaaS digital transport platform provider, whose transport management solutions dovetail neatly with FourKites’ supply chain visibility offering. 3T’s pioneering cloud-based platform provides a seamless shipper/carrier ecosystem with functionality including transport assignment, rate management and tendering, as well as automatic carrier allocation. It also facilitates supply chain collaboration by enabling AI-driven dynamic planning and execution across multiple accounts, harnessing real-time data to reduce empty running of vehicles.
FourKites is the market leader in real-time, end-to-end supply chain visibility, extending visibility beyond transportation into yards, warehouses, stores and more. The companies’ combined offering signals a paradigm shift in 3T’s ability to not only know the status and position of every shipment, but to also dynamically react to changes from plan.
“Giving 3T customers access to FourKites data will allow them to make better decisions, optimizing the way they use carriers,” said Marc Boileau, Senior VP of Sales and Carrier Operations at FourKites Europe. “That has cost benefits for them, it improves their service to customers with almost no administrative work required, and it gives them the most accurate estimated times of arrival available in the market today. We are thrilled to be working together with the 3T team to better support their customer base.”
Carbon reductions
3T already gives customers multiple options to capture carrier data. However, with the addition of FourKites’ real-time supply chain data, 3T customers will now have all the data necessary to complete their operational visibility picture and ultimately help them reduce both carbon emissions and costs through improved resource utilization.
“We see a huge efficiency opportunity for both shippers and carriers by using data to identify and reduce empty running across the industry. This will be essential to meet our collective environmental targets,” said Hutton, "and it’s why this partnership is so exciting for us.”
This is just one aspect of the improved planning shippers can achieve with the 3T-FourKites partnership.
“You’re likely to get a good price by placing a shipment on an empty running truck so costs go down,” said Boileau “But carriers have fewer empty runs, too, so they see driver productivity improve. It’s win-win. The better your visibility, the better you can plan to optimize your transport.”
In March, FourKites announced its Sustainability Hub, which offers granular emissions tracking, industry benchmarks, analytics and scenario modeling to help customers meet sustainability goals. In addition, the company offers Dynamic Yard®, a new category of software that connects traditional, siloed yard management software with FourKites’ real-time supply chain data and predictive ETAs to provide insight into driver detention patterns, labor efficiency and more to reduce dwell and inform carbon reduction strategies. Last year, customers who used Dynamic Yard emitted 20% fewer carbon emissions than non-Dynamic Yard users through reductions in truck idle times.
Leading global supply chain visibility platform FourKites extends visibility beyond transportation into yards, warehouses, stores and beyond. Tracking more than 2.5 million shipments daily across road, rail, ocean, air, parcel and courier, and reaching more than 200 countries, FourKites combines real-time data and powerful machine learning to help companies digitize their end-to-end supply chains. More than 1,100 of the world’s most recognized brands — including 9 of the top-10 CPG and 18 of the top-20 food and beverage companies — trust FourKites to transform their business and create more agile, efficient and sustainable supply chains. To learn more, visit www.fourkites.com.
3T Logistics and Technology Group is an award-winning UK head-quartered SaaS transport management technology business with clients including JCB, Klockner Pentaplast and Kraft Heinz. Founded in 2000 as a 4th Party Logistics Provider (4PL), 3T has evolved to become a globally recognized transportation management (TMS) technology provider. The company’s vision and mission remain the same since its inception, to improve service, reduce cost to shippers and carriers and remove empty running through collaboration and the smart use of technology. To learn more about 3T please visit https://www.3t-ltg.com/
Grocery shoppers in Australia will soon be able to zip in and out of the store in record time, bypassing the lines for cashiers or self-checkout kiosks altogether. They can just walk in, make their selections, and walk out with their bags in hand.
The secret to this express shopping experience is the “Caper Cart,” an AI (artificial intelligence)-powered smart trolley from San Francisco-based Instacart. In its first deployment in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, the system is being tested by Coles Supermarkets, a food and beverage retailer with more than 1,800 grocery and liquor stores throughout the country.
To get started, customers simply grab a grocery cart-sized smart trolley at the store’s entrance and begin shopping, depositing the items directly into shopping bags as they go. The Caper Carts use onboard AI, cameras, and a built-in scale to automatically recognize items as they’re added to the trolley. Customers can watch their running total display on a screen—just as if they were shopping online—then swipe their credit card on the trolley’s payment terminal to complete the purchase.
“As the first retailer in Australia to introduce AI-powered trolleys, we’re excited to offer our customers a convenient and engaging way to shop in-store, helping them save time, manage their budget, and check out faster—or at their own pace,” Coles’ chief digital officer, Ben Hassing, said in a release. “The Coles smart trolley illustrates our omnichannel approach, leveraging digital capabilities to enrich the in-store experience.”
If you’re looking to make the packaging process more eco-friendly, the obvious place to start is with the box itself. And that’s exactly what Salt Lake City-based Packsize did when it made its initial foray into sustainable packaging back in 2002. That year, the company launched its first product, an innovative on-demand packaging system designed to reduce cardboard waste (and the need for filler material) by creating a right-sized box for each shipment.
Now the company is ready for the next step: greening up the glue.
According to Packsize, 300 billion boxes around the globe are sealed using 500,000 tons of hot-melt adhesive every year, contributing significantly to global emissions generated by the paper-based packaging industry. In a bid to cut those emissions, Packsize recently teamed up with Henkel Adhesive Technologies, a unit of the German chemical and consumer goods company Henkel, to launch Eco-Pax, a bio-based hot-melt adhesive designed to lower carbon footprints without sacrificing performance.
Eco-Pax is made from bio-based raw materials, forgoing traditional fossil-based ingredients. The adhesive will soon be used on more than 340 million boxes produced annually using Packsize’s right-sized packaging machines. That single change is expected to reduce Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)-relevant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 32%, which is equivalent to the burning of 1.75 million pounds of coal, the partners said.
“Partnering with an innovative leader like Packsize to launch a bio-based adhesive solution is a big step toward building a more sustainable packaging value chain,” Kevin Heffernan, head of business development, North America, consumer goods adhesives, Henkel Adhesives Technologies, said in a release. “Together, we’re setting a new standard for sustainability in packaging while delivering the high-performance brands and consumers trust.”
MOORESTOWN, NJ (December 18, 2024) OPEX® Corporation, a global leader in Next Generation Automation providing solutions for document, mail, and warehouse automation, has been selected as a finalist in the 2024 NED (New Equipment Digest) Innovation Awards, which celebrates innovations in industrial technology, tools, and equipment that empower businesses to work faster, better, and more cost-effectively.
Introduced in March 2024, Sure Sort X with Xtract is a fully adaptable, turnkey offering designed to automate multiple manual tasks with a simple, one-touch solution.
The technology handles nearly 100% of customer-sortable items weighing up to 20 pounds and sorts items into a configurable array of mixed bin sizes and types, all while maintaining a consistent throughput of up to 2,100 items per hour.
“We are excited to once again receive this recognition, which honors our warehouse automation solutions that clients around the globe count on, as well as our culture of innovation,” said Alex Stevens, President, OPEX Warehouse Automation. “Sure Sort has long been a preferred warehouse automation solution for distribution centers and third-party logistics companies. Sure Sort X paired with Xtract has been developed to meet the evolving demands of the marketplace to deliver one integrated solution that automates the sort and order takeaway process.”
When Sure Sort X is paired with Xtract, totes are retrieved and their contents are transferred into shipping containers automatically, eliminating the need to manually sort and transfer boxes downstream. Xtract iBOTs can handle up to 200 extracted totes per hour.
The system can accommodate multiple market vertical workflows and greatly reduce the need for human interface. Installation can occur in as little as one week and return on investment can be realized within just two years.
For nearly five decades, OPEX has served as a trusted partner, collaborating closely with clients to develop customized, scalable solutions that transform how they conduct business.
About OPEX
OPEX Corporation is a global leader in Next Generation Automation, providing innovative, unique solutions for warehouse, document and mail automation. With headquarters in Moorestown, NJ, USA—and facilities in Pennsauken, NJ; Plano, TX; France; Germany; Switzerland; the United Kingdom; and Australia—OPEX has nearly 1,600 employees who are continuously reimagining and delivering customized, scalable technology solutions that solve the business challenges of today and in the future.
Columbus, OH – December 18, 2024 – Hy-Tek Intralogistics, a premier provider of software, systems and services for supply chain automation technology, has released an episode of its popular podcast Automation Insider that looks at warehousing trends for 2025.
Automation Insider is a podcast created for people interested in what is new and what is successful in logistics and automation technology across a wide range of industries.
“Warehousing is evolving faster than ever,” said Hy-Tek Intralogistics Solutions Design Lead and Automation Insider Host Joe McGrath. “Technology is no longer just a support tool—it’s becoming the driving force behind how we handle inventory, meet customer demands and tackle challenges like sustainability. As we move toward 2025, staying ahead means embracing the trends shaping the future of logistics.”
From smarter warehouses powered by AI to green logistics initiatives, Hy-Tek takes a look at the top trends transforming warehousing and why they matter for your business.
Fans of the podcast can contact show producer Amanda Powers at AutomationInsider@hy-tek.com to provide feedback and ideas for the podcast, or to become a guest on the show. You can also listen on Spotify, YouTube or Apple.
About Hy-Tek Intralogistics
Bringing unique solutions to material handling challenges, Hy-Tek is a leading end-to-end resource and automation technology integrator across a wide range of industries including manufacturing, distribution, retail, construction, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics and automotive that keep their supply chain moving seamlessly and efficiently.
Hy-Tek works with supply chain strategy and planning before integration and then leverages emerging technologies like the IntraOne® full stack software platform, robotics and traditional material handling automation to solve complex product and information flow inefficiencies. Through many hours of research, development and testing, Hy-Tek has created its Innovation Lab to present the future in motion and to show the new age of picking, transporting and storing of goods and equipment in real-time. With more than 425 employees, Hy-Tek serves customers in the United States, Canada and Mexico from offices in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. For more information, visit www.hy-tek.com
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt has promoted David Fussell to vice president of dedicated sales, following the retirement of Walt Gray.
Fussell joined Averitt in 1991 and has held several key positions throughout his career. He served as a transportation sales specialist in Decatur and Nashville, later becoming service center director in Little Rock. In 2018, he transitioned to director of dedicated sales, working closely with Gray to expand the company’s dedicated accounts and deliver customized solutions to customers.
“David’s extensive experience and leadership have been instrumental in expanding our dedicated services,” said Kent Williams, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Averitt. “We look forward to seeing continued growth under his leadership in this role.” For more information about Averitt’s Dedicated solutions, visit Averitt.com/Dedicated.
About Averitt
Serving shippers for over 50 years, Averitt is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management solutions with an international reach of over 100 countries. Averitt's “Power of One” service structure provides shippers access to LTL, Truckload, Dedicated, Distribution & Fulfillment, and Integrated services that cover every link in the supply chain. Averitt’s team has been awarded the highest honors in the industry in the past year, including three Quest for Quality Awards, numerous customer awards, and a top ranking in MASTIO & Company’s shipper survey. Averitt's 8,500+ associates are dedicated to delivering the most reliable services within the industry and promoting a company culture centered around people, communities, sustainability, and giving back. For more information, call 1-800-AVERITT (283-7488) or visit Averitt.com.