SUPPLEMENT


SE THE SETS


that will further support and benefit our customers, 3P stations, and ourselves.” Eifing notes that The Internet of Things (IoT) is moving airfreight


operations forward over the coming next decade. He also says: “IoT is still in an early adopter phase but is becoming more mature and standardized. For ACL Airshop and our customers, having reliable ULD stock information is essential, which can be achieved through IoT. We have seen significant benefits for our customers who have fully digitised their ULD fleet. IoT can be used not only for tracking ULDs but also for process automation, such as handovers, MRO, leasing and order processes. ACL Airshop will continue to invest in automation to help our customers optimise ULD management. “The global ULD market is around 1-1.2 million ULDs and has been


quite stable over the years. The passenger market is now recovering to pre-pandemic levels while the cargo market is showing a correction from the high demand during COVID-19. The challenge for not only airlines but also for companies like ACL Airshop is to optimise the utilisation of our assets and invest where we see the market demand is growing. In the event of regional shortages we first look to how we can solve this within our inventory instead of immediately purchasing new ULDs. This whole process is complex as also high sea transport costs have an impact on the decisions we make in our supply chain.” What is the typical lifespan of an ACL Airshop ULD? Van Gelder says:


“In general, the average lifespan of our containers is around seven years, with pallets lasting a few years longer, but it all depends on the handling and specifications of the ULDs as well as the utilisation of our assets. It also depends on the type of container and whether a container/pallet is flying in a closed loop (less damage) or not.” ACL Airshop was the first on the market with Bluetooth IoT


technology to keep track of ULDs. Bluetooth technology works well in a closed-loop network but depends on a reader network. When destinations continuously change, other IoT technologies are more appropriate. In the last two years, telecom operators have rapidly rolled out IoT networks with global coverage and standard protocols. ACL Airshop will utilise these networks with GPS trackers that use additional technologies like WiFi, Bluetooth, and LoRaWAN to provide better localisation anywhere in the world.


Route to greater efficiencies A reduction in the ULD fleet by up to 20% is possible, but also more accurate ULD stock and status information helps to become more efficient. Eifring says: “From a ULD management perspective, with a complete


digitalised ULD fleet, we do not need to receive the mostly manually entered IATA messages like SCM, UCM, and LUCs.” What are the latest innovations in ULD materials and construction?


What ACL Airshop see in the market is that there is less focus on new or exotic composite materials to further reduce weight or increase the strength of ULDs. Instead there is more focus on designing ULDs that are safer – fire resistant – or easier to handle. He adds: “The imbalance between global supply and demand


continues to be one of the major issues of the airline industry. Through ad hoc leasing, they can cover shortages, and through proper ULD control and our management system, and better analyse and predict shortages or overstock.” Due to e-commerce, there is high demand throughout the year for ULD,


Jacobsen reports, with possibly less seasonality at the end of the year. However, when peaks or lows occur, this is where ULD management software can help. By looking at historical data and trend lines, an ACL Airshop ULD control system can prevent these shortages or overstock. ACL Airshop can determine with all the historical data where certain ULD types are best positioned throughout the year. This is where its lease stock is positioned.


Future trends The future will be a smarter ULD with better localisation options (GPS) and more automation standards by airlines, combined with handlers and agents. This will help with higher utilisation of the ULD fleet. Maybe the ULD will tell the customers in the future where it needs to go and how it should be returned. Traditional messaging like UCM/SCM messages will become less relevant and will be replaced with digital messages. Globalisation will


happen in the same region, there could be more need for smaller aircraft flying regionally. The world will become more connected, and traditional trade lanes will slowly change. Asia will continue to drive the supply side, concludes Jacobsen.


5


“ACL Airshop was the first on


the market with Bluetooth IoT technology to keep track of ULDs”


increase and manufacturing and demand might


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