Apace Digital Cargo had a special chance to connect with Uddhav Kumar, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Lynkit. With the expansion of the cargo and logistics industry, supply chains are becoming more complicated, making it more difficult to trace items and identify inefficiencies, Lynkit focuses on strategic tracking and security solutions for cargo trucks, oil tankers, cargo trains, and containers. To learn more about how the company offers automation of logistics and orchestrating efficiency through the supply chain, here are the excerpts of the interview:

1. In the era of digitalisation and advancing technology, how does Lynkit leverage digital solutions to drive efficiency and streamline processes in the supply chain? Could you provide examples of how Lynkit’s digital approach has transformed traditional logistics practices for your clients?

At Lynkit, we harness the power of digital solutions to revolutionise supply chain processes and enhance efficiency. Our digital approach lets us streamline logistics practices and deliver significant client value.

Here are a few examples of how Lynkit’s digital solutions have transformed traditional logistics practices:

• Real-Time Tracking and Visibility: Our advanced tracking systems provide real-time visibility into the movement of goods throughout the supply chain. Clients can monitor their shipments, track delivery status, and proactively manage delays or disruptions. This level of transparency improves operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

• Automated Documentation: Lynkit’s digital platform automates the generation, management, and storage of critical documentation, such as invoices, eway bills, lorry receipts, freight invoices etc. By eliminating manual paperwork, clients can reduce administrative tasks, minimise errors, and accelerate document processing, resulting in faster customs clearance and smoother operations.

 

• Intelligent Route and Vehicle Optimization: Our digital algorithms optimise route planning based on various factors, including distance, vehicle and load size, traffic conditions, and delivery deadlines. By identifying the most efficient routes and vehicle combinations, we help clients minimise transportation costs, reduce fuel consumption, and enhance overall delivery efficiency.

• Warehouse Management Systems: Lynkit’s digital warehouse management systems enable clients to manage inventory efficiently, track stock levels, and optimise storage space. With real-time insights into stock availability and location, clients can minimise stockouts, improve order fulfilment accuracy, and enhance warehouse productivity.
• Digital Twins– We make digital replicas of warehouses and yards. These digital twins provide real-time data and insights about the assets’ performance, condition, and utilisation.

2. Can you share an example of how Lynkit’s integrated hardware, firmware, and software approach has significantly improved supply chain efficiency for one of your clients?

Certainly! One of our clients, a large Korea based electronics manufacturer and retailer, faced challenges maintaining accurate inventory visibility across their production line inside the factory as well as yard and parking management system. We implemented an integrated hardware, firmware, and software solution to address their needs.

We deployed Lynkit’s RFID-equipped hardware devices inside the plant, seamlessly integrating them into the existing infrastructure. Our firmware enabled real-time data capture and transmission, eliminating manual processes.

Simultaneously, our software processed and analysed the data, providing accurate inventory visibility. Plant managers accessed real-time production and tracked stock movements quickly.

The integration improved inventory accuracy, reduced stock discrepancies and vehicle dwell times inside the yard and waiting time at the gates, enhancing order fulfilment rates.

The client leveraged data analytics to gain insights into inventory and vehicle movement and make data-driven decisions.

Overall, Lynkit’s integrated approach improved supply chain efficiency, leading to enhanced inventory visibility, streamlined operations, and improved customer satisfaction for the client.

3. With the increasing complexity of supply chains, how does Lynkit ensure real-time tracking and optimisation of goods from origin to destination, including during transit and at various touchpoints?

Lynkit recognises the importance of real-time tracking and optimisation in today’s complex supply chains. To ensure seamless visibility and optimisation of goods from origin to destination, including during transit and at various touchpoints, we employ a comprehensive set of solutions:

Integrated Tracking Technologies: Lynkit utilises a combination of tracking technologies such as GPS, RFID, and IoT sensors. These technologies enable us to capture real-time data at different supply chain stages, including origin, transit, and touchpoints. This ensures continuous tracking and monitoring of goods throughout their journey.

Centralised Software Platform: We have developed a centralised software platform that serves as a command centre for managing and analysing data. The platform integrates data from various tracking technologies and touchpoints, providing a real-time holistic view of the supply chain. This allows for proactive decision-making and immediate response to any disruptions or delays.

Data Integration and Connectivity: Lynkit establishes strong connectivity with relevant stakeholders involved in the supply chain, including manufacturers, logistics partners and carriers. We ensure real-time information flows efficiently between all parties through data integration and seamless communication channels. This enables better coordination, faster problem resolution, and improved overall supply chain performance.

Intelligent Analytics and Optimization: Lynkit’s software platform employs advanced analytics and optimization algorithms to derive meaningful insights from the captured data. These insights help identify bottlenecks, optimise routes, and streamline processes at each touchpoint. By leveraging data-driven intelligence, we continuously strive for efficiency and optimisation across the supply chain.

Exception Management and Alerts: Lynkit’s software platform has automated exception management capabilities. It monitors the data in real-time, detects anomalies, and triggers alerts for potential issues or deviations from the expected flow. This allows for prompt intervention and proactive resolution of disruptions, minimising the impact on the supply chain.

By combining these elements, Lynkit ensures real-time tracking and optimisation of goods throughout the supply chain. This comprehensive approach enables us to provide our clients with enhanced visibility, improved decision-making capabilities, and a more efficient and responsive supply chain.

4. How does Lynkit incorporate emerging technologies like IoT, OCR, vision recognition, and RFID into its solutions to enable seamless tracking and process automation?

At Lynkit, we understand the transformative power of emerging technologies in supply chain management. We actively incorporate IoT, OCR (Optical Character Recognition), vision recognition, and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) into our solutions to enable seamless tracking and process automation. Here’s how we leverage these technologies:

IoT (Internet of Things): Lynkit integrates IoT devices and sensors into the supply chain infrastructure. These devices collect and transmit data in real-time, enabling us to monitor various parameters such as temperature, humidity, location, and condition of goods. This real-time data feeds into our software platform, providing valuable insights for proactive decision-making and optimising supply chain operations.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition): we use OCR technology to extract information from documents to get invoice numbers, consignor/consignee details, goods details etc. We also deploy OCR via our edge based cameras on containers and vehicles for Container Number Recognition in yards and ANPR( Automatic Number Plate Recognition). By automating the data extraction process, Lynkit eliminates manual data entry, reduces errors, and accelerates document processing. This streamlines administrative tasks and enables faster clearance and smoother logistics operations.

Vision Recognition: Lynkit leverages vision recognition technologies like image and video analytics to capture and interpret movement data. This allows us to identify and track items, monitor loading and unloading processes, automate stock counts and perform quality checks such as damage reports for vehicles and containers. Vision recognition enhances operational efficiency and improves inventory accuracy.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification): RFID tags and readers are utilised by Lynkit to track and trace assets, products, and packages in real time. By attaching RFID tags to items, we can automatically capture their location and movement as they pass through RFID readers installed at various touchpoints. This enables seamless tracking, accurate inventory management, and efficient supply chain visibility.

By incorporating these emerging technologies, Lynkit empowers our clients with enhanced tracking capabilities, process automation, and data-driven insights. Integrating IoT, OCR, vision recognition, and RFID technologies into our solutions ensures improved operational efficiency, better decision-making, and a more agile and responsive supply chain.

5. In an industry that constantly evolves, how does Lynkit stay ahead of the curve and adapt its offerings to meet the changing needs and demands of the logistics sector?

At Lynkit, staying ahead of the curve is ingrained in our approach as we navigate the ever-evolving logistics industry. We proactively adapt our offerings to meet the changing needs and demands of the sector through several key strategies:

Continuous Market Research: We invest significant efforts in conducting market research and closely monitoring industry trends. This helps us gain insights into emerging technologies, evolving customer expectations, and new challenges faced by logistics stakeholders. We can anticipate industry shifts and proactively adapt our offerings by staying informed.

Collaboration with Industry Partners: We actively collaborate with logistics industry partners, including manufacturers, carriers, freight forwarders, and technology providers. By fostering strong partnerships, we gain valuable input, exchange knowledge, and share best practices. This collaborative approach allows us to stay attuned to the changing landscape and co-create innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of the logistics sector.

Agile Development and Iterative Improvements: We employ an agile development approach to quickly iterate and improve our solutions based on customer feedback and changing market dynamics. Regular feedback loops and close collaboration with clients enable us to identify pain points, understand evolving requirements, and make necessary adjustments to our offerings promptly.

Embracing Emerging Technologies: We actively embrace emerging technologies that have the potential to disrupt the logistics industry. By evaluating and incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, and automation into our solutions, we ensure that our offerings remain relevant and provide tangible benefits to our clients.

Customer-Centric Approach: We strongly emphasise understanding our customers’ needs, pain points, and aspirations. Through regular engagement and feedback mechanisms, we actively seek input from our clients and incorporate their insights into our product development roadmap. This customer-centric approach allows us to align our offerings with the changing demands and expectations of the logistics sector.

End-to-end Integration-Our team excels in implementing end-to-end integrated, in-house solutions, including hardware and firmware, software, and on-site client installations, to ensure seamless and optimal workflow.

We consistently strive to innovate, collaborate, and leverage emerging technologies to ensure that our offerings meet the evolving needs of our clients and enable them to thrive in an ever-changing logistics landscape.