Supported by PSA unboXed, the HAULIO solves logistics and supply chain problems by making container haulage easier

Ask an average person what logistics is and the answer would most probably involve overland distribution or retail deliveries, usually involving deliveries made by e-commerce. But goods travel a long way from manufacturer to consumer, and what most people usually see is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Just like any industry, there is a hidden aspect to logistics – the general public need not be aware of how things get to them, just as long as it gets to them on time and without damage.

On a global scale, the supply chain industry as a whole is a traditionally inefficient and fragmented industry that has as many stakeholders as there are large masses of land and water that goods have to travel across.

Also read: Slow but steady, the logistics and supply chain industry moves toward digitalisation

Imagine this: for goods to travel from one country to another, it has to travel from store or factory to port, from port to carrier. And when the carrier has arrived in the new country, goods have to travel from carrier to port, and from port to customer. And they won’t shipped in individual boxes – almost all that are shipped by sea will be via Containers. And that’s already a simplification. Between that, there are also inter-port transfer and inter-carrier hauling, among many other things.

Suffice it to say that even if you look at just one aspect of the logistics and supply chain industry – the container haulage, a.k.a. the movement of containers inland – it is still a monster of an industry to tackle.

So, is it really possible to innovate in an industry as literally and figuratively massive as logistics and supply chain?

HAULIO says yes – if you work at industry-wide collaboration, increasing the productivity and efficiency of the logistics processes, and optimising route and asset utilisation of industry stakeholders.

 

The vision of industry-wide collaboration

In an industry as fragmented as logistics and supply chain, collaboration is the first step to solving its inefficiencies.

HAULIO is a centralised, collaborative platform designed for the container haulage industry to better optimise their resources through better handling of the peaks and troughs of the business. The B2B platform pools together ports, truckers, and customers to match incoming hauling requirements to available hauliers.

They are working closely with PSA, a global port operator, to enable containers to move faster and smoother than before. Hauliers, no matter what size, can use the platform to share and get access to jobs previously not available to them.

But HAULIO is more than just a job-matching platform; they consider themselves an ecosystem that allows all parties to optimise their resources, regardless of the season.

Also read: 2017 will be the defining year for the logistics industry

During peak seasons, for example, the platform can be used by the hauliers to share the workload amongst themselves, therefore optimising their resources. The HAULIO Community Portal allows hauliers to post jobs and get responses from other hauliers, or find jobs in specific areas to save on empty trips.

In lull periods, HAULIO opens up PSA inter-terminal trucking (ITT) jobs in the platform that serves as a consistent and reliable source of revenue for hauliers with spare capacity. This on-demand model is the first of its kind and allows hauliers to earn by moving containers from yard to yard within the port.

Through their platform, HAULIO aims to achieve industry-wide collaboration among the various stakeholders, increasing efficiency by 30 per cent, and gaining up to 10 per cent savings in cost.

 

Challenging existing fundamentals

In a problem deemed “too big” like logistics and supply chain, HAULIO believes that taking small steps is the way to go.

With the slogan “Together, We Cargo Faster,” HAULIO aims to redefine the way containers are being moved.

Their solution focusses on the inefficiencies of moving containers inland from Door to Port and Port to Door – make trucks run like clockwork, offering visibility and transparency to the end customer to increase the value of the movement.

”Container trucking has always been understood to be a commoditized business that is of no value-add to the entire chain, but it has been an essential part of it. This vast difference in expectations of the clients and that with the industry players can hopefully be aligned once they are aware of the problems within.”

This may seem like a relatively small aspect when viewed against the entire logistics and supply chain industry, but much like most industries, solving the problems of the parts can snowball into making the whole work better and faster.

And for a startup in a monster of an industry like logistics, HAULIO’s goal of fostering collaboration and increasing efficiency may just be what solves the industry’s big problems.

 

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HAULIO aims to treat every container like a passenger as they move the industry towards a more efficient and collaborative one in order to bring added value to the eco-system.

They are an online B2B platform that connects ports, truckers, and customers to meet the demand for container hauling services, operating in Singapore. They are the 3rd startup to be incubated in the PSA unboXed programme and has received funding from NUS Enterprise and SPRING Singapore ACE Grant. Over the past 6 months, they have successfully connected 15 haulier companies to move over 6,500 containers in PSA ITT jobs, and close to 50 hauliers registered to date in their network. Moving forward, HAULIO aims to utilise IoT technology to allow hauliers to share not only jobs but assets as well.

HAULIO’s vision is to provide reliable and efficient container haulage service in the SEA region within the next 3 years through their focus of connecting Shipper Jobs to Truckers.

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Disclosure: This article is produced by the e27 content marketing team, sponsored by HAULIO

Featured image credit: krunja / 123RF Stock Photo

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