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Kenco Invents Smartphone App that Improves Shipment Visibility, Reduces Damage Claims

[ March 7, 2017   //   ]

Kenco Logistics has teamed up with Smart Gladiator to roll out a new mobile app that increases supply chain visibility by photo documenting shipments to improve compliance and reduce costs. The LoadProof app is now available at www.loadproof.com.

LoadProof is an image-capture app designed for logistics operations. Warehouse workers, truck drivers, supervisors, or anyone involved in shipping and receiving can photograph shipments and instantly upload photos to a cloud server with supporting information about date, time, and load details. The images and info can be shared with anyone to help improve supply chain visibility, determine responsibility for issues, and prove the shipment was in good condition at the point of transfer.

Kristi Montgomery, Kenco vice president of Innovation, Research and Development, said the idea for LoadProof was born when a Kenco customer asked for ideas to improve the manual process of documenting correct loading of product including labeling, pallet condition, product placement, and trailer placement/cubing.

Montgomery said they identified other customers who were dealing with significant financial penalties for products arriving in non-compliant condition. Many were forced to accept the chargebacks because they had no way to prove compliance at the time of shipment. A recent report from Supply Chain 24/7 states “some retailers count these fines as up to 13% of their account revenue.”

Kenco Innovation Labs developed a prototype app and website which was beta tested at five Kenco locations. After a successful pilot program, Kenco strategically partnered with Smart Gladiator to develop a scalable, secure, enterprise-ready application that is now available for both Android and Apple devices. It has a secure cloud repository to store the photos, which can be easily integrated into various supply chain systems.

“Kenco is a true pioneer and a trailblazer that understands the importance of innovation,” said Puga Sankara, principal with Smart Gladiator. “We are excited to partner with Kenco to bring this innovation to the industry with utmost importance to privacy and security as an impartial vendor, so that the entire industry can benefit from image enabling their supply chain.”

Kenco’s use of LoadProof in its own facilities will reduce manual documentation of compliance and paperwork—resulting in significant cost savings–although its application is much broader. “Because our mission is innovation for the entire supply chain—not just for Kenco and its customers—we teamed with Smart Gladiator to make the LoadProof solution as widely available as possible,” said Montgomery.

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