The Cargo Carousel System

Introduction Objectives

In current supply chain operations trucks finish deliveries and return to their depots empty - 30% to 50% of all trucks travelling on our roads today are running empty backhauls. In current reverse chain operations (in the retail sector this includes store returns, overstocks, label changes, perishable items, shelf pulls, freight damage, etc.) trucks leave their depots empty and come back full. The separation of these chains represents the last great barrier to efficient and truly circular supply chains. Neither chain is being utilized efficiently and as a result twice as many trips are being made causing more greenhouse gas emissions than needed. To create truly circular supply chains these streams must be effectively combined.

The most compelling market opportunity for Circular Supply Chains is offering a product capable of combining supply and return chain operations. Quick and easy to install into existing trailers and shipping containers this will lower the barrier for adoption for transportation and logistics customers. The target market is retailers who must handle deliveries and returns to and from central warehouses.

Circular Supply Chains has access to a large network of stakeholders – from retailers, to distributors, to logistics and their supporting industries - who are able to adopt and deploy the system on a scale that will realize significant benefits.

The goal of this project is to create a half scale functional prototype of The Cargo Carousel System, a modular system utilized “end-to-end” throughout the chain. Capable of transforming the value chain through its flexible and scalable systems representing a complete solution in integrating the chains. Deliveries and pickups can be done at the same time meaning no more empty back hauls, and a reduction of 50% would deliver $374M in annual fuel savings to the Canadian trucking industry, and remove 763,000 tons of CO2 in support of SDG 13 – climate action.

Concept

As each cubic module is removed from the carousel it leaves space for another to take its place. Featuring modular overall design and bolt-in retrofit capability it can easily be installed in standard ISO intermodal shipping containers, trailers and truck boxes. The ability to track products on the module through to SKU level using RFID, Cloud App and GPS ensures full real-time visibility into inventory disposition. A cornerstone of today’s shipping is the use of wooden pallets and shrink wrap. Many consumer goods must be secured with single use packaging to both protect and environmentally seal goods, however the Cargo Carousel can eliminate this wasteful packaging by housing the product directly in the removable carousel modules.

Replace single use packaging with permanent purpose made packing

The impact to Circular Supply Chains of developing the Cargo Carousel System will lower the time to market by having a design ready for commercialization as a result of the project. Through pilot studies of the prototype, demonstrating the function and value of the system, partner companies can secure early adoption contracts. This would provide revenues to fund further product developments and allow Circular Supply Chains to add full time staff.

The use case for this initial prototype will focus on the banana trade. Costa Rica is among the largest exporters of the fruit into Canada and North America. Adoption of the Cargo Carousel System can potentially eliminate 110,000 cardboard boxes, 2M wood pallets, 110M single-use plastic bags and 11.2M plastic reinforcing corner posts every year from Costa Rican banana sector alone, all payable by the farmers. This translates into a savings of $254M CAD that could go back into their operations directly supporting SDG 8 – decent work and better pay, and SDG 12 – responsible consumption and production.

The research methodology will focus on combining electrical, mechanical and IoT technologies to create a scaled down functional prototype of the Cargo Carousel System. Standard intermodal shipping containers and truck trailers are 40-53 feet, the prototype we propose to build would be half scale at 20 feet but would demonstrate all the functionality of the full scale model. The research approach will be multi-disciplinary involving a three phase approach of Connectivity, Requirements Design and Prototype Build. We are supported by private equity and government grants and are open to further investment by industry collaborators.