Tracker introduces OKgo

Offering a new era of supply chain visibility and optimisation

In a move to bolster supply chain visibility for businesses in South Africa, Tracker has partnered with Roambee, a Silicon Valley company specialising in AI-powered asset and shipment tracking and monitoring. The new solution, named OKgo, empowers businesses with actionable insights to enhance growth and resilience across local and global supply chain networks, from the first to the last mile.

Local supply chains suffer from shipping route disruptions, cyber security risks, physical asset security risks and, in some cases like Cape Town harbour, poor weather conditions. This, combined with poor infrastructure causing congestion in ports, roads and rail/ road interfaces results in reduced product availability and low asset utilisation, which increases operating costs. These costs are passed on to retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers who in turn carry more inventory and working capital to hedge against supply chain disruptions. Additional inventory increases the risk of spoilage and stock losses, raising operating costs even further and limiting investment in growth. Ultimately, consumers carry the burden of increased costs and/ or limited job opportunities.

OKgo provides a unified, AI-enabled supply chain visibility platform that aims to boost businesses’ cash flows, productivity, quality and compliance. It provides near real-time first-, mid- and last mile visibility across organisational boundaries, country borders and all modes of transport, on a single platform. It also provides visibility of inventory or assets moving through the supply chain to identify and predict bottlenecks, prioritise shipments through the bottlenecks and highlight quality and/ or security problems before or as they happen.

Adaptable to various industries, the OKgo solution integrates across diverse technological landscapes in an interoperable manner to deliver real-time, actionable insights. It provides connected sensors for data collection, a device agnostic visibility platform for exception management, an AI-enabled intelligence platform for insight and foresight and an integration hub for connecting to a company’s ERP (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Microsoft), planning systems, warehouse management systems and/ or transport management systems (e.g. BlueYonder, e2Open). Physical, remotely controlled security locks combined with location data provide a second layer of authentication to securely manage access of assets and inventory.

The solution utilises data triangulation to combine near real-time sensor data, external data sources and organisational data to offer an automated, comprehensive view of logistics operations, ultimately creating a digital twin. Typical data collected via sensors includes location, temperature, humidity, shock and tilt. External data includes information from cargo ships, flight schedules, weather conditions, port and road congestion. While, organisational data includes information from the company’s warehouse management system, transport management system or ERP.

The solution also provides a rules-engine for managing exceptions as they happen. It ensures strict adherence to standards with electronic proof-of-delivery (ePoD) and item-level auditable tracking, protecting assets and shipments across land, air, or sea. This real-time location-based information enables cold chain operators to, for instance, rescue cold chain shipments that are at risk from temperature fluctuations, detect theft or tampering of goods, and better manage inventory.

OKgo is enhanced by Roambee’s solutions, which have demonstrated their value with over 300 market-leading businesses across supply chain sectors. For instance, a top 20 global pharmaceutical company achieved 100% real-time visibility across its primary distribution network using Roambee. This capability not only prevented two hijackings over three years but also enabled the company to successfully implement a just-in-time model, significantly improving on-time, in-full delivery compliance.

Wayne de Nobrega, Tracker CEO, says, “The launch of OKgo in partnership with Roambee signals a new era of supply chain innovation for South Africa. Together, we're combining world-class technology with Tracker's trusted expertise to deliver unmatched visibility and control. This partnership is set to redefine how businesses manage their logistics, driving efficiency, security, and growth in an increasingly complex environment.”

Michael Olivier has been appointed as the Managing Director of OKgo. Olivier is a seasoned supply chain specialist with 24 years of experience in consulting and in industry. His expertise spans supply chain strategy, design, ERP implementation, and business process optimisation across diverse sectors. Notably, he led the design and implementation of a supply chain control tower, which improved on-time, in-full deliveries from 20% to over 50% within just three months. In the last five years, his leadership in operations and technology has identified savings of over R300 million for clients, consistently driving value and growth through tailored supply chain solutions.

“This partnership is a game-changer, introducing South Africa's first true end-to-end supply chain visibility solution. With OKgo, businesses can now harness innovative technology to supercharge both productivity and growth. We're excited to empower leaders with the insights they need to stay ahead in a competitive market,” says Olivier.

Sanjay Sharma, CEO of Roambee, says, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Tracker, a leader in the South African market, to launch a solution that not only leverages our advanced technology but has also proven effective in emerging markets globally. Our platform, trusted by some of the world’s most recognised brands, will now empower South African businesses to achieve greater visibility, efficiency, and growth in their supply chains.”