Introduction
In 2018, the Indian bitumen market was valued at $2.8 billion. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8% from 2019 to 2026, reaching a projected value of $3.6 billion by 2026. The significant growth of the Indian bitumen market is primarily attributed to the rise in road and construction activities. Safe bitumen transportation in India through the road has the inherent challenge of theft, pilferage or even unauthorized access which only a device like FleetRobo’s GPS e-lock can avert.
With increasing challenges in bitumen transportation, the GPS e-lock is a one-stop solution for all your modern day challenges. FleetRobo’s GPS E-lock will get you an extra layer of tech-based physical security for safe bitumen transportation. Stay ahead of the game by adopting FleetRobo’s innovative solution and ensure safe transport of your valuable bitumen cargo.
What challenges hinders the safe market transportation in India?
The elephant in the room – Theft, pilferage, and unauthorized access
Majority of the bitumen containers in India uses the traditional vehicle tracking method and traditional locks. This is a cakewalk situation for cargo thieves.
Cargo thieves can easily break the lock and steal the shipments. You might lose critical contact in remote areas or in the event of breakdowns etc. Your outdated methods cannot detect any unauthorized access to your materials which can be done by your rivals or by any outsider.
In such scenarios, you will lose your valuable bitumen shipments, face delays in the delivery of shipments, lose critical trade information, and above all it will definitely tarnish your business reputation.
The worrying theft trend in the construction sector
The BSI and TT Club Cargo Theft Report 2022 reveals concerning statistics about cargo theft, particularly in the construction materials sector. Construction materials constitute 7% of the overall thefts worldwide, making it one of the top five targeted commodities. Among various modes of transportation, road transportation stands out as the most vulnerable, accounting for a staggering 65% of total theft incidents.
India accounts for 52% of cargo theft in Asia. The common modus operandi, identified by the report, was either by paying or coercing transport truck drivers by criminal groups to reroute their normal route to alternative locations. In such scenarios, goods such as bitumen are most vulnerable.
Bituminous movement through vulnerable areas
North India accounted for the major Indian bitumen market share in 2018. Unfortunately, it is also a hotspot for cargo thefts, as highlighted in the Cargo Theft report. The state of Uttar Pradesh accounts for almost a quarter of the overall reported thefts.
The government is currently expanding the road network in North-Eastern and Naxal-affected areas. So, any bituminous transportation, especially bitumen drums to or through these areas will have a high probability of theft.
For example, in February this year, two members murdered the truck driver and stole a consignment of bitumen being transported from Guwahati Refinery to Tura in Meghalaya.
Other issues with bitumen shipping
- Bitumen drums are an easy solution for projects that require less bitumen, such as road repairs or maintenance work. But this also makes them an easy target for cargo thieves and hamper intermittent deliveries of bitumen required for the project. Complicating matters, once stolen, these drums are challenging to trace and easily concealed by thieves.
- Bitumen containers offer a more flexible option for transportation and can be used to deliver to multiple locations. But bitumen containers can also be stolen and there are examples as well.
How FleetRobo’s GPS e-lock ensures safe bitumen transportation?
Track your bitumen transportation in real-time
FleetRobo’s GPS e-lock enables your Supply chain Manager/Transport Co-Ordinator to track bitumen containers accurately. This allows you to know about the real-time insights of the containers, like their current location, speed, last milestone crossed, E.T.A, etc.
You can also get notifications in case of any unforeseen events such as accidents, mechanical failures, etc. This allows you to respond swiftly reducing downtime and ensuring the timely delivery of your valuable cargo.
Geo-fence your bitumen shipping
Predefined areas can be geo-fenced with FleetRobo’s GPS E-lock. Your bitumen container drivers cannot divert from their normal route to alternative locations. If they do, then your Security & Maintenance Manager will get immediate notification. Thereby, preventing the common modus operandi of criminal groups.
Reap the benefits of Dual Sim Mechanism in vulnerable areas
The e-lock has been embedded with Dual Sim operation for tracking. The benefit of that is you never miss an update at any given point. This will be handy for you especially in the cross-border movement of bitumen or any bitumen transportation in vulnerable areas such as Naxal-affected areas.
Transporting Bitumen to remote locations. We got you covered
For any bitumen container transportation to remote areas especially North-Eastern and Hilly areas, the e-lock can be operated through Bluetooth and password based. So, with FleetRobo’s GPS E-lock, you are covered for each and every safety hazard.
Customize your alerts based on your bitumen transportation
GPS E-Locks provide a range of alarm options including lock string cut-off, unlock, lock, tamper, wrong password, and back cover open alarms. Thereby allowing you to configure the system to meet your specific needs such as bitumen drums and containers.
Unparalleled efficiency and 24*7 support to your safe bitumen transportation
FleetRobo’s GPS E-lock is waterproof has an IP67 rating and is also waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof. So it is optimal for your bitumen transfer throughout any climatic condition.
The e-lock has unparalleled resistance to breakage and uncompromising strength and comprises a tamper-proof design. The e-lock has a 20% increase in Operational Efficiency when compared to its counterparts. So far, it has prevented more than 15000 Pilferage / Theft.
Above all our support team will provide you with unmatched support/ virtual assistance for your safe bitumen transportation 24*7 in multiple languages.
How can you stay ahead always in the bitumen transportation game?
FleetRobo goes beyond just the GPS E-lock, offering a wide range of cutting-edge technological solutions to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. With our comprehensive fuel monitoring system you can enhance your fleet efficiency. Our Logistics Process Automation devoid your manual intervention in logistics. Consignment tracking offers Multimodal Tracking & Monitoring of your consignment, etc.
These innovations have led to remarkable improvements in supply chain efficiency, reduced instances of theft and pilferage, and faster response times in fleet management across various industries. The Bitumen sector has embraced these tech solutions, reaping a multitude of benefits. It is time for you to embrace the FleetRobo products and witness greater advancements in your bitumen transfers.