Blockchain-based logistics company ShipChain and GTX Corp recently formed a partnership for a new global NFC blockchain shipment tracking solution.
Under the agreement, ShipChain will use GTX’s temperature-enabled NFC smart tags to track temperature-sensitive shipments. The tag requires no scanners or wires, and records temperatures based on customer-defined intervals and durations. In addition, GTX offers other NFC products that ShipChain will utilize to optimize its Track and Trace Platform, the company said.
“ShipChain’s new partnership with GTX is another step toward reaching our goal: a transparent, unified, end-to-end logistics platform,” said John Monarch, ShipChain’s CEO. “Until now, availability and cost of sensors was always a stumbling block. But GTX’s smart tags—integrated into ShipChain’s track-and-trace platform—provide low-cost, powerful tools to give our customers even more information about their shipments.
“Now, we can provide new visibility into food quality, temperature history, location and handler information. The possibilities are endless, and we cannot wait to watch this partnership unfold and evolve.”
Patrick Bertagna, GTX’s CEO, said ShipChain will help enhance value propositions.
“While developing our cutting-edge NFC products and talking to customers, we realized we needed to incorporate blockchain security in order to be an influencer in the shipment tracking and monitoring business,” Bertagna said. “By collaborating and integrating our technologies with ShipChain, we will enhance our speed to market while providing a much-needed comprehensive solution for the industry.”
The NFC tags provide real-time temperature sensing and data logging. According to the company, these built-in security measures can prevent the distribution of contaminated supplies in the marketplace and unauthorized modification of data logs. The encrypted data collected from the tags will securely upload to the ShipChain blockchain.
Integration between ShipChain and GTX is underway and a joint customer is expected to be revealed once details are finalized, the companies said. Additionally, ShipChain will offer GTX-enabled services to all customers as part of the expanding partnership.
“We are thrilled to partner with ShipChain and see tremendous value in coupling their blockchain platform with our NFC technology,” said Theresa Gordon, NFC business leader for GTX. “We are seeing more and more demand for efficient, secure and cost-effective supply chain management solutions and this partnership will deliver all of that plus the tools for data analysis to help reduce shipping costs, comply with regulatory requirements and provide brands the peace of mind that they are not delivering tainted products prior to retail consumption.”
