Shippers want all sectors of the air cargo supply chain to engage in constructive discussion and embrace new process and new technology. Miami, USA - Change is needed, and all sectors of the air cargo supply chain industry must work together to drive adoption of new technology and greater transparency, according to a new position paper from TIACA’s Shippers’ Advisory Committee (SAC). The group, formed last year and chaired by Lars Droog, Head of Supply Chain and General Affairs for Tosoh Corporation, aims to bring the voice of the shipper to existing discussions and initiatives, as well as spark debate on how to innovate, be it adopting new process, or new technology. The SAC has several short-term goals, including investigating a logistics data backbone solution, according to the authors of the paper, who include seven shippers from across a broad range of sectors. The paper is supported by the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) and the European Shippers' Council. “At the moment, the air cargo supply chain requires 21 documents to be sent 40 times, in 20 steps,” according to the SAC paper. “It is complicated, it is expensive, it is outdated, it is slow. “A decentralized open platform with a shared collaborative environment would enable seamless integration and real time visibility over freight. “We would be eliminating data re-entry and errors, instead having first-time-right data, updated by real time events and maintained to reflect one version of the truth.” The SAC is also championing innovative technology such as smart labels and intelligent boxes and calling for ways to increase transparency, looking at “new ways to communicate data and providing options that reduce the need for physical consolidations and allow for virtual ones.” “This is a high level document which will start an important dialogue for the industry,” said Droog. “Each shipper faces different challenges and has different needs and, in the coming months, we will explore these as part of the conversation. “It is only by working together that we will be able to get results and improve the industry.” The SAC will be meeting regularly to discuss options for the industry to better collaborate, and over the course of the next few months, each member will be drafting an essay outlining their concerns and challenges based on the sector they are involved with. The position paper is available to download on the TIACA website at tiaca.org, under latest news, and can also be downloaded here. “TIACA fully endorses this position paper and we are thrilled that we now finally have the shipper's voice and engagement to make much-needed changes in the air cargo supply chain,” said Sebastiaan Scholte, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jan De Rijk Logistics, and Vice Chairman, TIACA. "Our members have been asking for more shipper's involvement for some time and we are very happy to have such an active and enthusiastic advisory committee." The SAC will be discussing the paper and next steps at the Executive Summit, which takes place in Miami from October 18th to 20th, 2017. SAC members include Robert Mellin, Engagement Lead Logistics at Ericsson Industry & Society, Bernhard Baertschi, Head of Export, Bioforce AG, Pascal Meyer, Head of Transportation and Customs, Chanel Perfums Beauté, Tom Erling Mikkelsen, Head of Airfreight at Marine Harvest Terminal, Alex Nieuwpoort, Sandvik Machining Solutions, and Yoram Eshel, Senior Director, Head of Global Transportation and Logistics at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.