Supply Chain: Defeating the Security Watchdog

Companies can achieve a state of heightened security awareness through compliance with both domestic and/or international regulations. Examples include Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) and the completion of third-party reviews — facility risk assessments, employee background checks, and due diligence assessments of third-party vendors.

To truly safeguard cargo from production to distribution, however, the use of global positioning systems (GPS) has shown to be a deterrent to cargo theft and invaluable in recovering lost cargo. Many times, recovery takes place within minutes or a few hours of an occurrence if there is dedicated tracking and it is done in real-time.

Even with the adoption of enhanced security awareness and protection, cargo theft is constantly under reported, if reported at all.

This is based on the following factors:

• Loss of reputation
• Loss of business
• Financial loss
• Unexplainable circumstances
• Fear of termination
• Employee belief that GPS is invasion of privacy
• Avoidance of Quality Control Audits

As supply chains expand and technology advances, thieves will adapt and attempt to circumvent tracking. In many instances, thieves use electronic jamming to counter tracking devices or simply remove devices. Additionally, even with advancing technology, challenges in battery life, reliability, transmitting and area coverage all result in limitations.