In today’s global supply chain landscape, a lack of collaboration and digital integration among logistics players, especially smaller companies, has emerged as a significant roadblock to optimizing capacity utilization and operational resilience.
This issue, compounded by the complexity of coordinating workflows across borders and cultures, has hindered the industry’s ability to address persistent capacity constraints and mitigate costly disruptions effectively.
In a recent interview on WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Giovanni Gubbels, founder and CEO of CtrlChain, shed light on these challenges and how his company is pioneering innovative solutions to bridge communication gaps and facilitate cooperation among supply chain stakeholders.
The collaboration conundrum
Gubbels, a logistics professional with experience spanning airfreight, ocean freight, trucking, warehousing and sales, understands the intricacies of the supply chain from multiple vantage points. This diverse background has given him a unique perspective on the systemic inefficiencies plaguing the industry, particularly the lack of collaboration between companies, which often results in trucks driving empty miles and suboptimal capacity utilization.
“Imagine with all the trucking companies we have,” Gubbels said. “How can you make them work together? And what is the issue that they don’t work together?”
Gubbels’ observations highlight a critical pain point: despite operating in an interconnected global network, many logistics players, especially smaller and non-digitized entities, struggle to coordinate effectively, leading to fragmented operations and inefficiencies.
CtrlChain’s holistic approach
Born in Amsterdam and now based in Chicago, Gubbels brings a cross-cultural lens to addressing these challenges. CtrlChain’s core mission is to “make the invisible visible” by digitizing smaller players in the supply chain that currently operate without digital tools and data integration. This comprehensive digital transformation, according to Gubbels, is the key to optimizing overall capacity utilization and addressing the issues of limited capacity and costly supply chain disruptions.
“What we try to do is [get] to the source, where we give the proper picture to every partner in the supply chain,” Gubbels explained.
CtrlChain’s solutions enable customers to track real-time information about trucks’ locations, capacities, and routes, facilitating a deeper understanding of load statuses and overall network utilization. By fostering transparency and collaboration among previously siloed entities, CtrlChain aims to create a more resilient, efficient, and optimized supply chain ecosystem for all stakeholders.
Embracing digital transformation and cultural shifts
CtrlChain’s approach has facilitated substantial growth for carriers and shippers alike, enabling them to expand operations without proportionally increasing their workforce. However, Gubbels emphasized the importance of thinking critically and addressing the root causes of capacity and growth limitations, rather than merely treating surface-level symptoms.
“I would like to challenge people to think, are you really addressing the real issues which are causing the limited growth, or are you staying on the surface?” he said.
Moreover, Gubbels highlighted the contrast in business and supply chain communication between Amsterdam and the U.S., advocating for a more direct and open approach to solving problems and building partnerships. He suggested that transparency and candor can significantly enhance operational efficiency and collaboration, especially in the context of cross-border and cross-cultural logistics operations.
As the logistics industry grapples with persistent capacity constraints and supply chain disruptions, CtrlChain’s narrative underscores the imperative of embracing digital transformation and fostering a culture of collaboration. By bridging communication gaps and integrating previously siloed players, companies like CtrlChain are paving the way for a more resilient, efficient and sustainable supply chain ecosystem.
To learn more about CtrlChain, visit its website.