In the complex environment of manufacturing, the need for efficient, accurate, and timely tracking of internal processes is critical. Manufacturing facilities handle countless moving parts, from production line machinery to assets that travel through various stages of production. Manual tracking methods often fall short with these processes moving quickly and constantly evolving. As companies strive for greater efficiency, reduced downtime, and increased responsiveness to market demands, process visibility within their facilities has become a fundamental challenge.

The Complexity of Manual Monitoring

Monitoring internal assets in a manufacturing facility is usually a nightmare. Facilities must track the location, usage, and condition of assets such as tools, machinery, and materials that are frequently relocated throughout the day. Businesses often rely on manual methods to record this movement, whether through paperwork, whiteboards, spreadsheets, or even verbal updates. This approach is time-consuming and error-prone, leading to delays, inaccuracies, and a lack of real-time visibility in their daily operations.

Manual tracking can also hinder decision-making. Without instant access to the latest information on process flows, it's difficult for managers to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, or underperforming equipment. The lack of actionable data not only impacts productivity but also reduces the ability to respond proactively to potential issues, ultimately affecting the bottom line.

How Tracking Technology and Digital Twins Transform Process Management

Modern tracking technology offers a powerful solution to these challenges. Automated tracking systems allow manufacturers to monitor asset movements, optimize workflows, and gain real-time insights into operations. These systems collect detailed data at each stage of the production process, identifying inefficiencies, streamlining operations, and ensuring assets are used effectively.

Incorporating Digital Twin technology takes these benefits even further, enabling manufacturers to create a virtual replica of their factory or warehouse, that reflects the real-time status of processes, and the location of equipment or assets. By visualizing the facility in a digital format, companies can simulate potential changes and make informed decisions in real-time, ultimately creating a more responsive and efficient operation.

Azitek's Role in Improving Manufacturing Process Monitoring

Azitek's process monitoring solution is designed to meet the unique challenges of manufacturing environments, offering real-time insights and visibility into internal processes with a system that stands out from traditional tracking technologies. Unlike others, our solution is highly resilient to metal interference, ensuring reliable performance even in industrial settings with heavy metal presence. Additionally, our infrastructure is simple, adaptable, and easy to set up, manage, and change, making it a straightforward choice for busy operations or changing environments. With Azitek, you can track assets as they move through different stages, capture data, and integrate it into your existing management systems. This enables precise monitoring of production line timings, asset locations, and flow, giving companies unparalleled control in fast-paced, dynamic environments.

Azitek, an emerging startup based in Porto and incubated at UPTEC, has recently announced the successful completion of a new fundraising round. This operation was led by Beta Capital, co-investing with Portugal Ventures (Initial Investor) and Cedrus Capital, totaling €750,000. With this, Azitek surpasses €1 million raised in investment rounds, reinforcing its capacity for expansion and innovation in the IoT technology sector, particularly in the digitalization of assets in industrial environments.

CEO's Perspective on the Investment

José Valente, CEO of Azitek, expressed great satisfaction with the success of the funding round:

"We are very pleased with the closing of this round, which will allow us to strengthen the team, accelerate entry into new markets, and continue developing our distinctive technology."

He also highlighted the importance of investor support and the competence of the team, crucial elements to overcome the challenges of digitalizing processes and assets, thus improving the operational efficiency of customers.

R&D Recognition and Market Expansion

The recognition of R&D eligibility by ANI - Agência Nacional de Inovação and the completion of this round will allow Azitek to accelerate the development of its technology, which has broad application in asset tracking using IoT systems. The solution is especially adapted to optimize asset management and automate logistical processes in various industrial sectors, with clients in Portugal, Spain, and the United States.

The capital obtained will be crucial not only to consolidate the innovation and robustness of the solutions but also to allow for team growth, expansion in the Spanish market, and exploration of other European markets, solidifying technological innovation for intelligent logistics and manufacturing.

Investor Insights

Roberto Branco, CEO of Beta Capital, emphasizes that:

"Azitek's solutions address several industry challenges, particularly in logistical monitoring and optimization with real-time information. We are excited about the development roadmap of their products, aiming to increase the value proposition for their clients and implement them globally."

For Pedro de Mello Breyner, Member of the Board of Directors at Portugal Ventures, this new round raised by Azitek reinforces the initial investment made in 2019 to achieve the Minimum Viable Product and its commercialization in the global market.

"With this new capital round, Azitek is now prepared to consolidate the robustness of its technological solutions, increase the team, solidify its position in the Spanish market, and explore presence in other European markets. These are very ambitious goals for this new phase, and we are confident that the Azitek team will be able to meet them successfully."

In the complicated web of global supply chains, the importance of sustainability, efficiency, and cost optimization has never been higher. As businesses navigate through difficult logistic operations and inventory management, the tracking of Returnable Transport Items (RTIs) emerges as a critical point. RTIs, such as pallets, IBCs, KLTs, RPCs, and all types of containers, are crucial for the transportation of goods across various parts of the supply chain. Their effective management can lead to significant improvements in operational efficiency, cost savings, and environmental sustainability

The tracking of RTIs plays a crucial role in improving the visibility of goods as they move through the supply chain. By employing tracking solutions, businesses can gain real-time insights into the location, status, and condition of their RTIs. This level of transparency allows for the optimization of inventory levels, reduction of retention time, and more efficient use of resources. It attenuates the risks associated with lost, stolen, or underutilized assets, ensuring that RTIs are in the right place at the right time, thus minimizing bottlenecks and boosting the flow of goods

The economic implications of poorly managed RTIs are substantial. Businesses often face significant costs related to the loss, theft, or damage of these assets. Furthermore, the lack of visibility can lead to excessive purchasing or leasing of additional RTIs, tying up capital that could be better utilized elsewhere. Effective tracking solutions enable organizations to maintain optimal levels of RTIs, reducing unnecessary expenditures and improving the overall financial health of the supply chain.

In today's eco-conscious world, the tracking of RTIs also supports sustainability initiatives. By maximizing the utilization and lifespan of these assets, businesses can significantly reduce their environmental footprint. This approach aligns with the principles of a circular economy, where resources are reused and recycled, minimizing waste and the demand for raw materials. The ability to track and efficiently manage RTIs is a step towards more sustainable supply chain practices, contributing to corporate social responsibility goals and regulatory compliance.

Azitek's Role in Revolutionizing RTI Tracking

As we delve into the future of supply chain management, the need for advanced RTI tracking solutions becomes even bigger. Azitek contributes to this transformation, offering an innovative solution for the effective monitoring and management of returnable assets. Our solution is designed to provide businesses the tools they need to achieve greater visibility, efficiency, and sustainability in their supply chain operations.

In conclusion, the tracking of RTIs is not just a logistical necessity; it is a strategic imperative that holds the key to unlocking new levels of efficiency, cost savings, and environmental care in supply chains. With Azitek's technology, businesses can navigate the complexities of RTI management with reliance, for a more connected, efficient, and sustainable future!

During the vibrant Web Summit in 2019, we were showcasing Azitek's asset-tracking technology when an Innovation Director from a leading automotive supplier approached us with a simple question that would pivot our journey. He asked if we could track tugger trains in their facility. Honestly, the term 'tugger train' was new to us, let alone grasping the criticality of the milk-run concept in manufacturing intralogistics. But, in true startup spirit, we accepted the challenge, confident in our versatile technology developed from the ground up – from the hardware to the cloud.

We aimed for a proof of concept that was simple and swift to implement, cutting through the red tape of authorizations and bureaucracies. Our strategy? To locate tugger trains at various checkpoints across the shop floor using battery-powered beacons as reference points. Remember, this was for an innovation department. It would be many steps before this customer would want to buy production-grade solutions. This quick approach ensured an effortless setup, free from the constraints of prior installation requirements. To integrate seamlessly into the vehicles, we customized the Gateways to connect to the vehicle's battery with a tailor-made cable.

Fast forward a few months, and we found ourselves tracking a tugger train across the facility, covering up both warehouse and production areas, with 20 reference points. Our solution was fully offline at this time, simply recording position logs and storing them in internal memory. However, the real test began when we faced the harsh realities of intralogistics – power connection instabilities and a difficult environment that tested the durability of all our hardware. But, after a month of trial and some setbacks, we successfully extracted the tracking data for analysis.

During this deep dive into the data, the real challenge revealed itself: Providing meaningful insights and metrics for the tugger train routes was a lot more difficult than we initially thought. Given the dynamic and, sometimes, erratic paths these vehicles took. Route discrepancies proved to be one of the first key metrics. Once we solved that, we moved on to other KPIs.

As is so common with innovation projects, despite delivering a detailed report from our one-month proof of concept, our first potential client chose not to proceed. However, the problem, now clearly understood, was still present. This realization inspired us to investigate further and validate if other tugger train users were facing the same lack of data. Once confirmed, we decided to double down, evolving our solution into an online platform that monitors tugger trains 24/7, offering real-time metrics and custom analytics tailored to each vehicle, route, and work shift.

Two years later and after several implementations, our persistence paid off. Armed with a robust and comprehensive solution, we revisited our initial prospect and successfully closed the deal. This original multinational, with nearly a hundred facilities, not only embraced our technology for all of their tugger trains but also became the catalyst for our expansion into more of their locations.

Right now, we're proud to offer what we believe is the only comprehensive package for monitoring tugger trains in the market. Going forward, we're committed to continue solving this challenge and enhancing our unique solution.