US logistics provider CH Robinson is opening its item-level tracking to all its customers globally.

The technology provides end-to-end visibility and control across inventories and supply chains at the most granular level, by the individual item or SKU. This includes tracking items in motion or at rest, managing orders and inventory with precision, and enabling real-time insights for better planning, cost control and customer service while reducing blind spots. Using item-level tracking, users have seen 10 to 30% percent savings in supply-chain-related expenses.

The initiative bundles analytics from CH Robinson, scale and 120 years of hands-on expertise. So far, the integrated suite has been used predominantly by shippers with the most complex supply chain needs. Now, CH Robinson is scaling it up to the rest of its global customer base.

“CH Robinson is the only provider that can offer both the technology and the execution capabilities at global scale for item-level tracking”, said Michael Castagnetto, president of North American surface transportation at CH Robinson.

The growing need for item-level control (www.chrobinson.com/en-gb/shippers/supply-chain-management/item-level-solutions) in logistics is spurred by continued disruptions since the pandemic. Volumes handled with its latest item-level digital purchase order management tools increased almost twenty-fold between 2023 and 2024, and are on track to double again this year. The company also saw a 300% rise in supply chain design projects using item-level data in the past three years.

“Supply chains across every industry are at an inflection point in the face of ongoing disruptions, AI-driven transformation and rising customer expectations, and that’s why we’re making these options available for all our customers now,” said Arun Rajan, chief strategy officer at CH Robinson. “This isn’t a new capability for us, it’s a proven one. We are scaling it up to meet all shippers’ increasing needs for more visibility, more control and more actionable insights at the most granular level. Item-level tracking delivers exactly that by connecting digital tools with physical operations to help businesses track, manage and optimise every item, every step of the way.”

Users will be able to monitor and track individual items or SKUs across the entire supply chain, and enable real-time insights into inventory location, status and cost components such as freight, warehousing and additional services. This level of granularity drives better planning, cost control and customer service.

Purchase order management lets users digitise and centralise purchase orders across suppliers, manufacturers and distributors. They can improve data accuracy and supplier performance, and gain visibility from order creation through delivery and freight execution. This helps reduce errors, streamline operations and support real-time decision-making.

Users can model and optimise the structure of a supply chain, including distribution networks, warehouse locations, transportation routes and modal choices. This process uses real-world data and scenario planning to reduce costs, improve service levels and build resilience.

Inventory levels can be aligned with demand using predictive tools and automation. This approach aims to reduce carrying costs, avoid stockouts and improve service levels. Techniques include SKU-level precision, automated replenishment, redistribution and omnichannel fulfilment strategies.

Prospective users can get started with one or more of these and grow from there. CH Robinson will act as an extension of their teams, pulling existing data streams together, providing user-friendly digital tools, and creating tailored ways to manage supply chains in real time. As a result, users can de-risk operations and plan for future scenarios.

Several customers have already worked with CH Robinson to develop made-to-measure logistics strategies that suit their needs, including a top five global automotive supplier with 100,000 annual shipments, a popular restaurant chain with a complex nationwide network, and global engineered components manufacturer Lippert Components.

“It not only removed manual work,” said Ty Angelus, vice president of Lippert Components (corporate.lippert.com). “It also provided enhanced analytics, which has unlocked advanced item-level reporting that we use to drive smarter business decisions. It has allowed us to move faster, which is a critical need for today’s supply chains.”

Castagnetto added: “In this fast-changing environment, nobody is better at helping companies find cost-savings and advantages where they didn’t see them before. While we’ve delivered on this promise for some of the most cutting-edge companies in the world, we are excited to scale this capability across our full global customer base and give shippers better control of their supply chains.”

CH Robinson (chrobinson.com) has 83,000 customers and 450,000 contract carriers in its network managing 37 million shipments and $23bn in freight annually.