The Cargo Carousel System (CCS) can either be housed within a trailer or an inter-modal steel shipping container (often referred to as a “seacan”). The trailer option may be preferable for transporting while the container option may be better for storage, but any supply chain that combines both options will reap the most benefit out of this system.
When transporting merchandise the CCS allows deliveries and pickups simultaneously. As one cubic module is removed from the carousel as a delivery, it creates space for another module to take its place, so goods that are coming back up the supply chain (called reverse logistics) can be picked up at the same time. Reverse logistics can include store returns, overstocks, seasonal items, perishables, dated items, damages, warrantied items, display fixtures, recyclables, etc. and each of these categories can be kept separate by using different modules for different categories. With its track & trace capabilities for each module, these different categories can be individually tracked even when they’re all being transported in the same trailer.
As deliveries are being made, pickups are also being made simultaneously. This keeps trucks full continuously and provides a cost-effective way to return goods to their respective destinations. Distribution centers can be reconfigured to play a dual role for supply and reverse logistics or truck depots could be used to act as DC’s for reverse logistics. New centers could also be easily developed strictly for reverse logistics using steel shipping containers stacked side-by-side anywhere outdoors for temporary storage and cross docking.
Circular Supply Chains Inc. 