Map Integration Technologies (MapIT) has developed tools to vectorise their maps, thereby providing digital mapping information that has assisted in engineering a sophisticated asset tracking system that boasts up-to-the-minute positioning of fleets and assets, anywhere on the African continent.

This product was developed with Startrack Communications Africa in answer to a market demand for highly sophisticated asset tracking, particularly with cross-border capabilities. Says Dave Duncan, manager: business development of Startrack Communications: "This is exceedingly high-level technology, providing very practical management tools for the modern-day logistics manager.

"Owing to the density of transport on the roads in Africa the detail on the maps is very high and our mapping is geographically accurate to within five metres. With this level of accuracy, imagine the benefits this has in reducing implementation cycles, reduction in maintenance and breakdown costs and the monitoring of asset security. The system is applicable across a range of industries requiring positional locations and status of physical resources. From an aerial view of the entire continent, you can zoom down to street level anywhere on the African continent, within seconds; an exceedingly resourceful tool for asset and logistics managers."

Activated via a GPS unit installed into the vehicle, the system obtains the fixed position of the asset/vehicle via satellite, beaming this data to the Australian base station. This information is then converted into a user-friendly format and forwarded, round-the-clock, to the client via direct links, Internet, phone, fax or e-mail, in almost realtime intervals (ie, every two minutes).

Applications include road, rail, air or marine and a remote application for controlling of dam levels or industrial pipelines. For example, users can monitor the moisture level in a field several thousand kilometres away and remotely adjust the irrigation accordingly, monitor and control the temperature in a refrigerated container, or turn gas pipelines on and off.

For more information contact Richard Wilkinson, MapIT, 012 345 8000