The secret to modernising legacy supply chain systems is recognising that transformation does not require replacement. The fastest, lowest-risk route to modernisation is enabling existing infrastructure with technology that can sit across assets of any age, manufacturer, or level of digital maturity.
For supply chain operators, a ‘rip-and-replace’ approach introduces prohibitive cost, disruption, and operational risk. Retrofitting technology onto existing infrastructure allows organisations to accelerate time-to-value whilst maintaining continuity across critical operations.
By connecting and orchestrating data from disparate systems, businesses can move beyond passive, siloed monitoring towards holistic, intelligent decision-making and automated operational control. This enables organisations to proactively optimise performance, reduce energy consumption, identify maintenance issues before failure occurs, and respond faster to operational risks.
In cold chain environments, for example, this means critical infrastructure, such as refrigeration and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), can be monitored, managed, and optimised in real time without replacing existing equipment.
Modernisation shouldn’t be about rebuilding from scratch. It’s about making existing operations smarter, more efficient, and more resilient through retrofit technology.
Jason Murphy
Managing Director – Global Retail,
IMS Evolve
About IMS Evolve
IMS Evolve is an Internet of Things company reducing waste, maintenance costs and energy consumption for its customers, including some of the world’s largest and best-known food retailers. It delivers digital transformation without the need for costly capital investment by enhancing, not replacing, existing infrastructure.
The Question is a thought leadership series published on Supply Chain Outlook, created to explore the questions shaping global logistics, procurement, transportation, and supply networks.
This edition of The Question is sponsored by Syspro.
Supply Chain Outlook features leadership insights and company stories from organisations helping to move, manage, and transform the flow of goods, services, and information around the world.
Produced as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines, The Question brings focused executive insight to audiences engaged with the people, technologies, and decisions shaping the future of supply chain.
