Supply Side: Duos, HARTING/TTI, Road & Rail
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Duos Technologies, Inc., on Oct. 4 reported that it is expanding its business to build, own and operate Subscription RIPs (railcar inspection portals) along the North American rail network.
Duos Technologies, Inc., will provide subscribing railcar owners with near real-time data from railcar inspection portals (RIPs) that it builds, owns and operates at strategic North American locations. Also, HARTING selects TTI, Inc., as a distributor of its industrial connectivity products; and Honda recognizes third-party logistics provider Road & Rail Services, LLC (R&RS).
Duos Technologies, Inc., on Oct. 4 reported that it is expanding its business to build, own and operate Subscription RIPs (railcar inspection portals) along the North American rail network. “Following the close of a capital raise currently under way, Duos will initiate procurement for equipment and components and commence manufacturing of the first two Duos-owned Subscription RIPs,” the company said. “The Subscription RIPs will be 100% owned and operated by Duos supplying near real-time machine vision-based data and artificial intelligence-based detections to railcar owners who subscribe to these enhanced services.”
Duos said it has 11 RIPs in operation and anticipates having four more installed by the end of first-quarter 2023 in support of current Class I railroad and transit customers, which include CSX (with three RIPs) and Amtrak (with two RIPs). It is targeting to install up to five additional Subscription RIPs during the second half of FY 2023, for a total of 20 RIPs in operation by the end of 2023.
Through its new subscription model, Duos CEO Chuck Ferry said the company expects “to support a broader customer base [which includes Class I, short line, transit, and railcar owners and operators] utilizing a full array of perspectives and AI detections. We are in active discussions with a number of railcar owners who have expressed a strong interest in the concept. We look forward to offering this expanded range of services to further improve safety, reliability and efficiency to the North American rail market.”
TTI, a specialty distributor of interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, will now sell in the Americas HARTING’s industrial connectivity products, including those for railcar manufacturers, the companies reported last month.
“We are thrilled to announce that HARTING … connectivity products will now be available to TTI, Inc.’s customer base,” HARTING Americas President and CEO Jon DeSouza said. “With this new partnership, HARTING is once again broadening our distribution alliance in the Americas.”
“By making the HARTING product portfolio available to our sales and engineering teams, backed by our in-depth stocking model, we are confident in our ability to generate new business for both HARTING and TTI,” TTI CEO Mike Morton said.
HARTING also produces retail checkout systems; electromagnetic actuators for automotive and industrial series use; charging equipment for electric vehicles; and hardware and software for customers and applications in automation technology, mechanical and plant engineering, and robotics and transportation engineering.
R&RS earned awards for performance excellence and quality service at the recent 2022 Honda Logistics Conference in California. For its “outstanding quality, processing and services,” R&RS was selected as Processor of the Year for Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant. The company also received a Special Recognition Award (pictured above) for accessory installation services at Lincoln, Ala.; the award recognizes “exemplary innovation and agility aligned with Honda’s goals and vision.” Additionally, R&RS was nominated for a supplier Challenging Spirit Award, which recognizes “support and performance exceeding Honda’s expectations.”
“The R&RS and Honda partnership spans 14 years, and we are proud to be recognized for that service commitment and performance,” said Bob Sadler, Chief Operating Officer of R&RS, which serves railroads, rail shippers and rail equipment owners, and operates in 19 states.
