Konvoy, a leading international beer keg provider, has expanded its tracking operations with the purchase of Onalytics, a keg tracking tech company based in Lisbon.
Onalytics uses a cellular device to track the movements of beer kegs, and Konvoy stated that the purchase ‘complements the current Sigfox 0G device’ it currently uses to track kegs.
The acquisition is part of a wider strategy that will ‘increase the Konvoy offering globally, particularly in North America’. Konvoy’s current devices work across the ANZ, Europe and UKI regions, but does not have the network to access America, which is where the Onalytics technology will make a difference.
The purchase continues Konvoy’s global roll-out of keg tracking technology, with more than 120,000 kegs currently being tracked. A full global launch will occur at the Drinktec conference, held in Munich in September, 2022.
Adam Trippe-Smith, Founder of Konvoy and Katch, explained the motivations behind this purchase.
“This acquisition is precisely what Konvoy needs to expand internationally in the market. Our Katch technology solution is fit for purpose in ANZ, Asia and EMEA but the complementary cellular technology means we can expand rapidly into North America.
“Konvoy’s aim is to use technology to improve the keg industry, refine processes and efficiencies in logistics which will have a beneficial environmental impact with reduced transport times,” Trippe-Smith continued.
Konvoy also said that the existing Onalytics team will be retained ‘to continue refining the device and increase the speed to market.’
Trippe-Smith’s positivity about the deal was shared by Cristina Raposo, Co-Founder and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Onalytics, who said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Katch and continue our work from the past few years, in keg tracking and monitoring technology development.”
“We’re joining the Katch team to accomplish a bigger vision – together we can be faster and stronger, focus on expansion into new markets and work towards a world first keg tracking technology,” Raposo continued.
“To customers around the world, what this means is that they will have faster access to an affordable and reliable technology that can provide extraordinary results in a short amount of time and help their businesses thrive.
“We will continue to work on adding value to the beverage industry, by enabling breweries to be more sustainable, streamline keg logistics, and control the quality of beer served to customers.”
The General Manager of Konvoy’s technology businesses, Marc Eggins, has a similar optimistic outlook on the future of this partnership.
“We have been extremely busy building the next 2.0 version of the Katch beacon and with Onalytics technology onboard we are now able to refine it further, reducing the price point for the market and also increasing the efficiencies of the beacon globally.”
“It’s a very exciting time and we are looking forward to working with the retained Onalytics team to bring this to market quickly,” he concluded.
Konvoy believe the purchase will allow the company ‘to enter into the USA, where it will have small trials running in September / October, and production devices of more than 20,000 in February 2023.’