Smart Containers Group, the Swiss-based high-tech logistics company and manufacturer of temperature-controlled containers for the food and pharmaceutical industries, today announced that one of its divisions, SkyCell AG, will accept cryptocurrency payments for its services. This innovation aims to expedite transaction times for clients, and marks a decisive step towards further integrating blockchain technologies into the logistics industry.
Smart Containers Group, through its SkyCell AG division, has been a leading manufacturer of temperature-controlled containers since its inception in 2012.
Already embracing cutting-edge and highly efficient technologies, Smart Containers Group’s decision to accept cryptocurrencies as payment is geared towards expediting processing times and minimising costs for clients, making more traditional payment methods, which rely on third-parties and are often unavoidably tedious and expensive as a result, obsolete. The instantaneous nature of transactions conducted using cryptocurrency will also serve to minimise the effects of fluctuating currency exchange rates – which can heavily impact payments made in a number of global currencies as a result of elongated processing times.
“From our experience within the logistics, pharmaceutical, and food industries, we have first-hand experience of the difficulties which payments processes can pose to clients," CEO and Co-Founder of Smart Containers Group, Richard Ettl said. "Often, banking fees can make up as much as 5 per cent of invoice value, with traditional transfers taking up to 90 days, meaning payments alone are very costly both financially and in terms of efficiency. By introducing the possibility of conducting transactions through cryptocurrency, Smart Containers Group will reduce payment processes to a matter of minutes, while cutting out third party handling fees entirely.”
From January 19, all SkyCell AG invoices will include the possibility to settle the invoice in cryptocurrency, giving customers the option of paying in BTC or ETH, as well as EUR, USD, and CHF. All exchange rates will be taken from Bitstamp at the moment of transfer, negating the issue of fluctuating exchange prices which plague the current marketplace. Customers conducting payments in BTC or ETH will also enjoy a 2 per cent discount on all invoices for SkyCell AG services – further compounding the benefits which cryptocurrency payments can accrue.
“For SkyCell AG, accepting payments in cryptocurrency is the first step in automating the payments process, and complements our long-term vision of providing fully autonomous containers of the future, which will administer themselves entirely based on smart contract technology. The logistics industry has been characteristically slow to implement and adopt transformative technologies and we hope that by embracing change, others may follow suit so that the industry as a whole will benefit,” Ettl said.
SkyCell AG has already announced world class partnerships with a number of major airlines, specializing in pharmaceuticals including CargoLux and Emirates SkyCargo.
For more information visit www.smartcontainers.ch