Norwegian tech company Surfact introduced its Emma tracking device at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, last week. The cable-free IoT ("Internet of Things") device offers fleets and owner-operators access to real-time data on location, temperature and shock, potentially useful for owner-operators to locate stolen equipment and/or monitor reefer temps for customers and avoid steep dealer charges for readouts from the reefer unit during disputes.
Surfact's Emma tracking deviceCourtesy of Surfact
The Emma device could be particularly useful for owners with older trucks and trailers, given no need for cabled communication with the truck's systems and/or refrigeration units.For installation, there's "no need to have that truck sit for a day -- it's expensive to get the cabled trucks set up and everything else," said Surfact Chief Commercial Officer Anders Folleras during a talk delivered at MATS.
Folleras added the goal of the company with Emma is to "make cargo talk without having to hook into power outlets. That’s why we started in this business -- because we believe we’re one of the world’s best when it comes to power consumption and making battery-powered devices that can last for a really long time."
The Emma device boasts a two-year battery life, Folleras said, and should the unit run out of juice a simple swap with three AAA batteries brings it back to power. Surfact's gotten some of the devices into the supply chain of the nation's largest hamburger purveyor, Folleras added. Because while McDonald's might well be able to afford to throw away a lot of hamburgers, what it can't "afford is for two of you to eat a bad hamburger" and get ill, precipitating a public relations nightmare.
Furthermore, use of devices like Emma might help refrigerated haulers satisfy requirements of new regulations and customer demands to "know where seafood and cheese" and so much else has come from and been. "Where it's harvested, where it's delivered, and at what temperature" throughout the journey, Folleras noted. Users can set up daily reefer-monitoring reports and alerts, for instance, when a temperature reading misses a specified necessary range.
"Today, there's a lot of black holes on the journey" for many loads, he said, when it comes to tracking data, opportunity too for ever-more-sophisticated cargo and/or full tractor-trailer thieves to strike and disappear without a trace.
[Related: 'You're on your own': Cargo theft, fraud challenges conveyed to Congress]
Company CEO Helseth referenced record cargo theft numbers in 2024 in the United States, and the reality that it's not just a problem here but worldwide. "Most tracking devices come from overseas manufacturers with questionable security standards," he said. "That’s not just a problem -- it’s a crisis. At Surfact we don’t outsource security. We manufacture our products in Norway, ensuring that your data stays safe and your cargo stays protected.”
Folleras, pictured advancing a slide during his MATS presentation, noted production of the Emma in the United States is coming, potentially delivering more peace of mind to users of the tracker. "Almost all newer technology, and especially in the trailer tracking business, is made in China -- who’s listening? What do we know? Where does the data go?" he asked, then echoing Helseth. "We can’t outsource security in today’s world. ... it’s important to be close to our customers."
The Emma is made of recycled ocean plastics, and ruggedized such that it can survive being run over by a vehicle, said Folleras.
Helseth, a veteran of the Norweigian military, first got the idea for Surfact’s technology while serving the Norwegian Armed Forces alongside U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, witnessing highly valued supplies to the front line deteriorate due to extreme temperatures.
“When I see a problem or something that is obviously not working, my brain immediately starts looking for a solution," he said. "With Emma, we believe we have an answer to both cargo theft and food and pharma waste."
It's in use in 12 countries today, and Folleras outlined a $1-per-day cost for the device and access to the data portal, billed monthly. The company also fulfills orders directly to U.S. companies, with free shipping available for the next month. Open APIs are available, too, to integrate the device into other systems, he added, for more sizable fleets. "The unit is on when you receive it, and it can be placed directly into the trailer, on the truck, or used on pallets/goods."
Sales inquiries are taken via email, Folleras added, to [email protected].
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[Related: Don't be an unwitting accomplice to cargo theft: Cautionary tale]
