Unveiled in Sydney yesterday, the new PanDA (Pickup and Delivery Assistant) app tracks deliveries from start to finish, helping companies plan around potential delays.

It also provides instantaneous and electronic proof of delivery; avoiding logistics businesses days of manual and paper-based operations to trigger payments for their work across regional and remote Australia – instead allowing payments to be made within 24 hours.

The app was developed by German logistics provider DB Schenker, in collaboration with Australia’s National Information and Communications Technology research centre of excellence, and was presented to German Chancellor Angela Merkel following her attendance at the G20 in Brisbane.

“DB Schenker, as one of the world’s biggest logistics providers, has had a presence in Australia for more than 50 years so it was a great opportunity for us to present to the Chancellor during her visit this important joint collaboration that will ultimately assist so many Australians,” DB Schenker Australia CEO Ron Koehler said.

According to Koehler, the app will make a great difference to the efficiencies and cost savings of logistics, as well giving the end-customers peace of mind that their supplies are about to arrive.

“Historically, the end customer is not warned if a delivery will arrive late, and due to slow business processes the product owner and Schenker receive late notification of proof of delivery,” he said.

“As a result, product owners and shippers complain of the difficulty of obtaining good supply chain visibility, particularly in that final delivery leg, [and] the trucking owner receives payment later than necessary.

“Our mobile app will allow the driver or transport company to enter travel details, GPS coordinates and vehicle identifiers at any time during the transport process to indicate any delays, which may be caused by traffic conditions, road closures or mechanical breakdowns.

“On arrival at the destination the driver scans a bar/QR code, including proof-of-delivery signature or printed name.

“We replace the burden of processing the paper from the truck driver’s home office with our app. After delivery has been made, we can fast track electronic payment to the driver’s account.”

PanDA is due out early next year.

DB Schenker is the transportation and logistics division of Deutsche Bahn. It is the world’s second largest transportation and logistics service provider based on sales and performance.

In the financial year 2013, more than 95,000 employees in 130 countries generated sales of around 19.8 billion euros.