Tive Report: Most Companies Still Flying Blind on Shipment Damage

Even with more companies using tracking technology, many businesses still don’t know when their shipments are damaged until they show up—or never find out at all. That’s one of the biggest takeaways from Tive’s 2025 State of Visibility report, released today.

Tive, which focuses on supply chain tracking technology, surveyed companies worldwide to assess their ability to monitor shipments in real-time. The results show that despite the record adoption of IoT sensors, ELD trackers, and AI tools, many companies still struggle to catch problems before they spiral out of control.

One alarming statistic is that 60% of companies only learn about shipment damage after delivery—or never at all. This is a major risk to their bottom line and customer relationships.

“The supply chain industry has made huge strides in visibility technology, but this year’s report shows a harsh reality—that most companies are still flying blind at the worst possible moments,” said Krenar Komoni, Tive’s Founder and CEO. “Our report found that the majority of businesses only learn about shipment damage after delivery when it’s too late to do anything about it. Knowing where a shipment is doesn’t mean much if you don’t know what’s happening to it. Supply chains don’t need more data; they need ground truth data at the right time—the ability to act on it before shipments are lost, delayed, or rejected.”

The report also highlights a “mid-mile blind spot.” While tracking has improved in the first and last miles of a shipment’s journey, the stretch in between remains a weak spot. In fact, 37% of companies say they still struggle to monitor shipments while they’re in transit, which is also where cargo theft risks are highest.

Technology adoption is rising—60% of companies now use some type of IoT tracking, and AI use jumped from 35% last year to 45% now—but many companies still lack the real-time updates they need to step in before something goes wrong.

The report also found that sustainability is becoming part of the visibility conversation. Thirty-five percent of companies use tracking data to measure carbon emissions and find more fuel-efficient routes.

At the end of the day, Tive’s message is clear: real-time visibility isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a must-have. And the companies that move fastest to close the gap between data and action will be the ones that protect their shipments, cut costs, and stay ahead of disruptions.

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