Industries we serve
CommNet works with technology companies — and the end customers evaluating them — across a focused set of industrial sectors where IoT, AIoT, and RTLS are reshaping operations.
These aren’t industries we’ve read about. They’re industries where CommNet has sold, developed partners, built teams, and delivered results. Each section below covers the challenges driving technology adoption, the use cases with proven ROI, and the technology stack most relevant to that sector.
Use the navigation above to jump to your industry, or scroll through. If your sector isn’t listed, get in touch — the underlying technology often applies more broadly than a category label suggests.
Aviation is one of the most demanding environments for tracking technology. Assets move fast, margins are thin, and a misplaced bag or a delayed ground vehicle has real cost consequences. IoT and RTLS have moved from experimental to essential across ramp operations, baggage handling, MRO, and cargo logistics.
Airlines, ground handlers, airport authorities and MRO providers are all investing in real-time visibility — but many are still at an early stage of understanding what’s possible and how to make a credible business case internally. That’s exactly where CommNet adds value.
Identec Solutions — one of CommNet’s longest-standing clients — is a leader in IoT and RTLS for aviation ground operations. Working with them, CommNet achieved the #1 global ranking in bookings and revenue for 15 out of 16 consecutive quarters.
➣ Key use cases
Baggage and cargo RTLS tracking
Ground support equipment (GSE) location and utilisation
Tool and parts tracking in MRO facilities
Airside vehicle management and safety compliance
Real-time gate and turnaround status
➣ Relevant technologies
Active and passive RTLS
IoT sensor networks (temperature, vibration, impact)
RTLS (real-time location systems)
AIoT-driven predictive maintenance
Cloud-based asset management platforms
► Talk to CommNet about aviation & airports
Aerospace and defense manufacturers operate under some of the tightest traceability and compliance requirements of any industry. Every part, every tool, every inspection needs to be documented — and increasingly, that documentation needs to be digital, real-time and auditable.
IoT and RTLS are enabling the shift from paper-based compliance to smart factory operations, giving manufacturers end-to-end visibility of parts and assemblies from supplier to delivery. For companies entering the US or European defense supply chain, understanding what technology the primes and Tier 1s are standardising on is critical.
CommNet has supported technology companies entering the aerospace and defense supply chain, helping align solutions with strict traceability, compliance, and OEM requirements across North America and Europe.
➣ Key use cases
Parts and sub-assembly traceability through manufacturing
Tool calibration, tracking and compliance documentation
Serialised inventory management for high-value components
Supply chain visibility from Tier 2/3 suppliers to OEM
Counterfeit part detection and authentication
➣ Relevant technologies
High-frequency (HF) and UHF RTLS
IoT-enabled smart tooling
Digital thread and MES integration
Blockchain-anchored traceability
AIoT quality inspection systems
► Talk to CommNet about Aerospace & defense
Automotive and heavy manufacturing were among the first industries to adopt RTLS for production line management — and they’re now among the most active adopters of broader IoT and AIoT for predictive maintenance, quality control and supply chain synchronisation.
From just-in-time assembly plants tracking body-in-white across a production line, to steel mills monitoring furnace temperature and roll wear, to foundries automating ladle tracking — the use cases are well-proven and the ROI is measurable. The challenge for most technology vendors is finding the right entry point and channel partners in a procurement environment that is complex, long-cycle, and relationship-driven.
Heavy manufacturing is not a sector you enter through a website and a demo. It requires on-the-ground relationships, deep application knowledge, and the patience to navigate multi-year sales cycles. CommNet brings all three.
➣ Key use cases
Body-in-white and WIP tracking on automotive assembly lines
Ladle and mould tracking in steel and foundry operations
Predictive maintenance for heavy rotating equipment
Quality gate and inspection automation
Finished goods yard management and dispatch
➣ Relevant technologies
Industrial UHF RTLS (high-temperature rated)
Vibration and temperature IoT sensors
AIoT-driven predictive maintenance platforms
OPC-UA and MES/ERP integration
Edge computing for real-time line control
► Talk to CommNet about manufacturing — automotive & heavy industry
Mining and tunneling present some of the harshest operating environments for any technology — dust, moisture, extreme temperatures, and the constant challenge of maintaining communications underground. At the same time, the business case for IoT investment is compelling: personnel safety regulations are tightening globally, and the cost of unplanned equipment downtime is enormous.
Real-time location of personnel underground, automated mustering in emergency situations, predictive maintenance of critical equipment, and ventilation-on-demand systems are all areas where IoT and RTLS are delivering measurable outcomes in mining operations across Australia, South Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
CommNet has worked with IoT and RTLS vendors targeting global mining operations, supporting positioning around safety, underground tracking, and equipment monitoring in demanding environments.
➣ Key use cases
Underground personnel tracking and emergency mustering
Vehicle and heavy equipment location and dispatch
Predictive maintenance for drills, conveyors and pumps
Ventilation-on-demand triggered by personnel presence
Explosives and high-value asset tracking
➣ Relevant technologies
Active RTLS and UWB for underground positioning
Leaky feeder and mesh radio communication
IoT sensors for environmental monitoring (gas, dust, temp)
AIoT-driven equipment health monitoring
Intrinsically safe hardware certifications (ATEX, IECEx)
► Talk to CommNet about mining & tunneling
Logistics is the sector where RTLS first proved its value at scale — and it’s now the sector where IoT and AIoT are creating the next wave of efficiency gains. From smart warehouses with automated inventory counts to cold chain monitoring with real-time temperature alerting, the technology stack available to logistics operators has expanded dramatically.
For technology vendors, logistics offers fast sales cycles relative to heavy industry — but also intense competition and buyer price sensitivity. Success depends on identifying the right application niche, the right tier of customer, and the right channel partner strategy. CommNet helps clients navigate all three.
CommNet has helped technology vendors grow in logistics by identifying high-value use cases and building effective partner and channel strategies in a highly competitive market.
➣ Key use cases
Automated warehouse inventory management (RTLS cycle counts)
Cold chain temperature and humidity monitoring
Dock door and yard management
Fleet telematics and driver behaviour monitoring
Cross-border shipment visibility and customs compliance
➣ Relevant technologies
UHF RTLS fixed and handheld readers
IoT temperature and condition loggers
GNSS and cellular asset trackers
Cloud-based TMS and WMS integration
AIoT demand forecasting and routing optimisation
► Talk to CommNet about logistics & supply chain
The semiconductor industry operates at the intersection of extreme precision, enormous capital investment, and hyper-competitive supply chains. Fabs run 24/7, yields are measured in fractions of a percent, and the cost of unplanned downtime on a single tool can run to hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour.
IoT and AIoT are playing an increasingly important role in semiconductor manufacturing — from automated material handling systems (AMHS) using RTLS to track wafer lots, to AI-driven equipment health monitoring that predicts tool degradation before it affects yield. CommNet brings a rare combination of semiconductor industry experience — including the Avant!/Synopsys years in EDA software — and current knowledge of the IoT and RTLS vendor landscape.
CommNet’s founder spent a formative part of his career at Avant! Corporation and Synopsys, two of the defining companies in semiconductor EDA. That background informs a genuine understanding of how semiconductor companies buy technology, evaluate vendors, and make long-term platform decisions.
➣ Key use cases
Wafer lot and carrier tracking through fab operations
Equipment and tooling lifecycle management
Predictive maintenance for process tools (CMP, etch, CVD)
Reticle and mask tracking in high-precision environments
Supply chain integrity and counterfeit component detection
➣ Relevant technologies
HF RTLS for wafer carrier and FOUP tracking
IoT sensors for environmental monitoring (vibration, temp, humidity)
AIoT-driven process tool health and yield prediction
SEMI standards-compliant data integration (SECS/GEM)
Digital twin platforms for fab simulation and optimisation
► Talk to CommNet about semiconductors
Don’t see your sector?
The technologies CommNet specialises in — IoT, AIoT, RTLS — are horizontal platforms. The sectors above are where CommNet has direct experience, but the underlying applications (asset tracking, predictive maintenance, personnel safety, supply chain visibility) cross industry boundaries.
If you’re working in a sector not listed here and want to understand whether CommNet can help, start with a conversation.