This lack of review essentially institutionalizes inefficiency, keeping you in a continuous cycle that wastes time and resources. But wait – time and resources aren’t something that you can afford to waste since there aren’t enough drivers to meet demand as it stands. And now with vast amounts of infrastructure investments, the need to do more with the resources that are available to you is exacerbated. What can you do?
Drivers need to get checked in, load their materials, and get on the road. But with so many bottlenecks at the plant, they often get tied up doing other things. Oftentimes, drivers arrive without understanding what they’re supposed to do or where the check-in, scale, and loadout stations are, leading to several minutes of nonproductive time to track down staff and ask questions before loading their materials and getting on the road. Only about 65% of the time spent in the plant is productive because roughly 35% is tied up in manual communications and drivers leaving their trucks to chase information down in the field. Lack of communication between sales and dispatch systems can lead to drivers showing up to pick up orders that haven’t been finalized, or order inaccuracies due to mistyped information. This can create a lot of unnecessary work for everyone.
Drivers, Scale Operators, and Loader Operators are often burdened with the inconvenience of keeping up with a slip of paper, and there’s often no verification of the exact moment in time that the truck was at the site. What sort of substantial proof does a piece of paper with a handwritten time and signature hold? None, and this can become a big problem in the event of a claim/dispute.
To overcome these challenges, leading producers are implementing Apex and integrating it with site automation solutions that enhance throughput and accuracy, save time, and increase the number of loads that go out the door.
Greer Industries’ Quest to Improve Processes and Profits
Since 1914, Greer Industries has grown to provide a multitude of aggregate and asphalt products throughout West Virginia. Greer Industries sought a technology partner capable of providing a complete software and hardware package without the need to include a third party. Operating multiple aggregate plants with about 300 trucks in the mix, they looked to leverage a system that could boost their daily load count while providing consistent, reliable service. With an operation of this scale, it was important for Greer to land a process that schedules dispatch assignments ahead of time to prevent truck congestion at their plants.
Greer used Command Alkon's Apex software to automate their operations. They configured the software to fit their specific needs and get the most out of their investment. Greer leverages Apex on two operational fronts: dispatch and scale ticketing. The dispatch end of Apex allows Greer to seamlessly allocate jobs to trucks and accurately determine if enough trucks are available.
When it comes to automating the check in and ticketing processes, Greer leverages Apex Auto ID. This allows drivers to swipe a unique ID card at a self-service kiosk. Greer decided that since their trucking partners rotate through which trucks they use, Auto ID was the best route to take.
Additionally, Greer uses Apex’s Scale Watcher module, which provides irrefutable proof of pickup by snapping photos from the front and side of every vehicle as they’re ticketed. The ticket data is then overlayed on those images and can be shared with customers or carriers.
Smart Technology Approach to Getting More Loads Out the Door
Besides cash sales, Apex’s dispatch functionality is responsible for everything that comes in and out of Greer’s plants. “It drives everything we do in aggregate,” said Blake Mattern, Logistics Manager for Greer Industries. “We use it daily, all day long.”
Greer's management quickly approved the automation, but it took some employees — especially third-party drivers — time to get used to it. Drivers learned how to swipe their ID cards quickly, because the industry is still slowly becoming more tech-savvy. However, many of Greer’s drivers quickly became used to saving time throughout their daily routines. “Some of the other guys who took a little longer have come around,” Mattern said. “Now all our guys love it. They realize it makes their jobs easier.”
With the automation provided by Auto ID, Greer can allocate staff to other areas of business that require more attention. Swiftly scaling trucks with ease has allowed Greer to move more aggregate tonnage while eliminating a line of trucks waiting to get weighed. “We saw that return instantly,” said Mattern.
Meanwhile, by scheduling and assigning loads with Apex the day before they hit the road, truck drivers save time and ultimately deliver more loads per day. “They just have to configure the dispatch the night before and their jobs are done for the day. They know what they’re doing before they even get here,” said Mattern. At the same time, the back office knows if they can cover customer orders ahead of time.
Apex has proven to provide Greer operational value in multiple ways. And value has seeped externally too, as the company is acquiring new truckers. “Right away, a lot of those truck drivers were really happy with the fact that they can get in and out of here without having to talk to somebody all day long, and automation lets them do that,” said Mattern.
“With Command Alkon as our technology partner, we get product, customer service, and maintenance all-in-one.,” Mattern added. “I like the fact that I can call just one company and take care of everything, regardless of the scenario.”
Could your operation be improved by infusing automation into your check-in, load, and ticketing processes? Visit https://commandalkon.com/products/apex/ for more information.
