Every day, 500 trucks arrive at Industriepark Höchst's South Gate, where all the heavy goods traffic of the 4.6-km² park is handled. The number is set to climb further, fuelled by the new production facilities and investment projects of the occupant firms. All told, the 80-plus tenant companies have invested over EUR 2.3 billion in Industriepark Höchst since 2000 – proof positive of the potential of the industrial site, where 22,000 people work every day. As a consequence, Infraserv Höchst, the site operator, and Infraserv Logistics, its subsidiary, have been continuously expanding the site’s logistics infrastructure in recent years. An innovative vehicle-control system has just been put into service, which further optimizes logistics processes and is already laid out for an even larger number of trucks – because the industrial park is set to continue on its growth path.
Industriepark Höchst – a logistics hub
The industrial park’s attractiveness as a logistics site got a special boost when the trimodal port was put into service in 2004. The EUR 12.5 million expansion of Industriepark Höchst's harbor facility ensured that the road, rail and waterway transport systems were optimally networked. The facility is not only open to corporate residents but can be used by all interested companies, so the number of trucks has been rising fairly steadily since the facility was put into operation.
Infraserv Höchst and Infraserv Logistics started developing a new vehicle-control system early on. The project team under the leadership of Ulrich Mann focused primarily on optimizing the complete logistics processes to benefit the occupant firms and the haulers. At the same time, they ensured that safety requirements were met during incoming and outgoing inspections.
The start of the new vehicle-control system achieved a high degree of automation in the logistics processes. “The system offers many functions: the web-based declarations of hauling companies, the issuance of loading papers and the introduction of a loading slot management system, that is, the online reservation of fixed loading times,” said Ulrich Mann.
For the vehicle-control system to offer efficient handling, consignors have to provide the required shipping data online. This reduces handling times by up to 80 percent compared to manual handling and data entry. The weighing system was automated and significantly simplified as well. Now hauling companies can contribute more than ever to smooth and speedy processes.
Approximately 110,000 truck weighings per year: 30 seconds instead of three minutes
Some 110,000 weighings are performed at the four weighbridges at the South Gate each year. The drivers have been doing this themselves for some time: After the barcodes on the loading papers have been scanned, the drivers have to certify on a display that the vehicle data is correct and that the vehicle is positioned properly on the weighbridge. Then the weighing takes place, which is automatically documented with digital cameras. If, for example, a shipment’s specified weight is not correct, or if the maximum permissible load is exceeded, drivers are automatically notified and have to rectify the defect. Loading papers, data and images are checked by Infraserv Logistics employees as part of outbound processing; all data is archived as required by law and made available to customers whenever necessary. If requested, the shipment's determined net weight can be transmitted directly from the weighing system to the customer’s SAP system so that customers can then initiate the invoicing process directly. The system also allows the weighing results to be sent automatically to specified recipients by fax or e-mail. All in all, the weighing processes have become much faster in a short timeframe: While weighing a vehicle used to take two to three minutes, the current process runs no more than 30 seconds.
The haulers can also go to the Infraserv Logistics web site to print the necessary loading papers including Tremcards in 30 languages. Once haulers have organized their shipments into trips, all papers are prepared automatically. All that the drivers have to do at the gate is show the pre-printed forms, their ID card and maybe the vehicle registration – a clearly simplified process for companies. Dangerous-goods checks also saw some changes. Infraserv Logistics employees are now equipped with Pocket PCs. Compliance problems are processed online and can be reported directly to the hauling company or the customer. For outbound shipments, all the transport papers can be requested directly from one self-service terminal – eliminating the hassle of waiting times at counters.
New loading-slot management
Thanks to the new loading-slot-management system, hauling companies can spend their time making reservations rather than waiting. Loading slots can be selected and reserved online.
“This evens out the number of loads and reduces waiting times,” said Ulrich Mann.
Now the occupant firms too can control and optimize their logistics processes even better. Thanks to the loading-slot-management system, the trucks' stops at the industrial park can be reduced to an absolute minimum. Loading capacities are much easier to control, too. One organizational change was particularly beneficial: The units for dangerous-goods checks, customs and distribution were combined to reduce the number of stop-off points and consequently the time the drivers need. “At the same time, our fully qualified staff makes us more flexible and enables us, for example, to compensate more easily for peaks in demand or even downtime,” said Ulrich Mann.
“Milestones in the development into a logistics hub”
For Infraserv Managing Director Roland Mohr, the system is a prime example of how Infraserv Höchst tailors processes optimally to the needs of the customers. “The vehicle-control system is a milestone in Industriepark Höchst's evolution into a modern logistics hub. We have already laid the groundwork for meeting the requirements of the future. The vehicle-control system is a leading-edge solution that will enable us to handle even significantly greater heavy-duty capacities,” said Mohr. Next, the successful system will be introduced at all of Infraserv Logistics’ other logistics sites in Germany. Major chemical companies have already shown an interest in Infraserv Logistics’ vehicle-control system, too.
Contact:
Infraserv Höchst
Phone ++49 69/305-6767
Fax: ++49 69/305-82877
E-Mail:
kundenservice@infraserv.com
www.infraserv.com
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