In today's increasingly open markets where companies are driven to 'think global and act local',a comprehensive logistic solution can provide a competitive edge .And Irenco claims to have all the solutions with its new Observer 2000 system,a complete fleet management and tracking system designed to optomise transport logistics via its on-board computing capability,passive and active tracking ,integrated into a single system.
Says Jan Mulder, Managing Director of Irenco, "The past 40 years can be regarded as the second industrial revolution. We experienced the sixties, where companies were product driven regardless of price, promotion and/or place. Then came the seventies, where competitive pricing and quality surfaced as a winning strategy. The eighties will be remembered as the advertising era, where the media stimulated product and market expansion by bringing sales right onto our doorstep and into our homes.
"The nineties saw the start of the distribution era, where the right product at the right price and quality, supported by suitable marketing and advertising, had to be delivered on time to sustain a competitive edge. Now we are facing the new millennium and the question is 'What will be a winning strategy for the next 10 years?'," Mulder says.
"The four Ps are not the only relevant factors any more. We as South Africans will be faced with the flooding of our markets with foreign products. Nevertheless the answer lies in the total management of all logistical activities and systems in an integrated way. A subset of this but a major contributor to profitability is the optimisation of distribution and transport management," adds Mulder.
In anticipation of this vision for the next decade Irenco has developed the complete fleet management and tracking system and named it Observer 2000.
Current situation
According to Mulder, the transportation market today is exploited by vendors servicing the market in a fragmented way. Many companies has invested in on-board computers to optimise driver behaviour, collect management information and calculate maintenance cost. "Once they realise they are addressing only part of their logistic requirement, they procure an additional system capable of logging positional data to analyse, in retrospect, where their vehicles were travelling whilst engaged in distributing payloads. By using historical data they optimise travel distance and delivery logistics in a pre-planned approach," he says.
"It then becomes evident that with realtime positional information their scheduling activities could be optimised even further by routing, for example, maintenance teams to the maintenance requirement from the nearest location.
"Unique to this country as a result of the increasing instances of vehicle and payload hijacking, the need has arisen for access to a reliable vehicle recovery service," Mulder adds.
Technical solutions exist for each requirement - the single biggest problem being that a different set of hardware, each at a price, is typically needed for each solution.
Modular cost effective solution
According to Irenco, the new Observer 2000 is the ultimate solution to enhance the total spectrum of efficient logistics management for all fleet managers. Observer 2000 is an integrated system comprising an on board computer with the following features:
p Driver and vehicle identification to pinpoint responsibility.
p Trip start and end times and date of each trip.
p Odometer readings and distance travelled.
p Reports on exceeding of maximum speed (speed parameters adjustable).
p Reports on exceeding of maximum revolutions (rpm) (RPM parameters adjustable).
p RPM green band (economy range).
p Reports on excess engine idle times, harsh braking and harsh acceleration.
p Fuel consumption.
p Time attendance.
p Reports on vehicle/fleet usage and productivity.
Says Mulder, "The benefit of collecting such data is reduction of abuse, accident monitoring, optimisation of vehicle/fleet usage, calculation of fuel consumption, increase of vehicle lifespan, elimination of unauthorised vehicle usage and ultimately a saving on running costs."
Smartcard or smartkey control
Observer utilises a smartcard or smartkey to interface with the system which has an open architecture, allowing reports to be customised to suite customer specific requirements. It can store up to six months of average driving data and will store this data and maintain realtime clock integrity for up to 10 years.
The smartcard or smartkey can be utilised to immobilise vehicles for the purpose of security and driver control. It can be programmed to allow access to the vehicles only on specific dates and times and therefore ensures that transport managers can keep tight control of fleet utilisation and prevent misuse.
Downloading of data occurs through the smartcard or key but a basestation computer can alternatively be configured to automate the capturing of data using an in-house developed RF downloading device with guaranteed data integrity.
A mass download unit can also be used to extract data from vehicle monitoring units. This mass download unit is a storage device that is capable of storing up to 2 Mbyte of raw VMU data. Data can be extracted directly from the VMU or from the card/key via the reader in the vehicle or via the RF download device. After the extraction of data, the data can be downloaded to the PC basestation for utilisation and management reporting.
Irenco offers different options to its clients.
Option 1 - passive tracking for logistics planning. By adding its compact GPS module to the basic system, access is gained to detailed travelling data to monitor routes employed by drivers. Deviations from planned routes as well as all other fleet management data is available for analysis. The data is downloaded once the vehicle arrives back to its base or depot. Irregularities can then be addressed and preventative measures instituted for increased effectiveness.
Option 2 - active tracking for realtime fleet control, optimisation of logistics and recovery if required. Realtime tracking is achieved by the addition of our GSM communication module, a modular unit that plugs onto the motherboard of the basic system. All the information collected by the on-board computer and the GPS module is now available in realtime.
Features
Some of the features of the Observer 2000 system are:
p Automatic functionality check with start-up.
p 16 bit processor.
p 2 Mbyte memory to store trips, GPS data and second-by-second data.
p Accident reporting.
p RPM and speed recordings at 1 s intervals.
p CMOS technology ensuring minimum power consumption.
p An option to connect a hands free car kit for voice communications.
p All three modules fit into one aluminium box and use the same operating system
Three-in-one solution
Says Mulder, "Observer 2000 offers a three-in-one solution to optimise logistics across the total value chain. Flexibility to upgrade when the need arises allows transport managers to implement a learning organisation approach in their companies.
"Eskom's Fleet Management Entity (FME), based in Menlyn Pretoria, has over the past four years awarded various contracts for the supply and installation of 5000 Observer systems for Eskom's Distribution Group, to Irenco. This public utility company has made a major investment in the product and is one of the largest fleet owners using on-board computers in South Africa currently.
"All equipment is manufactured by Irenco in accordance with SABS ISO 9002. The basic unit and GPS module is currently being produced and the GSM module will be produced as from November 1999. Truly a product ready for the year 2000."
For details, contact Irenco's Marketing and Sales Manager Marihette Hattingh on telephone (012) 671 1640, cell 082 557 3463, or e-mail irenco@kidd.co.za
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