Instarmac

Vehicle tracking helps instarmac keep trucking

Instarmac Group plc is improving communications between its drivers and its customers, thanks to Navman Wireless

Technology from Navman Wireless is playing a major role in galvanising communications for a cement manufacturer with a nation-wide client base.

Instarmac, based in Tamworth in the West Midlands, manufactures and supplies contractor-friendly packs of high-performance cements, cold-lay macadams and concrete products for the Highways Agency and construction industries. Products are used by local authorities and large contractors throughout the UK.

A string of high profile projects that have made use of Instarmac products includes the refurbishment of Wigan Pier and a new light rail line in Bergen, Norway. The company also manufactures tile adhesive, which it delivers to a widespread customer base of contractor tilers and tile retail outlets.

With a fleet of 18 vehicles, Instarmac’s delivery process is at the core of its business.

“We literally deliver to every council goods yard in the country,” explained Instarmac transport manager Martin Need.

“The timing of deliveries and knowing where our drivers are at any one time is vital to the success of the whole operation.”

The company has recently installed an integrated vehicle tracking and in-car navigation system (the M-NAV 650) from Navman Wireless, which links with Paragon Software Systems' routing and scheduling optimisation software. The two systems work in tandem.

The Paragon software calculates the day's transport schedules and uses Navman Wireless's live tracking feed to monitor progress against the plan throughout the day. Paragon automatically sends customers an email or text message to tell them when Instarmac's driver will arrive on site with a delivery of materials, while Navman Wireless enables Need and his team to keep in constant contact with each driver.

Vehicle tracking for advanced efficiency

“Before we installed the Navman Wireless system, it was difficult to pinpoint the location of any driver once they were out on the road,” said Need.

“I might want a driver to make a diversion on the way back from a delivery to a customer, so that they could collect raw materials from somewhere on route. But because I didn’t know exactly where they were on their journey, on many occasions the driver would have gone past the location I needed him to go to by the time I could contact him. As a result, a further journey would be required to make that collection.”

Navman Wireless enables Need to send messages from Instarmac’s offices direct to the dashboard of any of the company’s fleet, anywhere in the country, avoiding the need for costly and often incoherent mobile phone calls. He can also track each vehicle’s movements in real time.

“The increase in efficiency has been tremendous,” said Need.

“Now, if, for example, one of our drivers is on the way back from a delivery in the North East and I want them to pick up some raw materials from Leeds or Bradford, I can see precisely where he is, let him know that I want him to make a detour, and best of all, the M-Nav will direct the driver from his exact position to the depot I need him to go to, and then back to base.”
The system features unique ‘accept and go’ functionality. When drivers click to accept the message from head office, the M-Nav 650 will automatically launch the relevant on-screen map and instructions to the next job, with no need to input any postcode details.

Enthusiastic response from fleet drivers

“When we informed our drivers that we were going to install a vehicle tracking system, they were a bit wary at first that it was all a bit big brother! But in the 12 months since we installed the system, the response from the drivers has actually been 100 per cent positive,” said Need.

“Navman Wireless has made their jobs far simpler because they know at all times exactly where they should be going, which has also improved safety. Now they are accustomed to using it, every single driver has said to me they think it’s brilliant – there is so much more control, both from their point of view and ours back at base in Tamworth - and no more getting lost!”

Greater efficiency, increased productivity

Instarmac has been using the Navman Wireless system for only 12 months but it is already outstripping expectations, according to Need. As well as more efficient use of drivers’ time and road-miles, the system has vastly improved Instarmac’s communications with drivers, decreased the number of journeys required, increased customer satisfaction and overall made an important contribution to streamlining the operation.

“Although it’s early days, I can see using this tracking and communication system from Navman Wireless has given us a very good leading edge,” said Need. “The fact that we can combine it with Paragon is excellent, and for the customer the end result is great.”

He added: “I think Navman Wireless has given us the sort of advantage that will see Instarmac winning new orders ahead of our competitors because, ultimately, it makes things so easy for our customers, as well as removing the logistical nightmares for us.”