Sept/Oct 2005

Roll-out of Wire3's Sat3 vehicle tracking system is fully under way at DHL Global Mail, the DHL group's recently formed mail operation, and Wire3 itself has just moved to larger premises and expanded its sales network to cope with rapid growth.

Around 200 DHL vehicles at five depots now have the real-time tracking system installed (London, Birmingham, Warrington, Sheffield and now Northampton). New depots' vehicles are being equipped as the network expands, and it is expected that at least ten bases will be open and using the system by next summer.

Typically each depot adds around 20 vehicles. The tracking information is gathered at 2-minute intervals, and is being used for a variety of purposes, including operational planning, delivery time monitoring and general performance monitoring. It is also helping with proof of delivery management.

The system is linked to various on-board functions; for instance, it detects door openings, and can check to ensure that these happen at appropriate locations.

 

So far about 30 vehicles are being tracked in the London area. Here DHL says an unexpected benefit has been the system's ability to monitor congestion charging and check costs against actual operations. Wire3 has written some customised reports to streamline this function.

Wire3 says it has been experiencing strong demand for its tracking systems, and is now appointing a national network of resellers. 'Previously we did all our business direct,' director Andrew Pearce told m.logistics, 'but by working with resellers we can grow more quickly.' The company can either offer its own branded service through third-party suppliers or tailor the interface to reflect their identity.

The company has also appointed its first regional sales executive, who is working in the North West. 'When there are so many tracking systems available, marketing is a key to success,' Pearce says. He adds that the company has achieved a strong presence in key sectors such as construction, where Carey group is a recent customer. 'Word of mouth recommendation is also very important to us.'

The next major development could be roll-out of Cerner Corporation's iLocate personal tracking system, which uses a system of arm-bands and badges to find people within large organisations, using RFID or IR technology. Currently Wire3 is putting the system through trials.