Summer 2006

Unipart Group has invested £2.5 million in a comprehensive Web-based vehicle tracking system for the 1,500 vehicles in its Unipart Automotive operation. This is said to be the UK's largest independent supplier of aftermarket components.

The supplier is Masternaut, which is providing its Web-based tracking and location system. Vehicle positions are captured with GPS, transmitted to base via GPRS and plotted on screen maps with Microsoft's MapPoint system.

The company delivers components to major automotive groups such as Kwik Fit and Nationwide Autocentre, and also to 1,300 independent owner-operated garages. Its vehicles operate from a nationwide network of more than 300 branches, offering delivery within a half-hour time window on an extensive range of stock items.

Keith Robson, group director of transport systems, says the system will bring benefits in fuel consumption, environmental impact and customer service.

 

It is also helping the company measure performance against key indicators, and to maintain its "Six Sigma" data-driven management excellence programme. Activity logs for each vehicle are emailed to the company in support of this.

• United Biscuits says it is expecting savings of £100,000 a year through fitting a real-time satellite-based location and tracking system throughout its distribution fleet. It says the benefits will easily outweigh the ongoing costs, even before account is taken of additional benefits in customer service, contractor productivity, visibility and control.

Two hundred Masternaut systems are being fitted in total, taking in 175 trailers, 22 tractor units and three vans. In addition, drivers are being issued with electronic ID keys, so that the fleet controllers can automatically verify who is driving any given vehicle.

UB makes extensive use of logistics contractors to pull its trailers, so trailer tracking was considered the best way to tackle the telematics requirement. In the words of Rob Wright, national distribution controller: "It's the whereabouts and progress of the load that are important, and this system works whoever is pulling the trailer."

He adds that the system makes it much easier to plan dynamically, adjusting schedules and routes as required.

UB deliver 70,000 loads a year to around 3500 locations nationwide.