PLT Telematics Helps DiWiBack Ensure Compliance with the Cold Chain

The DewiBack Handels GmbH, producer and distributor of frozen baked goods in Germany, has been using the telematics system from PLT GmbH for several years. Legal regulations can be monitored and evaluated through the data generated by the sensors.

(Berlin) – Frozen goods – they are becoming increasingly popular. However, to ensure they are a delight for consumers, careful attention must be paid at several points. A crucial factor in ensuring that the goods arrive fresh and flawless on the plate is adherence to the cold chain. Sometimes, reports emerge of transports where the cooling system has failed – this can lead to enormous damage, not only from the loss of spoiled products but also from reputational harm. But how can a seamless cold chain be ensured in the most efficient and time-saving manner? Telematics, the logistics friend and helper, can do a lot here, as demonstrated by the example of DeWiBack from Berlin.

Route Tracking Also Possible

The company produces and distributes frozen baked goods throughout Germany. There are branches in Hamburg, Rostock, and Heppenheim, among others. Telematics has been in use for several years, says fleet manager Marcel Grelka in an interview with Telematik-Markt.de. As early as 2010, products from the Berlin-based provider PLT were being used. At that time, basic route planning was employed. According to Grelka, 400 to 500 customers had to be located within 24 hours. They worked with optimized route plans, half of which focused on pure planning, while the other half dealt with route tracking, meaning questions about where the driver was at what time. “That used to be done over the phone.” They could provide customers with information early and better inform them about the status of the goods, saving time and effort in communication.

Real-Time Data of All Delivery Vehicles

Three years ago, Grelka took over the fleet at DeWiBack and introduced PLT’s telematics there. Now, all delivery vehicles are equipped with it. It clearly displays how many kilometers a vehicle has already traveled, where it is located – all data on an overview map – and this is done “without having to call the branch” and thus tying up more workforce.

Tester: DeWiBack Handels GmbH Berlin

Interview Partner: Marcel Grelka, Fleet Manager

Author: Martina Scheffler, Telematik-Markt.de

Core Business: Production and distribution of frozen baked goods

Fleet: 43 vehicles

Area of Operation: Nationwide, branches including Hamburg, Rostock, and Heppenheim

User Requirements: The user desired a clear representation of cooling data in real-time for continuous monitoring of the cold chain.

Expansion to Temperature Data

When PLT began to address the issue of cooling temperatures, DeWiBack was immediately interested. After all, there are corresponding legal requirements that must be adhered to during refrigerated transport. For instance, a client measures the temperature of the goods at the start of shipping and wants to know what temperature they were ultimately delivered at. The minimum, according to Grelka, is -16°C, while approximately -18 to -20°C is common. The problem: Cooling systems do not always cool effectively. Grelka states that the door of a truck is opened 20 to 25 times during a journey. Each time, a brief exchange of atmosphere occurs. This can lead to a certain crusting, the formation of small ice blocks on the evaporator. Then, one must briefly switch to heating mode to resolve the crusting, explains the fleet manager. Thanks to the TrackPilot temperature module from PLT, it is now possible to precisely read where there are temperature issues.

The special feature: Since the temperature data is captured by small sensors and transmitted via Bluetooth to the GPS module in the vehicle, no cumbersome installation in the vehicle is necessary. For the user, this means: They save costs and can avoid workshop visits. Printers in the driver’s cabin are also no longer needed.

Automated Alerts for Temperature Fluctuations

An alarm can be installed that alerts whenever the temperature drops below a certain value. From the office, the entire fleet across Germany can be monitored in real-time. The graphical online overview displays the vehicles. It indicates whether a vehicle is currently in operation or not, how many kilometers it has already covered, what routes have been driven, which customers have been served or are being served, and where they are located. Simultaneously, the temperatures can be displayed. This is the crucial advantage of PLT’s telematics, says Grelka. With a conventional temperature recorder, one cannot indicate months later that on April 1, 2020, in a specific location, a certain customer was delivered goods at a temperature of -17°C. DeWiBack has gained much more security through this information. After all, customers are also monitored by health authorities and veterinary offices, and if one can provide seamless evidence of compliance with all regulations, no one can blame the bakery company for any potential oversights. Because sometimes goods are slightly thawed. “Then you can check with the PLT report what temperature they were delivered at.”

Optimization of Approach and Delivery

Another advantage: Based on the data obtained, one can talk to the customer and point out potentially long or complicated access routes. This is a problem that is increasingly faced in the distribution of food, says Grelka. There are fewer and fewer unloading options. Frequent opening and closing of doors leads to temperature loss – all negative circumstances that can be communicated to the customer through the available data. For this, PLT’s telematics is “the ideal tool.” According to Grelka, the onboarding process posed no difficulties: “It was actually child’s play,” he finds.

Concrete Benefits in Maintenance and Time Savings

Financially, it is currently not possible to quantify the cost savings. However, one can determine through the constant monitoring of values when a truck should preferably be sent for repair. Where this was not previously possible, there was a risk that a vehicle that was already not functioning perfectly would be sent out again and fail completely. Time is also saved: Grelka estimates he saves an hour and a half daily in telephone communication with the driver.

He is also very satisfied with the support from PLT: On the one hand, there is a direct contact person, and on the other, the option to resolve technical issues by submitting a ticket, thus describing the problem via email. Problems have been “very, very rare” anyway. He actually has no suggestions for improvement. PLT is very proactive and asks how the user is managing with certain things. “They are committed to making it practical. That is very customer-friendly.”

https://www.dewiback.de    https://www.plt-software.de

Image: © PLT GmbH