Much more realistic temperature track

Harrie Reink, Huuskes' logistics manager, says: "We deploy various modules of GPS-Buddy and thus create a customised transport management system, ranging from the monitoring of the vehicles, to the trip analysis and the link with the daily delivery from the ERP system. But also controlling the maintenance planning with the legal inspections and the tachograph module and the driving style analysis of our drivers. This is how we very actively manage the drivers' fuel consumption. We want to digitise as much as possible, both to meet specific requirements and to minimise the administrative burden. Manual operations simply increase the risk of errors. Every quarter we sit down with GPS-Buddy to evaluate and discuss our ideas. When the next step of temperature management came on the table, we were immediately enthusiastic."

PRODUCTS ARE MEASURED automatically and accurately to ensure the RIGHT CORE TEMPERATURE

Huuskes' drivers used to have a box on board, where they could print out a receipt from the customer of the temperature in the loading space at delivery. This box is connected to the cooling engine. To get a better understanding of the core temperature, delayed sensors were used in combination with random measurements through puncture thermometers. "With the receipt that we used to issue, the drivers could already show at which ambient temperature the products had been delivered. Even if the customer was not present," says Harrie. "With the new module, we go one step further and products are automatically measured at the precise core temperature thanks to the algorithm developed by GPS-Buddy. This takes into account all the parameters that influence the transition from ambient to core temperature."

THERE ONLY NEEDS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TEMPERATURE ON ONE SHIPMENT

"With the new solution, Huuskes has something unique in their hands," says Daniel Engelberts of GPS-Buddy. "We developed this module in collaboration with an engineering company specialising in thermal engineering. By determining the properties of the food and packaging and mapping airflow in the vehicle, we determined various product type parameters. In a climate chamber, we then measured the core temperature of different products and worked out an algorithm. I know of no other company that calculates core temperature in this way. Even though temperature management has a great impact. All it takes is one shipment where the temperature is off and the lawmakers are on your doorstep. When you can give your customers reports showing the measured core temperature of the products during transport and delivery, it provides crucial information to comply with food safety guidelines."

Drivers do not have to worry about temperature

"Huuskes ships around 200 to 300 products in one load. Therefore, for this customer, we chose an average temperature of the food in the trucks, one for both the refrigerated and freezer compartments. With every opening of the cargo compartment, the ambient temperature goes up. Now the algorithm calculates the products in the freezer at -25 degrees and in the refrigerator at three degrees. That makes for a much more realistic temperature curve," Daniel says. "In the beginning, we still used puncture thermometers to compare the results, but the deviations were non-existent."

Harrie Reink of Huuskes is very enthusiastic about the new solution. "We get a much more realistic picture of the temperature course. Furthermore, it really is a win-win situation. For the drivers it is also easy because they don't have to worry about the temperature. In addition, there is considerably less discussion with customers about the temperature on delivery, although of course they remain responsible for the temperature reading on entry themselves."

Rollout

GPS-Buddy has since entered talks with several larger parties to market the solution more widely. "It is great to kick-off with a loyal customer like Huuskes. We are now in talks with several major interested players," concludes Daniel.