SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS
KOMTRAX ® provides key key for professional rental management
KOMTRAX ®, Komatsu ’ s advanced remote equipment and machine monitoring system , has become an indispensable tool for the management of an extensive fleet of capital equipment operated by Old Lady & Son ( OL & S ) Plant Hire .
The company , based in KwaZulu-Natal , leases equipment to the construction industry and recently extended its footprint into mining and quarrying . The system offers operations managers and hire operators increased control over their operations by providing easy access to the information they need for daily management of their fleets . “ Wireless , secure , and user-friendly , the web-based application places a wealth of information at the user ’ s fingertips so that they can enhance utilisation , minimise downtime , and reduce operating costs ,” says Toshi Ohtsuka , Komatsu manager for sales and marketing .
KOMTRAX ® delivers user support that includes parameters like equipment hours , average hourly fuel consumption , idling times , water temperature , and fuel levels . With machine conditioning being essential , the system also provides users with regular updates on routine maintenance needs .
OL & S Plant Hire owner Dave Haines makes extensive use of KOMTRAX ®, to the point where it is now an integral part of the operation : “ As our business is equipment rental , we are concerned with hours — the billable hours we charge our customers for the use of our machines . Maintenance is a non-negotiable issue and we strictly observe the minor and major service procedures notified by KOMTRAX ®. A short-term costsaving gained by skimping on an oil change is nothing compared with the financial consequences of an expensive machine standing idle .”
At OL & S , it provides the data to support three core functions : financial controls ; engineering and maintenance ; and marketing and costing . It enables the company to help customers optimise the efficiency of hired equipment and keep their costs under control , which has a direct beneficial effect on OL & S ’ s business .
In terms of operational costs , diesel consumption is by far his customers ’ biggest consideration . “ They may have two identical excavators both working a nine-hour shift , but the operating costs can vary enormously . The first may be used for pipe laying and burn diesel at a rate of 13.4l / hr . The second may be used for bulk earthworks and continually load trucks , which would
40 - CEC October 2018 likely consume fuel at a rate of 17.5l / hr . The difference of 4.1l / hr over a month of operations would equate to more than R10 000 , which the customer must account for when costing operations ,” says Haines .
KOMTRAX ® data enables OL & S to better advise customers on anticipated fuel consumption relevant to their particular jobsite applications , thus improving their competitiveness when bidding for tenders .
The all-important energy-saving report that comes with the company ’ s excavator models details actual operational hours as well as inefficiencies denoting idle time , times worked in power or economy mode , and light or heavy load applications . Every month-end , OL & S sends this report to customers for each unit , with advice on how to improve machine utilisation .
Reporting daily fuel consumption based on injector volume , KOMTRAX ® also enables OL & S to advise customers on the possible incidence of fuel theft by comparing fuel burn with volumes dispensed from diesel bowsers .
Furthermore , O & LS practice is to rent out each item of machinery with its own operator . KOMTRAX ® offers the ability to monitor operator performance and habits . This functionality provides accurate productivity and utilisation information and can be used to elevate training for new and existing operators . ••
From left : Jacques van der Sandt , senior operations manager at Komatsu South Africa – Pinetown branch ; Dave Haines , owner of Old Lady & Son Plant Hire ; and Ravi Naidoo , sales rep at Komatsu South Africa – Pinetown branch .
Komatsu