Broekman Automotive has renewed its contract with finished vehicle software specialist Vehnet as it goes into phase two of implementing Vehnet’s iTracks system at its car terminal in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Vehnet provides Broekman with iTracks to control the movement of vehicles through its vehicle import terminal at the port by providing real-time process and location control, automated yard and workshop management and back office administration.
iTracks evaluates work content, priorities, parts availability and other factors and proposes the work sequence to the work area managers. They are responsible for handling up to 400,000 cars per year across ten different vehicle brands.
At the end of phase one all work area managers were able to use iTracks to synchronise their workloads, according to Vehnet’s managing director Steve Jones. These workloads are subject to constantly changing priorities as vehicles are called off for preparation and delivery, put on hold and re-scheduled by the importers.
The three-year extension to the contract will now include further scheduling and capacity planning.
“Phase two will build on this experience so that what has been learned can be applied to automated rescheduling,” Jones told Automotive Logistics, “but it is vital that managers retail the final control as they are aware of local and special conditions.
“We will also introduce Vehnet’s newly available Advanced Yard which provides a dynamic real-time graphical view of the yard, including graphical alerts, automated parking suggestions and full integration with the WhereNet RFID system which is installed at Broekman Automotive,”
Vehnet incorporated a number of generic functions for Broekman, including enhanced damage estimates, providing the ability to store parts inventory in multiple locations, as well as implementing complex interfaces to other Broekman systems and to Broekman’s customers. According to Jones almost every customer has his own special EDI formats and trigger points.
“The big thing at Broekman was the configuration of these and all our other functions into a streamlined process, which is where we use our configuration toolset,” he said. “The level of detail in these processes is amazing and only iTracks could respond to them without needing to write any new software.”
