Agronomy company Agrii has implemented a real-time transport optimisation and vehicle tracking solution for its agrochemicals division. 

Paragon’s Fleet Controller system integrates a live vehicle tracking feed, provided by 49 TomTom PRO 9150 navigation units, with its advanced vehicle routing and scheduling software.  This delivers real time plan versus actual performance information to the Agrii transport and customer service teams, and enables customers to receive updated ETAs using Fleet Controller’s text messaging facility. 
 
“By integrating Paragon and TomTom technology we are able to plan and manage deliveries of more than 350 orders a day, which given the location and type of customers we serve would be a logistical challenge if we didn’t use this solution,” said Tony Frain, Agrii’s logistics manager.
 
“The software allows us to offer customers the opportunity to place orders up to 10.30 pm and we’ll guarantee delivery if stocks are available by the next working day in three slots: before 9am, before 12pm or next day.”
 
Paragon also provides timed web-based reporting to Agrii customer services, with scheduled route timings updated every few minutes based on the live tracking information.  This informs the customer service agents of real-time delivery activity and allows them to prepare customers to receive their deliveries. This also streamlines the delivery process because some orders will require a forklift truck to unload the vehicle.
 
TomTom’s PRO 9150 provides intelligent navigation and live traffic information to help drivers avoid congestion, saving Agrii both time and money. The all-in-one business tool combines navigation and GPS tracking in one single device.
 
As Agrii’s agrochemical delivery operation using 3.5 tonne vans and 7.5 tonne trucks is seasonal, the use of this  solution enables the company to increase and reduce the size of the hire fleet without the cost of installing and removing hardwired equipment.
 
In addition, the company is able to monitor driver speeds to help meet duty of care obligations while drivers can accurately report their working time by entering their ID into the device, tapping the screen to record when they start and finish work. This data is then automatically fed back into Agrii’s payroll system.
 
Agrii’s Alconbury depot is supplying 6,000 customers who range from small farms to large commercial operations growing products for supermarkets. They are located as far north as the Humber Estuary and south to the Thames Estuary, along the coast of the North Sea in the east and west to the M40 corridor. The drivers deliver the orders direct to the farm’s chemical storage facilities, the locations for which have been located accurately using the GPS vehicle-tracking units.  This ensures that each store is mapped on the system.
 
“By plotting the X and Y coordinates for the chemical stores our drivers can navigate directly to the site,” added Tony Frain.
 
“This streamlines the delivery because using a postcode alone would only take them to within a kilometre of the location. If we can get the driver within 10 to 20 metres of the store, it improves our performance and the level of service we offer our customers.”