Process optimization
Heijmans using FleetLink to optimize road paving processes
Process optimization with the help of FleetLink when resurfacing an airport runway in Amsterdam
Time is money when it comes to resurfacing a runway at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol airport. Project leader Heijmans, a nearly century-old Dutchbased construction company, went looking for a state-of-the-art resource management system, and it found one that works perfectly with Atlas Copco equipment. The system results in more efficient logistics, less waste and a smaller environmental impact.
Since 2010 we have constantly been upgrading aspects of our business. In 2014 we finalized a navigation system for road rollers. Next we turned our attention to the logistics chain.
The job of refurbishing the runway is scheduled to take seven weeks. It includes stripping the top layer, resurfacing the entire length with asphalt and reinstalling gutters and runway lighting. Time is money, in this industry as in others, so road builders are constantly seeking to streamline and modernize their operations.
Peter van Hinthem is Innovation Manager Roads at Heijmans. “Since 2010 we have constantly been upgrading aspects of our business,” he says. “In 2014 we finalized a navigation system for road rollers. Next we turned our attention to the logistics chain.” He and his team went searching for any available resource management systems, and they found three candidates. One of those was BPO ASPHALT, a software solution developed by the German company Volz Consulting (BPO stands for Building Process Optimization). Heijmans decided to initiate a test run of the software.
BPO ASPHALT takes its cues from sensors on the road-paving equipment and from GPS receivers on the delivery trucks. This enables close monitoring of logistics and of quantities used, which in turn facilitates just-in-time delivery of asphalt on site. As van Hinthem explains, this is a crucial advantage of the program. “The asphalt leaves the mill at a temperature of over 150 degrees Celsius [300 degrees Fahrenheit]. For a smooth operation, it is essential to process it as hot as possible. If the asphalt cools down to below 80 degrees Celsius [175 degrees Fahrenheit], it becomes useless. So waiting time on site should be kept to a minimum. And since the sensors tell you exactly in real time how much asphalt is being used, you can make on-the-spot adjustments of the amounts ordered, so the delivery of expensive surplus quantities can be avoided.”
Heijmans has been testing BPO ASPHALT for several weeks now, and van Hinthem is pleased with the initial results. “Since 20 years’ warranty on pavement is not uncommon any more, it is getting essential to be able to trace the origins of any given patch of asphalt,” he says. “Moreover, quality is more important than ever, since construction contractors will nowadays be fined for any traffic jam caused by extra repair work made necessary because of a flawed job.” Quicker turnover, lower costs Obviously it was time for the industry to beef up its logistics management with a modern solution, and some major players have successfully worked together to deliver one. “The new BPO ASPHALT software reflects our ambition to provide the best possible product for demanding end customers,” Gijbels says. “With BPO ASPHALT, Volz Consulting has created a software tool that ensures more efficient logistics, less waste and therefore less environmental impact, a better and more
consistent quality and a better traceability, which all translate into quicker turnover times and lower costs.”
Project: Buitenveldertbaan Location: Schiphol International Airport, Amsterdam Job: Total runway makeover Contractor: Heijmans Duration: Seven weeks, working 24/7 Dynapac equipment used: Two SD2500CS pavers with a V5100TVE screed, Moba sensors and FleetLink fleet management system for use with BPO ASPHALT software.
Heijmans is a listed company that was established in 1923 and has grown to be one of the leaders in its industry in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The company has more than 6 500 employees and had revenue of 2 billion euros in 2015. Its Roads Division operates a fleet including pavers, road rollers and other road construction equipment. About 40 percent of it is Dynapac equipment.