Case Study: Transforming Weighbridge Operations for a Leading Food Manufacturer

About the Client

Our client is a prominent food manufacturer known for its extensive range of high-quality food products, serving both national and international markets. With a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability, they are a key player in the food industry, ensuring the highest standards in their operations.

Background

The manufacturer’s UK location utilises two weighbridges for their operations – one in-bridge and one out-bridge – essential for weighing lorries that deliver and collect various materials such as oils, salt, and product waste. The accuracy of these weighbridges is critical to ensure correct billing and inventory management. However, both weighbridges had become non-functional, leaving them temporarily unable to monitor and manage material deliveries and dispatches accurately. This significant disruption led the client to approach MWS for a swift and effective solution.

Challenge

The food manufacturer faced several urgent challenges:

1. Restoration of Weighbridge Functionality: The weighbridges needed to be operational as quickly as possible to resume accurate weighing and billing processes.
2. Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure: The new system had to be seamlessly integrated with the existing weighbridge setup.
3. Intelligent and Compact System Requirement: The client required a system that was not only efficient but also compact and intelligent enough to fit within the existing infrastructure.

Solution

MWS provided a comprehensive solution to address these challenges by upgrading the weighbridge indicators and integrating a sophisticated data capture system. The solution included:

• Installation of New Indicators: The outdated driver terminals were replaced with advanced touchscreen GST4 units
• Integration with Giropes Gestruck Software: This highly configurable software is designed specifically for weighbridge operations, offering a full management suite linked to a PC across the client’s existing network.
• Automation and Traffic Control: The new system was integrated with traffic lights and an ANPR camera for vehicle registration capture. The process was streamlined to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

Operational Process:

• Inbound Process: When a lorry enters the site, the weighbridge senses the weight, turning the traffic light red. The ANPR camera captures the vehicle registration and retrieves information from the database. The driver selects their company and the product being delivered. The system captures the inbound weight, saves it to a database, and turns the traffic light green.
• Outbound Process: On departure, the system captures the registration plate again. The driver confirms their identity, and a ticket is printed showing the inbound, outbound, and net weights. The traffic light turns green, allowing the lorry to exit.
• Database logging: Both in and out weighings are logged into a single transaction with the values easily reportable using the GesTruck management software.

Outcome

The implementation of the new system led to significant improvements:

• Automated Processes: The weighbridge operations became more automated, reducing manual input and minimising errors.
• Enhanced Data Management: The bespoke software allowed for extensive data configurations and reporting options, providing valuable insights.
• Cost Savings: The client saved money by upgrading the existing system rather than replacing it entirely.
• Improved Reporting: The new system offered a simple and easy to use software package with customisable and filterable reports, enhancing operational transparency and decision-making.

This project highlights MWS's capability to deliver tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency and accuracy, reaffirming our commitment to quality and innovation in the weighing industry.