Cheshire feed manufacturer HST Feeds has invested in an innovative delivery fleet optimisation solution from Paragon Software Systems.
The automated Paragon system will include average road speed data for improving the accuracy of the daily transport plans and a special function for managing vehicle compartment space when scheduling loads. The delivery fleet optimisation software will reduce daily planning time, boost customer service and lower haulage costs by maximising the use of its mixed fleet of six, eight-wheel and articulated compartmented trucks.
“With ever increasing fuel costs we have to be able to run our vehicles to their optimum – we cannot and will not expect our customers to pay for hauling fresh air. We have a duty to ensure that our business costs are under control and haulage is a big part of this. With Paragon, we can automatically optimise the use of our vehicles every day. Importantly, irrespective of who uses the software, we will get a quick and reliable optimised answer every time,” says Steve Rogers, Associate Director Operations, HST Feeds.
HST Feeds makes 1500 deliveries a month within a 100-mile radius of its Crewe-based mill. The company’s transport manager plans deliveries manually. This can take more than two hours each day – and longer if the transport manager is called away to attend to other business.
“Manual planning is very time-consuming and is dependent on the knowledge of our transport manager who has over 20 years’ service with the company. If he is needed elsewhere, the planning can take longer and the results are variable because other staff do not have his knowledge. The new delivery fleet optimisation software will remove this burdensome task,” says Steve Rogers.
There were several reasons why HST Feeds chose Paragon after researching suitable feed delivery solutions.
“The Paragon representative demonstrated a good understanding of the issues within the industry and how the software could help us. The software is proven and is the choice of other animal feed companies. We were able to see the system in action at another feed plant and we were impressed with the results,” says Steve Rogers.
“The delivery fleet optimisation software produces results in seconds – and the results are repeatable! The advantage of being able to enter all the vehicle information – size, weights and compartments – is that it will accurately optimise load capacities,” he adds.
