23.05.2012

A-Plant’s automated rental system

Skanska UK has reported that is first job with an on-site automated rental centre has proved a success.

The contractor claims that it has improved productivity, lowered costs and reduced its carbon footprint.

Skanska UK’s Infrastructure Services team took delivery of one of A-Plants Auto Tool Hire Units in November 2011 for its Framework Contract project with London Underground for the maintenance of its ‘Civil Assets’. The works required emergency cover 24 hours a day, 365 days per year and so equipment needed to be available around the clock. The unmanned mini depot - essentially a steel container - is delivered to site fully stocked with equipment according to the site manager’s requirements. Access is gained to the unit by presenting a swipe card and to ensure maximum security, closed circuit cameras record all activity inside the unit.
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One of A-Plant's automated tool hire units

Equipment ready to rent is stored on shelves inside the unit and each item is electronically tagged using state-of-the-art RFID technology. As equipment is taken from the shelves, it automatically registers and is placed on hire.

The software programme monitoring the RFID tags links the contract number to the piece of equipment, as well as the date and time it was taken out. When the customer is ready to return the equipment, he simply enters the unit and places the equipment back on the shelves at which point the RFID tag is back in range and the return of equipment is registered electronically.

Because the unit is constantly in touch with A-Plant’s software systems, whenever a piece of equipment is replaced back in the unit, a hire report is produced to enable the generation of a consolidated invoice for the unit and equipment usage.

With the Auto Tool Hire Unit, there is no time wasted waiting for equipment to arrive, no phone calls to make, no paperwork to raise at the point of on/off hire and no collection or delivery charges. The unit stays on site for as long as the customer wants it and customers can check online at any time what is being hired from the unit and the costs incurred in real-time.

When Skanska carried out a cost analysis on the project, the automated system demonstrated significant savings in overall rental costs. Coupled with a 57 percent reduction in carbon footprint in terms of miles travelled for deliveries, collections, breakdowns and exchanges. Other benefits included, less wasted time waiting for deliveries or collections, reduced traffic movements in and out of site, immediate out-of-hours access to equipment, reduced out-of-hours delivery and call-out charges and a noticeable reduction in losses.

Ian Collins, site manager for Skanska said: “I fully endorse the Auto Tool Hire Unit as it quite clearly shows by means of e-mail, text and video who took the plant out on-site and as such we have not lost any plant from the unit.”