Andrew Ingredients has cut maintenance costs by 10% and freed up more than 40 hours of staff time each week after digitising its transport and warehouse management systems.
The Lisburn-based ingredients supplier introduced Pocket Box Fleet to replace paper and spreadsheet-based processes used for vehicle checks, compliance reporting and maintenance scheduling.
Andrew Ingredients operates nine 26-tonne HGVs with tail lifts and 10 forklift trucks from a 35,000 sq ft warehouse in Northern Ireland.
The site stores more than 2,000 ambient food products for customers across the UK and Ireland.
Over the past five years, the company has brought order fulfilment for 800 Irish customers back in-house, with 96% of its 1,200 weekly orders now handled through its own multi-drop delivery operation.
Andrew Ingredients said the switch to a cloud-based management system had helped simplify safety checks, compliance reporting and maintenance planning as the business expanded.
Operations manager Sammy Adams said: “Following strong and consistent growth in recent years, I would not be able to coordinate our compliance and maintenance requirements without Pocket Box Fleet.”
“The software has become invaluable, providing the data capture and reporting tools essential for managing our fleet of HGVs and fork-lift trucks, along with other materials handling and warehouse machinery.”
The system has since been extended beyond the vehicle fleet, with Andrew Ingredients using Pocket Box's asset management tools to monitor warehouse equipment and cleaning tasks.
QR codes have been placed on HGVs, forklift trucks, machinery and warehouse locations, allowing drivers and warehouse staff to scan them using a mobile device and access the relevant checks or tasks.
Bespoke pre-shift and walkaround inspections have also been introduced to meet health and safety and food standards requirements.
The system records photographs and timestamps, while missed checks trigger alerts for the operations team.
Adams said: “If something is not completed, it appears on my to-do list to chase up, so nothing can be overlooked.”
“Nothing can be faked, because everything is timestamped and all details are stored digitally in one place.”
The company said the software also helps it manage maintenance schedules and store supporting documents for completed work.
Adams added: “When we have a DVSA or BRCGS audit, everything is available with a click of the mouse, which means there is no risk of misplaced records or compliance gaps.”
Andrew Ingredients is also using fleet data to help decide when vehicles should be replaced.
Information on defects, performance and maintenance is being used to assess the point at which replacing a vehicle could reduce operating and repair costs.
The company said minimising downtime is particularly important because disruption to its delivery fleet could affect customer service.
Andrew Ingredients is now planning to increase warehouse capacity by around 50% and expand its vehicle fleet as part of a five-year growth strategy.
Adams said: “Pocket Box is playing a significant role in us providing a first-rate delivery service and maintaining a facility with BRCGS AA accreditation, both of which contribute to the success of the business.”
“We are also planning to increase our warehouse capacity by around 50% and expand our vehicle fleet as part of a five-year growth strategy, so it is crucial we have the systems and processes in place to help achieve our objectives.”
Pocket Box chief executive Jim Finnegan said the software had been designed to simplify fleet and asset management for transport and warehouse operators.
“Our cloud-based software was developed to take the stress out of fleet and asset management,” he said.
“We are working with a growing number of road transport and warehouse operators because we are providing the digital tools they need to stay compliant, reduce costs, and stay in control.”