News
Dutch division of leading building materials firm opts for TMS
02 May 2011
Safety is paramount at Struyk Verwo Infra, market leader in the manufacture of paving stones, and part of the CRH Group. This is one of the reasons that Struyk Verwo Infra took the decision to automate and optimize its plant in Westervoort by implementing the TMS solution. With this software, the company is able to create specific zones within the plant that can only be accessed with a unique key card. As soon as an employee removes the key for a particular zone from an electrical key cabinet and exits the area, the zone is secured.
"TMS is a great deal more than just software - it's multidisciplinary," says Gert Oppelaar, Struyk Verwo Infra Project Manager (machine safety). TMS implemented the process control at Struyk Verwo Infra and also provided the hardware, including, among other things, the remote control (via touch screens in the forklift trucks and on the production floor). "The increased control flexibility has allowed us to actually produce the volumes we want: since September, we have been able to turn out 30% more volume than during the previous six months of the year. This is of course, due to an increase in work orders, although if we had been using our previous control system, we wouldn't have been able to cope." Gerben Breugelmans, Verwo Struyk Infra Plant Manager at Westervoort adds: "Last year we produced 7,500 tons and our aim for next year is to increase this figure to 15,000 tons. Thanks to TMS we can control our operations in real-time and our production quality is more stable."
Stuyk Verwo Infra's previous control system was maintained by a single programmer. "If something went wrong, production could be brought to a standstill for days," explains Gert Oppelaar. "This fact alone highlighted the need to invest in new software that would enable us to safeguard production continuity. What's more, if something should fail, TMS can dial in remotely and take control, which means that potential mechanical faults can be quickly diagnosed."
Both Oppelaar and Breugelmans are impressed by the expertise of TMS: "The implementation was well run and executed according to plan." says Oppelaar. "Hats off to the people at TMS," agrees Breugelmans. "Their staff are reliable and efficient."
About Struyk Verwo Infra
Struyk Verwo Infra, part of the CRH Group, is the Dutch market leader in the manufacture of concrete paving stones, also specializing in street styling. The company's product line consists of a variety of paving materials and solutions, in both concrete and natural stone, which are suited to all types of outdoor spaces.
Struyk Verwo Infra employs approximately 500 people in the Netherlands, distributed across 10 manufacturing sites, 2 sales offices and the company's head office in Oosterhout. Struyk Verwo Infra is much more than just a manufacturer and supplier. By combining expert knowledge and experience, the company is able to offer advice and support during each stage of the project: design through to material selection, and for implementation and management challenges.
About TMS
TMS, a division of Command Alkon, has over 27 years experience in the automation of concrete plants and factories, providing over 150 companies with automated systems during this time. Our employees couple industry knowledge with application and technical expertise that is unparalleled. Since 1998, TMS has been collaborating closely with ORTEC, one of the largest providers of advanced planning and optimization software solutions and consulting services. ORTEC's products and services result in optimized fleet routing and dispatch, vehicle and pallet loading, workforce scheduling, delivery forecasting and network planning.