FLEET TELEMATICS FOR CEMENT MANUFACTURERS: SUCCESS STORY FROM LEBANON

Cement manufacturing is a highly complicated process with multiple steps. From extracting raw materials to grinding, mixing the components in the right proportion, maintaining the exact temperature needed, and assuring the needed storage conditions, it involves different types of industrial vehicles and machinery. With such a level of operational complexity, lack of visibility and inefficiency are the common challenges for many cement manufacturers.

FLEET MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FACED BY SIBLINE CEMENT

These were exactly the challenges of Sibline Cement, one of the largest cement manufacturers in Lebanon. The company operates a large fleet of 400 vehicles and assets, including drum trucks, concrete pump trucks, large excavators and other cement production equipment.

The company wanted to know what operations are performed and when, how fast the work is done and who is behind the wheel. What is more, it was crucial to identify the cases of unauthorised use and potential fuel and concrete theft.

BUILDING A TAILORED TELEMATICS SOLUTION FOR A MIXED FLEET

Teltonika’s business partner Maliatec rose to the challenge and provided the solution covering the manufacturer’s needs across the mixed fleet. It was important to consider:

• the operational role of each vehicle type and the key parameters to monitor in each case

• the data available from the vehicle’s CAN bus, and if external sensors are needed

• the installation process for each specific vehicle

The project required a tailored approach because each type of heavy-duty vehicle and machine performed a different operational role and required different monitoring parameters.

When monitoring cement mixers, it is crucial to know not only the fuel level or vehicle engine performance, but also the drum rotation speed and direction, as this helps a fleet owner to see if the cement is being loaded or unloaded and, most importantly, detect potential theft.

This example show that designing the right telematics solution starts from understanding the operations of a specific business.

REAL-TIME TRACKING AND VEHICLE DATA

After analysing cement production operations, Maliatec team chose Teltonika’s CAN data reading tracker FMC150. It allowed the implementation of real-time location tracking and access to vehicle parameters such as the odometer and RPM. What is more, Bluetooth® and 1-wire support was invaluable to connect wireless temperature, humidity and drum rotation sensors and iButton driver identification sensors.

As for fuel control, Maliatec team chose external fuel level sensors instead of relying on fuel data from the CAN bus of the vehicles. It required a tailored installation and calibration for each vehicle type, however, this approach was the optimal one for the end client. It helped to read the fuel level with a very high precision, something that was crucial for special machinery with big fuel tanks, where a small discrepancy multiplied by a large fleet, transforms into a significant cost for business.

The high precision fuel monitoring also allowed to spot irregular consumption patterns and the detection of potential theft. Combined with driver identification, it significantly increased accountability and helped to reduce fuel consumption.  

For a detailed comparison of three fuel monitoring methods, including external fuel level sensors, see our article Fuel Control: What Solution to Choose?

RESULTS OF USING TELEMATICS DEVICES

Implementing this solution helped Sibline Cement to reach the following objectives:

• Bluetooth® rotation sensors installed on cement mixer trucks, combined with real-time location tracking, helped detect unauthorised cement unloading and prevent potential theft.

• Bluetooth® temperature and humidity sensors allowed monitoring transportation conditions and reducing the risk of cement spoilage.

• Fuel level sensors helped identify irregular fuel consumption, detect potential theft, and improve fuel efficiency across different vehicle types.

• Driver identification with iButton increased accountability and safety, supported the reduction of road incidents, and contributed to lower fuel consumption.

• Vehicle data reading with FMC150 helped to monitor vehicle performance, detect and reduce idling and plan vehicle maintenance on time

This tailored approach provided a complete operational view of the fleet. By combining vehicle diagnostics, fuel monitoring, driver identification, and cement drum rotation data into a single platform, Sibline Cement can now monitor day-to-day operations with greater accuracy, improve accountability, and make more informed operational decisions.

Want to optimise your business operations with telematics devices? Read the MANAGEMENT OF HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES use case for more details or fill out the contact us form, and our team will reach out to you.