Discount retail chain Netto has fitted the Manta electronic seal to each trailer of its of delivery vehicles.
Developed and supplied by Unisto, a supplier of reusable electronic security seals to the transport industry, Manta provides a way of sealing the doors of each trailer to eliminate unauthorised access as well as providing data tracking every opening or closing of the doors by date and time.
A Manta seal has been fitted to each of the 96 refrigerated trailers operated by logistics firm C Butt on behalf of Netto under a new multi-million pound five-year contract awarded in 2009. The fleet serves 196 Netto stores throughout England from distribution centres at South Elmsall, West Yorkshire and Daventry, Northamptonshire.
Netto’s Head of Loss Prevention Steve Teatum says: “We selected the Unisto Manta after effectively discounting the use of lesser mechanical-based solutions that did not provide the required level of security and delivery performance data that would link with the geographical positioning data available through the Isotrak system to track deliveries and performance.”
The Manta seal generates a random four digit seal number on the integral LED every time the doors are closed. This unique seal number is recorded on the vehicle delivery manifest and can be visually checked at any time by pressing a single button to detect any unauthorised opening. “Manta provides us with a clear audit trail showing each time the doors are opened or closed during planned journeys and enables us to identify any anomalies and take corrective action when required,” adds Steve Teatum. “The system has already reduced losses during the delivery cycle and we expect it to continue to provide us with further efficiency gains in the future.”
To assist the investigation process should the security number not match the vehicle manifest, the Manta seal stores data on the last 100 events providing a timed audit trail for detailed analysis of driver or trailer histories. The data can be downloaded via infrared (IrDA Interface) links using SealTrak, a small handheld unit with a USB connection that enables data to be exported using XML format for use in commonly used spreadsheet and database programmes.
This data can also be used ith GPS-based location and performance data provided by the Isotrack Active Transport Management system used to analyse single or multi-drop deliveries. The combined data produces more detailed audit trails that can show when vehicles arrive at their destinations, the time spent waiting to be unloaded, unloading periods and departure times. This information can be used to ensure that service levels are being achieved and highlight where any delays may be occurring.
“Unisto worked closely in partnership with us to provide a cost effective solution that meets all our security requirements,” adds Jason Ward of C Butt. “We are delighted with the performance and reliability of the Manta seal and there has not been a single instance of failure. It has become an integral part of our dedicated fleet operations helping us to securely manage the receipt and despatch of products from source through to the end user. It is also enabling us to enhance our range of services and differentiate the business in this competitive market sector.”
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