Pilot Thomas Logistics and SkyBitz – Smarter Logistics Through Automation 

For over 70 years, Pilot Thomas Logistics has helped customers in the energy, marine, mining, and commercial and industrial markets solve their greatest challenges with superior logistics solutions. A robust offering of value-added services and products, as well as the premium experience they deliver to customers, has made Pilot Thomas Logistics a dominant force in petroleum logistics. 

Their problem-solving mentality and commitment to innovation drove them to partner with SkyBitz, a brand of AMETEK Telular, in hopes of further optimizing their operations. Since onboarding SkyBitz Petroleum Logistics Solutions in 2021, the company has automated and streamlined key points in their delivery process, helping reduce time from delivery to invoice and improve their bottom line.

Challenge

Shifting to Full Automation With SkyBitz

Before partnering with SkyBitz, Pilot Thomas Logistics relied heavily on physical paperwork, requiring drivers, dispatchers and billing teams to manually input and interpret key information.

Their manual approach led to several challenges, including:

• Lack of accuracy and efficiency due to human error

• Slower billing and longer delivery-to-invoice cycle time

• Reduced cash flow

• Poor resource planning due to a lack of reliable data

• Limited visibility of truck-level inventory

Steve Silkaitis, Applications Director at Pilot Thomas Logistics, took on the challenge of modernizing the company’s processes while overseeing its IT infrastructure. His team began utilizing the SkyBitz SMARTruck™ platform in 2021, searching for a solution that would allow them to transition from their manual, labor intensive processes to fully digital.

The Solution

Smoother, Faster, Smarter

Pilot Thomas Logistics’ integration of SkyBitz automated logistics solutions has evolved over time and the impact on their operations has been nothing short of transformative. Silkaitis estimates that they save over nine hours per delivery-to-billing exchange now that they’ve upgraded to automated.

Greater Efficiency: SkyBitz technology has streamlined and simplified every phase of the delivery journey by enabling an increasingly touchless process. Silkaitis estimates that they save over nine hours per delivery-to- billing exchange now that they’ve upgraded to automated. Free of manual paperwork, team members can work more efficiently, reducing human error.

In-depth Inventory Tracking: Whereas Pilot Thomas Logistics used to only have access warehouse-level inventory information, with the SkyBitz SMARTruck Mobile App they now have access to truck-level inventory monitoring, giving them a more accurate and real-time understanding of their products.

Smarter Resource Planning: Their petroleum logistics information is now automatically integrated into their back-end operations and ERP system, enabling Silkaitis and his team to plan more confidently, knowing there’s a single source of truth for company data.

Planning for the Future

The success of their partnership and the seamless integration of SkyBitz Petroleum Logistics Solutions have inspired Pilot Thomas Logistics to think bigger. Silkaitis envisions an end-to-end journey that’s truly touchless and fully automated. Continuing to incorporate SkyBitz SMARTruck solutions deeper into their operations will help get them closer to this vision of maximum efficiency, learning and improvements.