A Must-Have Benefit From Accurate Tank Monitoring
By Carolina Ruiz • Published June 22, 2021 • 3 minute read
The biggest pain points distributors of fuel and liquid chemicals can solve for their customers is to guarantee that products in onsite storage tanks never run out. Depleted customer inventory results in lost revenue and runaway costs, such as having to shut down a production line. Emergency fills are also costly and can interrupt your scheduled dispatch plan.
Distributors can prevent customer inventory runouts using wireless tank monitoring (telemetry) systems. The technology can send 24/7 alerts to distributors when tank levels are low and capture data necessary to determine reorder points to plan optimal deliveries.
As important as it is to prevent runouts, distributors also need to grow revenue without adding more trucks and drivers as well as increase profitability for each delivery.
Tank monitoring systems can enable distributors to do both by providing visibility and data insights to plan deliveries with precision to maximize volume (fill rate) for each order and decrease visit frequency, which protects margins on cost per delivery.
By installing tank monitors at customer locations, orders can be generated automatically when tank levels hit a re-order point based on analysis of historical usage data, safety stock and replenishment lead times. The distributor can provide a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) program for customers to increase service levels and profitability.
Meeting specific needs
SkyBitz SmartTank sensors are designed and engineered to reliably monitor different types of products from gasoline to liquid chemicals.
Telemetry data from sensors is transmitted through cellular networks or satellite to the cloud-based SmartTank portal. The portal has configurable reports for clients to match the data and workflows to their specific needs, from tank levels and capacity to product temperatures by location.
Tank monitoring data from the SmartTank portal can be integrated into third-party route planning and dispatch software systems for end-to-end process automation. No matter what interface clients prefer to use, gaining 24/7 visibility of accurate tank levels and having automated alerts will enable distributors to rapidly and intelligently make decisions to eliminate run outs, decrease costs per delivery and maximize profitability.
