Cargo Handling, Transport and Railway
The economy continues to grow and therefore more people and goods are being transported. It is becoming busier on the roads and the railways, and handling and transshipment are increasing, in distribution centres, ports and other transport hubs. This will intensify the deployment of ‘assets’, and possible failures will have severe consequences. A stationary train brings the rail network to a halt and a truck that breaks down creates long traffic jams. For example, if a crane is not working, the drivers are twiddling their thumbs. This means that people and goods will arrive late at their destination.
Besides economic damage, there is also damage to people or materials in the worst-case scenario. The cause of the failure can lie in the engineering but also in the control; consider the extensive administration that is involved with transport and logistics. In short, reliability, safety and (digital) communication are paramount in this sector. People and goods must be treated with the utmost care and malfunctions need to be avoided. If they do unexpectedly happen, a quick and effective intervention will be crucial. And that while technical services usually lack the extensive utilisation of people and materials that was the norm in times gone by.
This all means selecting robust components and modules for the initial installation, and planning servicing & maintenance efficiently. Along with this, knowledge of regulation and certification is required to ensure quality and safety. High-quality automation has to ensure streamlined operation in handling and transport. These are all things of which the technical value-added distributor has a broad knowledge and on which he is thus able to offer in-depth advice. Of course, he can also deliver the required technology and mechanical and electrotechnical supplies, and implement smart logistics concepts for these. This partner keeps the sector moving.