Yard Management in the Bulk Goods Industry

With a specialized yard management system that is hardware-independent, scalable, multilingual and can be flexibly optimized for company-wide rollouts, companies in the bulk goods industry lay the foundation for efficient and digitally controlled plant logistics.

Hardware independence

Modern yard management systems should function independently of specific hardware. This allows them to be used on different end devices – from desktop PCs and tablets to mobile scanners or IoT-enabled sensors. This enables companies to maximize the use of their existing IT infrastructure without being locked into specific manufacturers or systems.

Scalability for companies of any size

Whether you are a medium-sized company or an international corporation – a future-proof YMS solution grows with your evolving requirements. Thanks to its modular architecture, additional functions or plants can be easily integrated into the system at any time. This ensures continuous adaptation to dynamic business requirements.

Proven standards driving efficiency and scalability

A successful yard management system is based on tried and tested standards. A solid, standardized core offers companies a proven foundation that can be flexibly adapted to different requirements. Thanks to intelligent standardization, companies benefit from rapid implementation, short project lead times, and predictable costs. At the same time, the system remains adaptable: In later phases, tailored solutions can be derived directly from the standard – eliminating the need for costly new development.

Flexible, template-based approaches for company-wide rollouts

A standardized, template-based approach is crucial, especially for company-wide implementations. With predefined process templates and flexible configuration options, new locations or plants can be integrated more efficiently without the need to configure everything from scratch each time. This reduces implementation times, ensures consistent process harmonization across all sites and allows for customization to specific business requirements. Instead of having to adapt to a rigid system, companies receive a solution that is flexibly tailored to individual processes.

Thanks to flexible interfaces, the yard management system can be gradually integrated with the existing IT infrastructure – without requiring a complete system overhaul. Companies in the bulk goods industry benefit from  seamless integration with weighing systems, loading systems, access controls, time slot management, waiting list management and ERP solutions without having to carry out costly system changes.

Through centralized management of all security-relevant data, a yard management system makes a significant contribution to compliance and helps companies to minimize risks and increase operational safety.

A key use case is the digital safety training for drivers and external companies. Integrated safety training apps or check-in terminals can be used to provide on-site training before access to the plant premises is permitted. Drivers are required to watch safety videos to ensure compliance with safetey regulations. The YMS ensures audit audit readiness by automatically recording and storing all required evidence.

Another important feature is digital access control, which ensures that only authorized trucks and personel enter the plant premises. The software can be used to store,  for example, vehicle registrations, certificates and permits.

In addition, the integration of webcam and sensor solutions enables automatic documentation of vehicle conditions, for example, before loading. During entry and exit, cameras capture images of the load and vehicle to document load securing and support clarification of any liability issues.

Enabled by seamless integration of machines, sensors, and control elements, automation in yard management in the bulk materials industry enables greater process reliability, reduced error rates and a significant reduction in the workload of personnel, while at the same time maximizing throughput rates on the factory floor.

The integration of PLC (programmable logic controller) control systems with the Yard Management System (YMS) enables central processes to be automated and optimized to a large extent.

By leveraging real-time monitoring and historical data analysis, companies in the bulk materials industry can pinpoint operational bottlenecks, implement process improvements, and minimize truck turnaround times on the factory floor.

Collected data can also generate automated reports and dashboards, equipping managers and plant employees with a transparent foundation for strategic decision-making.

A powerful Business Intelligence (BI) dashboard serves as a core element of a modern yard management solution. It facilitates detailed analysis and evaluation of key processes by capturing and visualizing relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in real time.

Integrating a yard management system with a BI system enables the recording of central timestamps, such as:

• Time of registration: When did the driver register at the plant?
• Entry: When did the truck enter the plant?
• Loading preparation: When was the vehicle assigned to the loading area?
• Loading start: When did the loading process begin?
• End of loading: When was the loading completed?
• Post-processing: Was a manual correction or rectification carried out?

Time-based metrics offer invaluable insights into the efficiency of loading and unloading operations. Delays between process steps can be instantly detected and analyzed. With these KPIs and reports, door-to-door times and throughput durations can be assessed and minimized. For instance, they can reveal if specific vehicles experience above-average delays during loading preparation or if recurring adjustments point to optimization opportunities in loading control.

By combining sustainable logistics and economic efficiency, companies in the bulk goods industry can not only improve their environmental footprint, but also reduce operating costs in the long term.

Cost reduction through process automation

The optimization of processes with a YMS leads to noticeable savings in various areas:

• Reduced waiting times and faster throughput times reduce demurrage charges and prevent delivery delays.
• Automated check-in and check-out processes reduce personnel costs at the plant entrance.
• Digital loading and unloading control ensures optimum use of resources and prevents inefficient loading processes.
• Detailed KPI analyses help to identify bottlenecks and unnecessary cost factors and to optimize them in a targeted manner

Sustainability through optimized plant logistics

• Digitally controlled yard management reduces CO2 emissions and resource consumption by eliminating unnecessary idle times and inefficient processes. Smart truck access control minimizes on-site waiting times and traffic congestion, significantly reducing emissions.
• In addition, a YMS enables the digital management of documents, which drastically reduces paper consumption. Delivery bills, freight documents, and weighing protocols can be digitally captured, stored, and streamlined.