The measurement technology company Vaisala and the logistics services provider H.Essers have cooperated to develop a bespoke monitoring solution for multiple sites across Europe, with a focus on sustainability.
In addition to protecting the environmental conditions experienced by goods throughout the supply chain, the monitoring solution also allows for humidity and temperature probes to be reused. By helping to ensure sustainable consumption and production, the project seeks to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12. “This is an important development,” explains Vaisala’s Patrick Hoevenaars. “At Vaisala our central purpose is: ‘Taking every measure for the planet’ so we are constantly looking for ways to improve sustainability, and one of the ways we can do this is by reducing waste,” he adds.
“The solution starts with product design, because probes can only be reused if they are robust and reliable in the long-term.” However, Hoevenaars is also keen to emphasise the importance of ongoing calibration and maintenance. “Reliability and sustainability cannot be optimised under a ‘fit and forget’ scenario, so we worked closely with H.Essers to develop an ongoing program to ensure that sensors are maintained in optimal condition.”
Background.
Founded in Belgium in 1928, H.Essers remains a family-owned business, but with more than 7,500 people at 89 facilities in 18 countries, the company has grown to become one of Europe’s leading logistics services providers for industries such as chemicals, healthcare, and infrastructure. With services including pharmaceutical logistics, dangerous goods storage, and temperature-controlled storage, the business has a significant requirement for multi-site environmental monitoring and control.
“From the start, our relationship with H.Essers focused on building a solution for the long-term,” explains Hoevenaars. “The main aim, with our consultative approach, was to help H.Essers choose/configure the right continuous monitoring system (CMS) for their business, supported by lifecycle services that ensure longevity and sustainability. At Vaisala, we want to be a complete solution provider; a partner delivering other services such as training and calibration, rather than simply being an equipment supplier.”
Continuous monitoring to meet the strictest requirements.H.Essers’ multi-client warehouses provide a one-stop-shop service that meets the strict requirements of customers, providing safe, compliant, high-quality storage. Monitoring therefore performs a critically important role, and the internal environment at the company’s facilities benefit from Vaisala’s viewLinc CMS with humidity and temperature probes (HMP115) with VaiNet wireless access points (AP10).
“The movement and storage of goods within the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors is strictly regulated,” Hoevenaars says. “H.Essers therefore has to be able to demonstrate that all products have been kept in exactly the right conditions throughout the entire supply chain. This demands precise, reliable measurement of humidity and temperature.”
A partnership approach.
The key to the success of this process, was to develop a system that would continue to deliver benefits in the long-term. This necessitated a partnership approach, including a clear strategy for the maintenance and calibration of the hundreds of measuring devices used across H.Essers’ warehouses. “Calibrating and maintaining measuring equipment on this scale is a complex task, so we worked with H.Essers to develop a solution that would make the process as easy and worry-free as possible,” Hoevenaars explains. “This was achieved through a ‘Calibration Care’ agreement, tailored to meet H.Essers’ specific needs.”
With tens of warehouses and thousands of square meters of carefully controlled storage space to be monitored, large numbers of sensors would be necessary, and minimal downtime was required for probe calibration. Vaisala sensors are designed for long-term drift-free accuracy, however, for warehouse zones storing pharma products, each sensor should have a calibration check after 12 months.
Bespoke monitoring solution.
Vaisala developed a unique solution for H.Essers based on the timely swapping out and replacement of probes. Procedures were established to ensure that H.Essers staff are automatically notified when a probe is due for calibration, so that they can quickly and simply order replacements and return the used probes to Vaisala for recalibration.
“The teams at H.Essers have a dedicated order code and a clear order placement procedure to ensure they get the right product and service every time,” explains Hoevenaars, adding: “The Vaisala probes are designed to facilitate quick and easy replacement to minimise downtime. All of the instructions for how to return the probe are available online, and feedback from H.Essers indicates that this is saving them a lot of time and effort.”
The opportunity to reuse probes instead of disposing of them after 12 months will save resources and reduce waste. “These are high-quality instruments, so it makes perfect sense to reuse the probes instead of replacing them,” Hoevenaars points out. “We estimate that as many as 500 probes per year could be reused by H.Essers as a result of this solution.”
Sustainable by design.
Patrick Hoevenaars is keen to highlight the importance of building sustainability into the design stage of measurement instruments. “By developing sensors that can undergo a calibration check and then be passed as suitable for reuse, Vaisala has created a scenario in which sustainability opportunities have been created. These include waste reduction, energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction,” he says.
Hoevenaars also attributes the success of this project to the partnership approach adopted by H.Essers. “They share our commitment to sustainability, and from the outset they could see the benefits of developing a long-term plan to meet their strict monitoring requirements, whilst also providing the flexibility they need to scale up as their business continues to grow.”
After successfully piloting the Vaisala solution at two of its sites in spring 2023, H.Essers has now rolled it out across sites in Italy, Romania, Denmark, and Germany.
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