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Efficient yard management for AGCO Corporation thanks to IoT

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2022-11-30 | Press release

Asset tracking solution from SmartMakers enables AGCO / Fendt to significantly improve and dynamically manage the yard for the logistics of their balers and loader wagons at the Wolfenbüttel site.

GPS tracker on baler
GPS tracker on baler

Efficiency plays a major role for AGCO. As one of the world's largest manufacturers and suppliers, the company specializes in the production and sale of machinery and equipment for the agricultural sector. In addition to tractors and combine harvesters, at the German site in Wolfenbüttel this includes in particular agricultural machinery for transporting straw, hay and silage in loose form, or for producing highly compacted bales.

Balers and loader wagons are custom built and prepared for shipment by road or in sea containers. Unfinished and finished machines are parked on the premises and stored until delivery or completion. The unfinished machines in particular currently have to be put on hold more frequently on the premises due to supply bottlenecks and parts shortages.

If a specific press is now required, it must first be found using the order-related serial number. Since the exact location is unknown and the serial number on the press is difficult to see, the search is usually time-consuming. In addition, the re-organization is enormously time-consuming due to frequent shunting of the stored presses and weighers.

IoT solution for location detection necessary

For AGCO, it was therefore clear that a solution was needed. The objectives were to optimize the logistics processes and to automate the location determination and the transport order in order to organize the machines more efficiently and just in time. Above all, the precise location of the balers on the site was necessary for this.

The idea: With the help of automated process improvement and the elimination of manual recording processes for labeling the machines, dynamic yard management can be established. This also means that the new location is automatically adjusted in real time when the stored balers and loading wagons are reorganized.

"By implementing SmartMakers' IoT solution, we can narrow down the location of a baler or loader wagon to within a few meters, which significantly speeds up the machine's traceability. Even after re-organization, we immediately receive the new locations of the layered machines"

- Georg Dessaul, AGCO Corporation

Smart asset tracking with thingsHub

Manufacturing balers
Manufacturing balers

SmartMakers' IoT platform thingsHub quickly crystallized for the implementation of this idea. The GPS trackers are now attached to the baler directly after production. They then communicate with the IT system and report the location of the respective baler.

"We integrated the platform together with the smart low-power IoT trackers and made it operational within a few days"

- Sebastian Stute, CEO of SmartMakers

The introduction of the IoT platform thingshub including trackers thus reduces the time required for a transport operation by up to 80 percent. The IoT platform is also very easy to use. For example, the locations of the machines can be viewed and retrieved on any mobile device.

Georg Dessaul is referring in particular to the fact that the low-power IoT trackers do not require any installation work. The small devices are also impressive when it comes to maintenance. The trackers can be used for years without battery replacement or further maintenance. 

"We are very satisfied with SmartMakers and their platform. On the one hand, the uncomplicated cooperation is very pleasant. In addition, the technical component is also convincing"

- Georg Dessaul, AGCO Corporation

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Published December 8, 2022

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