How using Auto ID technology can help you secure your high-value liquid assets and eliminate unauthorised fuel use.
Fuel is one of the most significant expenses for businesses that operate fleets of fuel-consuming assets, such as road transport, construction, mining operations, and railways. Furthermore, those businesses that maintain on-site refuelling systems to enable efficient and hassle-free refuelling of vehicles, plant, and machinery, have significant amounts of fuel stored on-site. That equates to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fluids awaiting use, and sometimes much more.
The real costs of poorly controlled fuel use and movements
The inability to properly reconcile the amounts of fuel delivered and received, or to accurately account for the volume of fuel stored in tanks, and dispensed into authorised assets, makes it incredibly difficult for businesses to claim their correct entitlement of government fuel rebates.
Fuel tax credits can represent significant, tangible value to businesses that acquire fuel to enable heavy vehicles and road transport vehicles to travel on public roads. There are even more generous rebates available for operations that purchase fuels to power heavy machinery, plant, auxiliary equipment, and light fleet vehicles that are fuelled for off-road use.
Given the dollar value attached to these fuel rebates, it makes good business sense to ensure your fuel management system can record accurate data on volumes of fuel received, stored, and dispensed and maintain tight control over fuel access, movement, use – and misuse.
Any fuels that are not used to the benefit of your business due to wasteful processes, inadequate fluid transfer hardware, or behavioural issues such as fuel theft will rapidly erode profit, however these issues can be quickly resolved.
Fuel management systems
For precise monitoring, accurate reconciliation and centralised reporting of any machine or vehicle’s fuel use it is essential for businesses to have an effective fuel management system in place. A good fuel management system provides businesses with the means of ensuring fuel security, improving safety, identifying opportunities for process efficiencies, and collecting the accurate data needed to take advantage of government rebates. A good fuel management system provides 100% validation and control of fluids dispensed into authorised fuel consuming assets.
The true measure of a fuel inventory management solution is its ability to:
- Accurately measure the amount of fuel received and reconcile that with the amount of fuel ordered, delivered, and paid for.
- Track the movement of fuel between tanks and vehicles.
- Control access to the correct types and volumes of fuel – including preventing unauthorised individuals and machines from activating fuel pumps or otherwise unlawfully accessing fuel.
- Keep detailed, easily-accessible, audit-ready records of access and use of fuel – by individual users, vehicles, plant, and machinery – to help identify instances of improper fuel use or wasteful processes.
- Produce actionable data and valuable insights into fuel access and consumption, via a customisable reporting functionality.
- Assist with the early identification of:
- Mechanical problems in vehicles, plant, and machinery.
- ‘Problem vehicles’ (or items of plant or machinery) – that is, individual assets that experience persistent issues.
- Opportunities for improvements in fleet and asset management processes that could enhance productivity or minimise costs.
- Unauthorised fuel access and fuel theft.
Banlaw’s fuel management system does all of this, and more. It uses the latest technologies available to put businesses in complete control of their fluid resources, providing valuable information on the location of every litre or gallon of fuel at any given time and, ensuring that fuel or high-value service fluids can only be accessed by the people and equipment authorised to use them.
Fuel security
With fuel representing such a significant investment it is imperative for businesses to protect their fuel inventory – particularly considering the cost of failing to ensure adequate access restrictions are in place. There are several solutions available that allow businesses to restrict access to fuel tanks, control the operation of fuel pumps, and ensure only authorised assets are filled. These range from basic, physical means, such as a lock and key, to technology enabled user and equipment identification methods that interface fully with on-site fuel management systems and enterprise fuel security software solutions.
Banlaw’s RFID Fuel Management System with Auto ID Refuelling Hardware, for Increased fuel security
Banlaw has developed an RFID Fuel Management System, which comprises a wide range of Auto ID refuelling equipment and user identification hardware designed to improve fuel security, simplify access, and automate data collection processes. Machinery, vehicles, and equipment are automatically, intelligently, and securely identified by way of a permanent RFID chip affixed to the item. Users provide identification via fobs or employee cards embedded with RFID technology, along with PINs entered via a keypad when manual access is required.
Splash Fill refuelling hardware uses RFID technology fitted to the fill point that transmits machine identification data when the RFID chip and the refuelling nozzle come into close proximity with each other. Dry Break refuelling hardware comes with RFID technology embedded inside the hardware, which requires a direct physical connection between the nozzle and RFID chip in the receiver in order to operate – this ensures the highest level of fuel security, as the refuelling system simply won’t function if machines, vehicles, and users are unauthorised or cannot be verified. The design also prevents users from attempting to switch vehicles or machines during the refuelling process, as the system stops as soon as direct contact between the refuelling nozzle and the receiver is lost.
As an additional bonus, embedding the RFID technology within Banlaw’s proprietary Dry Break refuelling hardware protects it from damage that may easily occur when operating on heavy industrial worksites. Putting the equipment identification technology inside the diesel refuelling hardware also means it cannot be tampered with.
Fuel Security Controls for Equipment and Personnel Identification
Talk to us today to find out how a Banlaw Fuel Management System with Auto ID technology can help you improve fuel security
For more information on how a Banlaw Fuel Management System with Auto ID technology can help you keep track of your fuel, improve productivity and personal accountability, and ensure the continued operability and longevity of your trucks, plant, and machinery, contact Banlaw today.
If your business wants to achieve cleaner, faster, and safer refuelling, control access and track every drop, and deliver your fluid assets when and where they are needed, Banlaw has a solution to suit your needs and budget. Click here for our Australian, United States, and International contact details, or to find your local distributor. Alternatively, click here to complete our online contact form and a Banlaw representative will be in touch shortly.
