Logistics provider FSL chooses Belgravium

Established via a joint venture between VT Group and BAE SYSTEMS, Fleet Support Limited is an engineering and support services company that operates at the heart of the integrated surface ship design, build and through life support community in Portsmouth.

Originally founded in 1998 to manage the former Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, Fleet Support (FSL) has drawn upon the extensive skill base of its parent companies to greatly expand its capabilities and role in support of the Royal Navy surface fleet. In addition to deep repair of naval and commercial vessels the company now provides a fully integrated facilities management, logistics, transport, waterfront support and fleet-time maintenance service.

FSL Logistics provides an integrated logistics service to commercial and defence customers. The facility is aligned to warehousing and transport, with one of the largest on-site warehousing facilities in the south of England. Warehousing capability includes:

  20 acres of covered warehousing (dedicated and non-dedicated)

  Highly automated unmanned stores and bulk goods

  Fast and slow moving stock management

  Movement tracking capacity

  Capacity to operate on a 24 hour, 7 day week, 52 week basis

Underpinning the growth and development of FSL Logistics has a unique partnering agreement with the Naval Base Commander whereby both parties gain operational and financial benefit from constantly improving the levels of service to the Royal Navy customer. As such, FSL employ a rigorous customer focus policy that encourages dialogue with and feedback from customers with the aim of providing a flexible and continuously developing service that enhances customers business.

In order to further enhance their customers businesses and overall satisfaction, FSL had a requirement to upgrade the cranes currently in use within their southern warehousing facilities. The cranes were used to facilitate the supply and replenishment of materials coming in and out of Portsmouth on Navy ships. FSL chose Invar Systems together with Belgravium Ltd to provide a system which was capable of accurately and efficiently handling the large quantities of materials coming through the port.

As specialists in high quality warehouse control and management systems, Invar Systems worked together with leading mobile computer manufacturers Belgravium Ltd to provide a solution capable of running CE.net terminals on their cranes whilst operating narrow band radios on their RF network. This unique requirement required special/bespoke solution development and with Belgraviums unrivalled ability to link in disparate systems, Invar were able to make the necessary upgrades to their warehouse cranes using Belgraviums robust and fit for purpose Monaco 7100 truck mounted terminal.

The successful implementation of the solution has seen almost instant cost and efficiency gains within FSL Logistics operations and will see further rollouts throughout the company during 2008.