Environmental services provider enhances green credentials with Ortec & Masternaut

French-based company, Groupe Pizzorno Environnement, is enhancing its green credentials and optimising its waste collection operations with the fully integrated vehicle routing and GPS vehicle tracking solution from Ortec and Masternaut. As a specialist in domestic and industrial waste management, and serving clients in the public and private sectors, Pizzorno Environnement is a market leader in both France and abroad.

Cost effective collection circuits
With an annual turnover in 2010 of 190.5 million, the company is one of the first to implement Ortec and Masternaut's combined solution for the waste management market. By equipping 800 of its vehicles (total fleet size 2000) with Masternaut's GPS vehicle tracking system, the planners are able to record the executed routes and receive real-time updates on vehicle location, distance and speed. And with Ortec's advanced vehicle routing and optimisation software, the planners can design the most cost effective and efficient collection circuits, which serves to meets the Group's aim of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, while increasing operational productivity and flexibility.

The solution is used by ten of Pizzorno Environnement's supervisors to create optimal collection circuits that take into account all business constraints. The generated route plans are then sent electronically to the vehicle navigation and guidance system for onboard driver access. According to Fabien Sinoquet, head of IT/IS for Pizzorno Environnement: "The solution provides continual support for the drivers and their teams so they can perform their duties correctly. This means that the system ensures a consistent level of service, particularly in the case of new teams that are unfamiliar with the routes."

Comparing planned and executed routes
By recording the route history on the Masternaut portal it is possible to compare the planned routes generated by Ortec's software with the actual routes executed by the drivers. Fabien Sinoquet explains further: "The installed GPS vehicle tracking and recording capabilities enable us to monitor the way in which the planned routes are executed. By comparing planned and executed routes, we are able to detect any inconsistencies in the field and make rapid changes to safeguard the high levels of service performance expected by our clients."

Reaping the benefits
"The solution also supports route optimisation for conserving fuel and reducing CO2 emissions," adds Fabien Sinoquet. "Whereas previously a vehicle may have driven through the same area several times, we are now able to adapt parts of the routes to avoid this type of inefficiency. Furthermore, the ability to display planned and executed routes in map view makes it easier to compare and quickly analyse the changes to be made. The solution offers a number of scenario options and by accessing the portal, the end client benefits from being able to monitor the executed circuits, with the ability to superimpose them over the planned routes and then to make comments and improvements as required. We can also use the solution as a customer relationship management tool to facilitate discussions with the client." Moreover, Pizzorno Environnement are also reaping organizational and productivity benefits and as Fabien Sinoquet states, "A number of significant savings have already been realised but we will be able to determine these more readily in the long run."