MB Customer case · Van de Lagemaat Transport
In construction, switching gears fast is a must!
Construction transport and crane work for SMEs and big names like Ballast Nedam, VolkerWessels and Strukton. Operations manager Myron Bishaie automates the daily operation with FiLogic OpenTMS.
Switching gears fast
As a transport company in the construction sector, you have to be extra flexible. Around ninety percent of Van de Lagemaat Transport’s customers operate in this market. Think of SMEs specialised in balustrades, flooring or scaffolding material, but also of big names like Ballast Nedam, VolkerWessels and Strukton.
A capricious industry
In any case, they work in an industry where projects regularly go differently than expected. Work gets pushed back, planning changes and last-minute rush jobs are the rule rather than the exception. So the family business simply has to switch gears fast. And that is only possible by continuously automating. That is why this is even the dedicated responsibility of operations manager Myron Bishaie!
Horse and cart
The founding of Van de Lagemaat Transport goes back to 1936. A time when transport was still done by horse and cart. But after a merger during the Second World War and a few acquisitions over the years, the company has been run since 2008 by Victor Bishaie: Myron’s father!
Bred in the bone
Although they did not yet know then that Myron would also come to work in the business. That only happened in 2021: ‘I had finished my Business Administration degree, worked a year in accountancy, and the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing. It was a special period, in which I occasionally pitched in at my father’s company. But I enjoyed it so much that shortly afterwards I actually joined him. Transport and everything that comes with it is, of course, bred in the bone for me. And in my current role I do exactly what makes me happy: advising on operational improvements, digitalisation and HR!’
No matter what
When Myron officially started, he discovered that a lot of work was done manually: ‘We did have an invoicing system, but everything was planned by hand and passed to drivers on paper notes. So I was given the task of renewing that process. Our company is specialised in construction transport and crane work, so flexibility is a necessity. The sector is subject to change. When customers call with an urgent request, we help them out as quickly as possible. We regularly hear that our lines are nicely short and that we always sort things out, no matter what!’
A key requirement for the system
To optimise that flexibility, Myron looked for a complete transport management system. For this he had at least one important requirement: ‘The system absolutely had to be able to communicate with other systems. That is essential for software these days. There is little point in a stand-alone product that does one part well but does not connect with IT for other processes. So the system had to be able to talk to our on-board computers and our accounting system. So that drivers receive all the order information at once and invoices go out quickly and correctly.’
Free trial version
With the many providers out there, Myron was thrown in at the deep end. He held talks with various parties and also came into contact with FiLogic: ‘That communication went very pleasantly and the OpenTMS connects easily with other systems. So I decided to try the premium version free for two weeks. This worked well, and the low-threshold trial period and extensive functionality definitely won me over.’
Step by step
‘I chose to do the implementation largely myself. Sometimes with help from FiLogic and in any case in phases. So we did not overhaul our entire process all at once, but did it step by step. First we imported our customer base, then I taught my colleagues how to plan orders, and that is how we kept expanding with more functionality. Step by step we got used to the new way of working. That always takes a little time.’
Working with fellow hauliers
‘Nowadays we also send subcontracting orders through the system. We do this at least weekly and sometimes even daily. We work a lot with fellow hauliers and share orders among each other. Previously this was all done manually, but with this planning software our fellow operator receives all the necessary information at the click of a button!’
Insight anytime, anywhere
Myron explains that a transport management system not only saves time but, above all, gives insight: ‘At any moment and from any place, you have access to the right information. Drivers immediately see at what location they have to deliver which order. They receive the necessary freight information, the phone number of the project supervisor and so on. At the same time, our planners see exactly where they are driving, what is happening on a given day and when something is delivered. This is very important for our stakeholders with tight schedules.’
No dull days
Myron looks back with a good feeling on his choice for the FiLogic OpenTMS: ‘I am glad that everyone can work with it and that we are all getting on nicely. In the end, the most important thing is that the transport is carried out well and our clients are satisfied. So when drivers send me photos of projects we deliver to, and I see the progress, I am proud that we contribute to this as a company. By the way, I also sometimes just ride along in a truck, so I experience for myself what goes on and how it might be done better.’
Ready for more
‘I know, for instance, that all kinds of other integrations are still possible with the system, so I will certainly delve into that. We are also getting two new vehicles this year, and on our 10,000 square metre site there is not a single dull day!’
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