Technology
Technology is key to ASCO remaining one step ahead of our competition. Closely aligned in our approach to Innovation, technology provides a key way of solving problems for our customers. Tailor-made solutions can create greater efficiencies and solve operational challenges that were perhaps thought to be too difficult. The role of Information Technology is crucial to any global logistics operation. As customers look toward integrating their logistics operations, equally they look to see how logistics service companies are using technology to simplify processes, offer greater efficiencies and deliver quicker and more accurate information.
At ASCO, we have entered into a partnership with IT Group Amor. This agreement allows us to offer greater IT support to our both our businesses and customers across the globe – meeting the high expectations now expected of an International logistics operation such as ours.
As a globally expanding company, we need to ensure the quality and consistency of our IT systems. We also need to innovate and use technology in new and exciting ways – adding value and creating even greater efficiencies for our customers. Here is just one example of how we are using Information Technology to add value to the service we offer customers:
Kinesys
A little over a year after ASCO Launched its groundbreaking web based materials control IT system, Kinesys, it has been bringing huge benefits to the business.
Kinesys controls the flow of materials from the warehouse floor to the offshore assets and back again. By pioneering the use of IT technology, Kinesys has simplified ASCO’s global logistics operation.
Fundamentally, it can be accessed both onshore via the Internet and offshore via satellite.
Doug More, ASCO’s IT Director said, “Kinesys is an exciting development that brings major benefits to ASCO’s global business. This is a dynamic industry so it’s important we can deploy resources rapidly and effectively – Kinesys helps us do this”
Added Benefits – Adding Value
The latest addition to Kinesys is called Voyage Reporter.
Voyage Reporter gives instant visibility of voyage activity, which is now imported automatically from the Master’s log spreadsheets received from the vessels at the end of each voyage. Previously this was done manually. The data displayed for each voyage includes all activities recorded by the vessel including ROB (remaining on-board quantities), figures for bulks at the start and end of a voyage – with loading and unloading quantities and all e-mails with relevant situation and departure reports for the voyage.
Iain Anderson from ASCO Marine said, “The new system makes it easier to produce reports for customers. It also means we can provide more valuable data to customers. The system is much more robust than the old one and it offers an excellent platform to build on for other uses. “We are now considering the next phase where we can use it to manage and provide reports for shared vessels that are visiting several different customer’s platforms”.