PTC ThingWorx
An industrial IoT platform that enables businesses to connect, monitor, and analyze data from devices and sensors to optimize operations and drive innovation.
Case Study: Vestergaard Company
For Vestergaard Company - and their customers - it is crucial that the machines work. That is why Vestergaard implemented the Internet of Things (IoT).
Case Study: Vestergaard CompanyHow Vestergaard is revolutionizing air service trucks with IIoT technology
Vestergaard Company is specialized in producing air service trucks. Airlines around the world depend on Vestergaard's service trucks and equipment to be in the right place at the right time. Vestergaard is a global company with production facilities in Denmark and Thailand as well as sales and service organizations in North America, Germany, France and Finland.
At Vestergaard, PTC ThingWorx was chosen as the IIoT platform to connect, collect and analyze data across Vestergaard's fleet operations - giving them and their customers valuable visibility into all aspects of their trucks.
Benefits that Vestergaard Company has gained with PTC ThingWorx
Improved productivity and safety
Real-time location services help Vestergaard and their customers optimize workflows and get the right operator to the right place at the right time.
Improved run-time, customer service and profitability
The application provides customers with valuable insight into asset health.
Improved product profitability through more data-driven product design
Vestergaard leverages the data they collect in the field to optimize the engineering and design process.
The new platform is a huge help to our frontline workers and their mission-critical jobs. They are extremely effective today, and this system will only empower them further
Elo Svanebjerg, Technical Director, Vestergaard Company
Frontline workers can ensure they are always in the right place at the right time
For Vestergaard, efficiency is critical. Their previous system didn’t provide the business with enough insight—but now they’re leveraging data in many different ways, and increased efficiency is just one of the benefits.
Vestergaard, a manufacturer of essential airport equipment such as de-icing trucks and potable water units, helps ensure that airlines and airports operate at peak capacity. If their systems fail on a winter day, the airport’s overall capacity can drop dramatically—to around 30%. That’s why Vestergaard implemented the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize the efficiency of their equipment and improve the service they deliver to their customers.
A Bridge Between Existing and New Solutions
Vestergaard’s products were originally powered by an application they developed over a decade ago, called the Data Transmission System (DTS). This application managed a limited set of truck data—such as the amount of de-icing fluid used—but more advanced functions like job scheduling were still handled manually. To continue delivering premium products to their customers, Vestergaard decided to move the application to a new platform and expand its capabilities. They concluded that integrating their application with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) would enable them to enhance data processing and make more data-driven decisions.
By integrating DTS with an IIoT platform, Vestergaard set the stage for a new generation of software aimed at significantly impacting their bottom line. To start with, an IIoT platform helps simplify and optimize workflows, thereby improving the operational efficiency of their service trucks. Greater insight into product usage supports the optimization of service operations and also advances sustainability efforts by providing better visibility into key performance indicators. And by enabling improved job management and performance tracking, the IIoT platform streamlines compliance efforts and enhances equipment efficiency.
And this is only the beginning—Vestergaard aimed to lay the foundation for continuous improvements and updates, allowing them to grow and innovate well into the future.
PTC’S Thingworx was the right IIoT platform for Vestergaard’s needs
Together, Vestergaard and 9altitudes (then Econocap) decided that PTC ThingWorx was the IIoT platform they needed to connect, collect and analyze data across Vestergaard's fleet operations - giving them and their customers valuable visibility into all aspects of their trucks.
ThingWorx is a powerful IIoT solution that supports asset monitoring and automation scenarios. It provides the flexibility that Vestergaard needs to connect a range of older equipment. ThingWorx helps Vestergaard accelerate development and scale quickly by leveraging an existing and proven platform instead of driving development on its own. Vestergaard was convinced that their new solution would be up and running quickly, scale efficiently and work across regions.
Vestergaard successfully launched the application and connected trucks to the IoT platform
Together, Vestergaard and 9altitudes decided that PTC ThingWorx was the IIoT platform they needed to connect, collect and analyze data across Vestergaard's fleet operations - giving them and their customers valuable visibility into all aspects of their trucks.
Today, the new IIoT-based application is up and running in the United States, helping to plan, manage, service and optimize trucks. The system handles data coming from hundreds of trucks - where each vehicle has up to 230 data points - and provides a wealth of information to Vestergaard and their customers. These data-driven insights drive optimizations and efficiencies from front-line employees all the way back to Vestergaard's design phase.
A DIY approach can grow to be unwieldy as you scale, in terms of maintenance, security, and more. By leveraging a platform approach, we alleviate that burden. We have a solid and trusted foundation to build with
Elo Svanebjerg, Technical Director, Vestergaard Company
The application gives customers valuable insight into the health of the assets
Through the application, customers push job definitions to the trucks so that front-line employees know exactly where and when to perform the task. Real-time location services help Vestergaard and their customers optimize workflows and get the right operator to the right place at the right time. Dashboards give frontline employees access to critical insights, such as how much de-icing fluid they need, how the predicted weather conditions are, and how many aircraft need to be serviced. By leveraging third-party data such as weather data, historical data and more, the application unlocks deeper insights and optimizations around specific conditions or factors.
The application gives customers valuable insight into the health of the assets. Now, instead of a truck breaking down at temperatures below freezing, they can see if a system is not working properly and fix the problem before it becomes a problem in the field. Collecting huge amounts of data also helps boost a number of other scenarios, such as streamlining the compliance reporting process and driving sustainability efforts. For example, insight into key measurements such as driving patterns, emissions and potential areas for reducing equipment's environmental impact. And since Vestergaard invests in electrifying their trucks, they can collect warranty data about the batteries they buy from other manufacturers, such as battery consumption, power consumption, how often they recharge their batteries and more.
Going forward, they also plan to explore the integration of augmented reality tools and other innovative technologies.
First, we establish the basics, and then we’ll move to the next level. We’re thinking of all the other innovative solutions we might be able to take advantage of now
Jacob Kildegaard, Manager of IT Engineering, Vestergaard
Services and solutions used
About Vestergaard Company
Vestergaard Company manufactures, distributes and supports state-of-the-art Ground Support Equipment (GSE) (Aircraft Deicing, Vacuum Toilet-/Water service and aircraft washers) to the aviation industry worldwide as well as a dedicated washer for the mining industry.
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