Significant cut back in planning time through dynamic route optimization

AMCS Fleet Planner reduces mileage and lowers environmental impact

Substantially decrease planning time and with that reduce costs. Waste and recycling companies optimizing planning and waste collection routes do profit from both of these two major benefits. Smart optimization software enables them to decrease planning time by 25 to 75% and at the same time deploy fewer waste collection vehicles to execute the same routes. This is also evident from practical results. Immediately in the first year that Returpack in Sweden started with dynamic planning and route optimization, significantly fewer collection vehicles were deployed for the collection.

• AMCS Fleet Planner provides for real-time route planning, transportation optimization and dispatching of distribution and collection routes
• Powerful planning algorithms provide dynamic and real-time planning capabilities
• A highly user-friendly system provides a complete overview of the transportation process
• Waste and recycling company benefit from a 25 to 75% decrease in the planning time
• By reducing mileage and CO2 emissions by 5 to 20% Fleet Planner contributes to a lower environmental impact and with this to the sustainable goals of companies
• Returpack in Sweden profits with Fleet Planner from an increase in efficiency and service levels

The standard solution meets specific waste industry demands

Real-time route planning, transportation optimization, and dispatching of distribution and collection routes. AMCS Fleet Planner is providing the waste and recycling industry with exactly that. The smart optimization software is developed to meet the specific waste industry demands and is used globally by hundreds of waste collection companies. To effectively support the planning process the state-of-the-art optimization software is equipped with a wide range of manual and automatic planning functions.  

For a complete overview of the transportation process, it also provides planning through Gantt charts, order banks, route lists, and digital maps. With this, AMCS Fleet Planner helps companies achieve agility and efficiency in highly demanding and dynamic planning environments. Powerful planning algorithms provide dynamic and real-time planning capabilities enabling a more efficient waste collection service. For waste collection companies this contributes to cost-saving while at the same time improves their customer service.

Planning across both long periods of time and ad hoc orders

AMCS Fleet Planner is equipped with an extended series of features. It provides, for instance, planning across both long periods of time and real-time dynamic orders. On the actual day of executing orders, the incremental planning is combined with real-time planning, in which AMCS Fleet Planner exchanges information with both the centralized ERP or the order system with the vehicles’ mobile systems. With this, the planning and the driver have an actual overview of the status both of the execution of the orders and of the location. This constant real-time exchange is one of the outstanding features of Fleet Planner. It enables the planning of ad-hoc orders in the most efficient way resulting in additional turnover as well as improved customer service.

During the real-time exchange of data, plans change into history logs, in which detailed and precise transport KPIs are registered. Through the built-in automatic planning, depot and disposal site management lifting products and/or cost of disposing of are balanced against transportation costs. Automatic forecasting provides the opportunity to determine stock replenishment or container collection.

A 25 to 75% decrease in planning time

With this manual and paper processes for waste and recycling companies is definite history. Routes are no longer based on the planners’ knowledge but automatically optimized by the system. Also, when orders are already executed due to changes during the day Fleet Planner constantly optimizes both orders and waste collection routes. According to the practical experience of companies using Fleet Planner with this, they profit from a variety of benefits. One of them is a decrease in the planning time of 25 to 75% and additional time is saved on administration.

AMCS Fleet Planner also contributes to a reduction of 5 to 10% in the number of vehicles needed to be deployed for the waste collection routes. In addition to that, there is a downfall of 5 to 20% in driving time, mileage, and CO2 emissions lowering the environmental impact and with this contributing to the sustainable goals of the waste and recycling industry. Furthermore, customer service and visit accuracy are significantly improved.

Case Returpack, Sweden

Increasing efficiency is one of the main benefits Returpack in Sweden is profiting from with Fleet Planner. This company benefits from an increase in efficiency as well as service levels and enterprise visibility. In addition to that, the biggest player in the Swedish deposit-refund market also has a better understanding of transport costs. The proven result of the smart optimization software is a substantial decrease in collection vehicles needed to be deployed combined with a better overview and control of the transportation process. An important feature for Returpack is that AMCS Fleet Planner also provides the possibility to calculate consequences of changes instantly, set prices accordingly, and eliminate non-profit activities.

Returpack is responsible for the collection, administration, and deposits for 2,700 stores around Sweden annually handling the collection of 1.7 billion cans and bottles for recycling with approx. 48 trucks operating every day from one factory and 24 terminals across Sweden. With the AMCS solution, Returpack has a suite of integrated modules. In Fleet Planner the operational planning as well as the actual order execution are managed superbly. The transport planners adjust the collection routes based on incoming ad hoc orders and changes to the availability of resources.

“With AMCS we can plan on both a strategical, tactical and operational level”

After execution, expected payments are automatically calculated based on the agreed rates and delivered transport services. The transporters approve their invoices through the AMCS Web Portal. The solution fully integrates to Returpack’s existing systems such as their self-developed customer register and the invoice management system. The optimization software matches the specific needs Returpack has for planning adapted to narrow time windows, rush hours, the available collection vehicles, driver qualifications, and terminals locations.

With the AMCS solution, Returpack has now regained control of its transport activities. Logistics Developer at Returpack, Joakim Andersson says, “With the AMCS solution our entire transport chain is covered and we can plan on both a strategical, tactical, and operational level. We have gained control of every inch of the planning as well as new insights, for instance in which services the stores want.”

AMCS Platform

AMCS Fleet Planner is a product of AMCS Intelligent Optimisation, one of the six solutions of the AMCS Platform. The AMCS Platform offers a fully integrated and end-to-end portfolio of solutions to manage the waste and recycling lifecycle. Solutions include Enterprise Management, Intelligent Optimisation, Mobile Workforce, Vehicle Technology, Digital Engagement, and AMCS Analytics. These industry-specific solutions are developed to support the AMCS Platform strategy focussing on driving revenue growth, margin expansion, operational efficiency, and sustainability. AMCS lives up to those words with a product and development team of around 200 people, currently investing 20% of overall turnover in product development.

AMCS Intelligent Optimisation is also available for legacy software customers

AMCS Intelligent Optimisation is one of the six solutions of the AMCS Platform. Each of the six solutions seamlessly fit like a jigsaw puzzle into each other, forming the unique end-to-end integrated SaaS solution for the waste and recycling industry. However, solutions like Intelligent (route) Optimisation, the AMCS Customer Portal and Mobile Workforce are also integrated into existing legacy software. This way all AMCS customers benefit from the innovative software solutions of AMCS Group.