Intelligent optimisation improves the efficiency of the collection of construction and demolition waste

The collection of construction and demolition waste is complex, which makes optimising waste logistics a challenge. The solution is to automate and optimize planning and routes with intelligent optimisation. This integrated solution offers the possibility of real-time planning and tracking of the status of the orders. If something changes during the day, orders can be rescheduled and routes optimised again. As a result, intelligent optimisation improves both operational efficiency and margins, contributes to increasing customer satisfaction and makes available vehicles more targeted. At the same time, the number of kilometers driven decreases and CO2 emissions decrease, which reduces the impact on the environment and companies contribute to a circular economy.

Planning the collection of construction and demolition waste is complex

A series of factors determine the complexity of the collection of construction and demolition waste, including the combination of orders, the diversity of work, the countless ways to organize it, incoming rush orders and various customer requests, such as a container change within a specific time window or the deposit at a designated processing site. Containers also make it complex, such as the different types and sizes, the range of combinations for stacking them and whether or not to use a trailer.

In companies where the planning and layout of the routes is not automated and optimised, it is a challenge to meet customer expectations. Failure to do so could result in inadequate customer service. Apart from that, this complexity has put profitability under pressure and margins are lower. Work is also less efficient because there is no good overview of costs, margins and the use of vehicles, both company-wide and for individual orders. Besides that, it mainly produces a lot of work. Not only for planning but also to monitor the execution of the orders and to respond quickly to customer inquiries from customers, for example why the order is not executed within the agreed time.

Automate planning and route optimisation

Automating planning and routing for the collection of construction and demolition waste tackles that complexity. Less time is needed to plan and the reliability of the planning also increases. Thanks to the integrated solution, orders can be processed in real-time and there is a continuous view of any deviations from the planning.

This offers possibilities to reschedule and optimize orders, even during the day when vehicles are already on the road. In addition, customers can be informed on the basis of this real-time information, so that companies better meet the requirements of their customers and the expectations that they have. Intelligent optimization also provides a real-time overview of the vehicles so that it is known, for example, whether vehicles are behind or ahead of schedule. For example, the planner can decide to assign a rush order to a specific vehicle.

Overcome complexity and implement improvements

Intelligent optimisation is the answer to the challenges that collectors and processors of construction and demolition waste face. The figures clearly show this, including the operational savings. This reduces the number of kilometers driven and CO2 emissions by 5 to 20%. Also, 5 to 15% fewer vehicles are needed for the same number of orders, so that more orders can be executed with the same fleet. In addition, it saves planning and administration 25 to 50% time and the use of integrated IT systems significantly reduces the time required to follow up orders.

Intelligent optimisation also contributes to customer satisfaction, among other things by significantly improving customer service, increasing the accuracy of order fulfilment, the possibility of self-service via a customer portal, proactively informing customers when the schedule changes and constant updates on the progress of their question or request. The important benefit of real-time planning and optimization of routes is that orders can be executed according to customer specifications on the desired day and at the requested time.

Do you want to know more?

Would you like to know more about the complexity of construction and demolition waste logistics and how intelligent optimisation is the answer to those challenges? Then watch the video about the webinar "Overcoming the hurdles in the construction and demolition waste industry" in which expert Rogier de Klein explains how intelligent optimisation works, which problems it solves for waste companies and what results they can achieve with it. Rogier's presentation starts at 25:50 minutes.