Success Story
CEPA
So that your employees are always protected.
Electronic locker systems for contact-reduced goods transfer.
CEPA is the private employers‘ organisation of the Port of Antwerp‘s cargo handlers and their dockworkers. It provides the full framework for port work in Antwerp and in this capacity aims to provide maximum service to both its members, the cargo handlers and the port workers. To implement this, Cepa provides services around personnel management, safety, training, equipment and supervision with a high customer and service orientation.
An electronic property management system from ecos helps Cepa to master this organisational challenge. The non-contact, automated transfer of work material via our locker systems prevents potential security incidents and reduces the logistical time required.
Products used:
The challenge
The port operating company Cepa in Antwerp manages an area of 12,068 hectares. It coordinates all handling companies and their more than 10,000 employees. Due to the high volume of goods handled and the associated logistics processes, there is an increased risk of accidents.
Accordingly, it is mandatory for all dock workers to wear protective equipment at all times. In addition, dock workers are tasked with loading and unloading ships on a daily basis and must adapt their work clothes to the ship‘s cargo (chemicals, oil, containers, etc.). Therefore, they have to order new protective equipment regularly, which is supplied by Cepa.
This Personal Protection Equipment (PPE for short) is provided by Cepa and then issued to the employees. Employees earn points the more hours they work, according to the wear and tear of the protective equipment. These accumulated points can be spent on equipment.
The challenge that arises from these processes is to provide the equipment in a timely and efficient manner. Due to the extensive premises, Cepa has long transport routes from the central warehouse to the employees’ work areas, which means up to 2 hours of travel for a conventional handover.
In order to be able to save this time, an electronic object management system is to be applied. This solution should enable employees to pick up new protective equipment easily and autonomously. To ensure that the handover process is both contactless and controlled, Cepa has opted for electronic locker systems from ecos.
Our solution
Cepa chose several large ecos lockers to support its logistics. In doing so, it makes use of our modular compartment sizes: in order to be able to store different items of equipment as efficiently as possible, Cepa has opted for a combination of 2 of our 38 different locker sizes. Both the “large” version as depot L and the “small” version as depot L2/3 are used.
A total of 382 electronic lockers are distributed throughout the port area to ensure the protection of employees at all times. Due to the PPE duty, the facilities are used up to 80 times a day.
The intuitive operation ensures that all employees quickly get used to the new procedure:

①

②
Now the order is delivered by a warehou- se employee to one of the ecos lockers facilities.

③
Thanks to a QR code, the package is auto- matically assigned to a compartment size. The software now shows which parcel is stored in which locker.

④
As soon as the locker content recognition system detects equipment in the locker, the employee receives a QR code via message. With this he can open the electronic locker and take out his order
The result
The electronic locker system automates logistics at the port site. Thanks to the new property management system, logistical time has been reduced by 30% and potential security incidents due to damaged equipment have been prevented.
In addition, the locker systems enable a controlled transfer of goods, which saves substantial monetary losses. Finally, the ecos systems offered Cepa and the dock workers a high degree of availability and flexibility in their use.
Especially during the COVID19 pandemic, when face-to-face contacts should be reduced, such a handover system is ideally suited. Electronic object management reduces contacts while ensuring traceability of all object movements.
benefits
The new electronic property management system brought Cepa the following benefits, among others:
- Reduction of the logistical effort by 30%
- Controlled transfer of goods
- Maximum availability and flexibility
- Contact-reduced handover system
Key numbers
8,000
Users
1,600
Uses in the month
60,000€
Throughput Value of goods in the month