The processing and road transport of air cargo is arranged from the Schiphol Express logistics centre. It’s therefore logical for trucks to constantly be coming and going over there. Trucks which need to be able to quickly and easily enter and exit the site, while unauthorised people are kept out. However, the old entrance gates were in urgent need of replacement. So a good reason for building owner Solidiam to look for new, fast Speedgates. That’s why they came knocking on HTC parking & security’s door for 4 new Speedgates in the autumn of 2019. Account Manager Pascal Beuman was more than happy to get started on this request. He went in search of the right solution together with Solidiam, one which would perfectly match the customer’s needs. The ‘Speedgate as a Service‘ SaaS proposition soon turned out to be an interesting option as an alternative to investing in new Speedgates. An excellent reason for Pascal to ask the HTC organisation for further information about the most cost-effective solution.
No investment risk and fully managed
A properly maintained Speedgate can easily last about 25 years. A long life like that is obviously great, but it also comes with a certain amount of responsibility. After all, how do you, as an owner, keep such a high quality, specialised product in top condition all these years, making sure reliability continues to be guaranteed? Solidiam wondered that too. They could obviously enter into a maintenance contract for this purpose, but the concept of Speedgate as a Service was more in line with Schiphol Express’ building and grounds’ long-term vision. Stefan Morssink, HTC’s Business Innovation Manager: “We’re constantly looking for innovative and sustainable ways to offer high quality products and provide our customers with peace of mind at HTC. Speedgate as a Service represents a logical step here. When Solidiam contacted us with the request to think along about a suitable solution without an investment risk, but which would provide them with carefree use and management, it quickly became clear that Speedgate as a Service was the answer to all their questions.”
Completely newly designed vehicle entrances
One of the first steps was to redesign the entrances. Stefan: “We can only supply the availability we guarantee if the entrance is used properly and the Speedgates don’t suffer faults. We have therefore started improving the user-friendliness for the drivers. These people often work under time pressure and usually won’t be familiar with the local situation. Then it’s nice if the site layout helps you to make good use of the access. We have realised this by, for example, applying clear lines. LED lighting and strategically placed registration pillars also ensure entering and exiting can be done quickly and smoothly. The Speedgates are also equipped with smart (IoT) technology and built-in cameras. If something does go wrong, we can easily find out the cause and quickly repair any possible damage.”
From product to performance purchasing
It goes without saying all servicing and maintenance activities are also organised by HTC. This forms part of the Speedgate as a Service agreement, so Schiphol Express won’t need to worry about this at all. “That’s because they’re buying a performance rather than a product,” Stefan explains. “The quality of this performance is recorded in clear KPIs, which are evaluated on an annual basis.” This ensures both Solidiam and Schiphol Express can rest assured all agreed objectives and quality requirements are met, at a fixed, attractive price across the entire usage duration. Something which perfectly fits into the current performance purchasing or Performance Procurement trend. A method of purchasing whereby the practical value is guaranteed and risks are kept to an absolute minimum. In this case it means that Schiphol Express can benefit from an optimised vehicle entrance and the use of high quality Speedgates which simply always work. After all, HTC will be guaranteeing the Speedgates’ performance for the entire contract period.
Prepared for a sustainable future
This method of purchasing also contributes to a circular economy. The demand for sustainable use of raw materials and energy is constantly increasing. This requires solutions which make optimal use of the value of products and raw materials. Stefan: “That’s something we’re working hard on at HTC. For example, our Speedgates are made from quality parts which, after a long service life, can be either fully or partially reused. Smart technology also plays a role in this. This enables us to carry out tailor-made maintenance and to either prevent faults altogether or resolve them remotely. This will ensure any impact on the environment and the customer is kept to an absolute minimum.”
More information
Would you like to purchase Speedgate as a Service, just like Schiphol Express, or would you like more information about this sustainable and effective concept? Feel free to contact us on 088 027 70 88. Our sales department is ready to answer any of your questions.
