17.10.2023

Efficient loading through co-development – SSAB Europe Oy

Ahola Transport and SSAB Europe Oy have been working together to improve the efficiency of transport operations. A new loading method enhances safety and brings significant time savings.

 

Ahola Transport has long been one of SSAB Europe Oy’s main partners in vehicle transportation. We handle SSAB’s transport to the company’s main market areas in Norway and Sweden, as well as to Poland and the Baltics.

 

A new platform has increased the efficiency of the transport process

 

So far, we have used wooden coil stands for transporting steel coils, which are placed in transport units at the factory during loading. The need for a safer and more efficient loading method led the company to seek a new solution. Together with SSAB, we developed a transport platform that speeds up the loading process and improves transportation efficiency.

 

The new loading model has proven to be effective, and its tangible benefits are already visible, according to SSAB Europe Oy’s logistics manager Heikki Hellsten. Thanks to the transport platform, the loading process can be carried out much faster than before.

 

– Ahola loads an estimated 4,000 trucks for us annually. Saving ten minutes per truck results in a total of 40,000 minutes saved annually. When safety is improved and loading becomes quick and efficient, it’s a benefit for everyone, Hellsten says.

 

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The transport company is an important partner

 

In the operation of a steel mill, the transport partner plays a vital role. The factory has many direct deliveries to customers, and the transport company is the last representative in the eyes of the customer.

 

– Our storage space at the factories is limited, so it is important to get the transports out at the agreed time. We also want to be able to track the shipments, and with Ahola, this works very well, Hellsten says.

 

Thanks to digital route planning, we can manage transportation flexibly and cost-effectively. From the customer’s perspective, this is a clear advantage, as extra costs are reflected in prices as well.

 

– From an environmental perspective, it is also important to drive with a high load factor and as few empty kilometers as possible. With Ahola, we have achieved good results in this regard, Hellsten notes.

 

Our development work with SSAB will continue going forward. In the future, our goal is to pilot solutions that would reduce emissions across the entire transport chain.