Digital fleet intelligence

The production facility of a German vehicle manufacturer in Düsseldorf relies on BLG LOGISTICS to keep one of the most demanding inbound material flows running smoothly. A fleet of around twenty forklift trucks supplies the production line every few seconds. To reliably manage these processes, BLG relies on the STILL Smart Portal –  showcasing how technology, transparency, and operational expertise converge to create a robust, integrated system.

Anyone entering the BLG LOGISTICS warehouse in Düsseldorf immediately senses the pace and efficiency of the processes. Forklift trucks move along fixed routes, battery changes are organised in great detail, and operational data flashes across the monitors. All of these processes are closely interlinked, and any delay would have an immediate impact on the production of a German car manufacturer.
For BLG’s managers Kai Baumgarten, Head of Operations, and Daniel Gutjahr, Senior Manager of Operations Support, it was clear that such a fast-paced site required a digital fleet management solution that worked seamlessly. They did not want isolated solutions, changes to the infrastructure or a major initial investment, and they wanted to be able to start using the system quickly. The decision to opt for the STILL Smart Portal was therefore made early on. At the logistics provider’s Düsseldorf site, the system could be rolled out immediately across all STILL industrial trucks. “It is important to us that we have a solution from a single source. From the trucks themselves, through telematics and data transmission, right through to the fleet management software,” emphasises Daniel Gutjahr.

A platform that’s always live – and always at the forefront

While the vehicles are moving around the factory, the Smart Portal remains permanently open in the control room. Operators use the portal to manage driver authorisations, view vehicle activities such as usage and utilisation or safety checks, and coordinate necessary battery changes. Within seconds of logging in, the dashboard shows whether all vehicles are running smoothly and have sufficient energy capacity for their tasks. "It's very useful that we can view battery charge levels in real time to ensure the devices remain available at all times," explains Kai Baumgarten.
It is precisely this clear overview that is crucial for BLG. Rather than switching between different systems, the Smart Portal provides an immediate overview of the status of the industrial trucks, including operating hours, drivers’ logbook entries, battery charge levels, and upcoming maintenance and inspection dates. BLG’s operational teams emphasise that this allows them to track fleet availability and utilisation at all times. The digital platform is the key tool that ensures the site runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis.

Roles and processes – an integrated approach for BLG

Drivers identify themselves using RFID access cards, which are used internally by BLG and are fully compatible with the Smart Portal. As soon as a card is registered, the cardholder is automatically granted the corresponding access rights for the STILL industrial trucks. With the Smart Portal, it is possible to define individually configurable roles; for example, drivers can be categorised based on their driving qualifications, such as beginner, professional or service technician.
In practice, this means that drivers no longer need to be assigned to each vehicle individually; instead, by maintaining the relevant qualifications, the Smart Portal automatically grants the correct permissions. These automated processes also allow new vehicles or drivers to be set up quickly and correctly. “Working closely with BLG, we have sought to strike the right balance between maximising workplace safety and minimising the manual effort required by BLG’s operational teams. Collaborating with our customers to find solutions is important to us,” says Philipp Schmidt, Director Digital Products & Sales Support at STILL.

Pre-shift checks: Safety first

Before an operator starts the forklift truck, the Smart Portal can prompt a series of digital safety checks via the on-board computer and vehicle display. These pre-shift checks can be customised for each vehicle. The report shows who confirmed which checks and the vehicle's condition at the start of the shift.

Seamless battery changing in continuous operation – the Smart Portal keeps track

The Düsseldorf forklift fleet primarily uses rechargeable lead-acid batteries. The Smart Portal regularly provides charge level data for these batteries, enabling BLG to send the vehicles for a battery change at the optimal time. For future use of lithium-ion batteries, which are available for STILL's entire intralogistics fleet, the STILL Smart Portal offers additional control options, including intelligent charging processes, prioritised charging points, and smart peak load management. 
BLG has introduced a rolling battery-changing process in Düsseldorf. Several times an hour, a forklift truck enters the battery-changing hall, drops off an empty battery and collects a charged one. This demonstrates a major advantage of the STILL Smart Portal, which offers real-time insights into battery performance and helps to prevent bottlenecks during the changing process.
Those responsible see potential for further features here. In particular, they would like to see change counts per truck, as well as daily profiles showing the times at which the fleet requires the most changes. STILL has already taken this requirement on board — a successful example of how feedback from the field is incorporated into product development. “At STILL, we take an agile approach, which means we listen to our customers and incorporate new requirements in order to continuously develop our solutions,” says Patrick Zittermann, digital expert at STILL.

Data from one source instead of multiple inputs

A key reason for choosing the Smart Portal was the desire for a single database sourced from a single system rather than multiple ones. In the past, BLG had used external telematics interfaces, which regularly resulted in additional work. Serial numbers, device types, operating hours: all this information had to be entered manually and was prone to errors.
Today, this data is available directly in the Smart Portal – even before a vehicle is put into service. Instead of manually entering individual parameters, teams can focus on what really matters to the site: managing operations. “In our experience, this significantly improves user-friendliness and, consequently, acceptance among staff,” explains Daniel Gutjahr.

Systematic stability

Day-to-day operations demonstrate just how seamlessly the Smart Portal has integrated into the workflow. Staff can view the status of vehicles in real time, identify faults at an early stage and plan battery replacement processes in advance. Administrative tasks have become simpler because device names, serial numbers and access permissions are clearly documented. At the same time, the Smart Portal provides a level of transparency that stabilises the entire process.
According to BLG, the focus in Düsseldorf is on ensuring that day-to-day operations run smoothly and reliably, rather than on the technological 'wow factor'. The Smart Portal supports this by providing precise analyses and up-to-date data at all times. This is exactly what is required of a site that needs to run like a well-oiled machine. Kai Baumgarten says that simply saying "We'll do our best" is nowhere near enough. "Rather, we must do everything necessary to offer our customers the best logistics service they need to become more successful in the market. The STILL Smart Portal is definitely part of that!" says the head of operations at BLG.

A glimpse into the future: The platform becomes the standard

BLG plans to equip all new STILL fleets within the company with the Smart Portal in future. The Düsseldorf site will thus serve as a blueprint for standardised data structures and processes.
For STILL, this means that the Smart Portal will become an even more central component of the customer relationship in future. For BLG, it means standardisation, which is particularly advantageous in complex logistics networks. Commenting on the collaboration with BLG, Patrick Zittermann says: “We are very pleased that, in BLG, we have gained a customer for the Smart Portal who wishes to join us on our ongoing journey to improve the system continuously and integrate it into their operations.”

Summary

This real-world example clearly shows how important a digital fleet portal is in high-frequency logistics processes. BLG LOGISTICS uses the STILL Smart Portal as a reliable, precise tool that works efficiently in the background. The combination of positive operational experience, technical integration and continuous development gives the BLG site confidence - and demonstrates how digital transparency can be achieved in practice when conceived as a tool rather than a vision.