| MicroPower’s solar-powered design allows users to place cameras in areas with limited infrastructure |
The customer
Founded in the mid-1980s, this logistics company is a leading provider of small package ground delivery services to the United States and Canada. It employs more than 65,000 employees and delivers more than 4.5 million packages on average per day. With services throughout North America, including home delivery and highvolume corporate packages, the company has more than 40,000 vehicles in service at any given time, and accounts for 33 ground transportation hubs, and 500 pickup and delivery facilities.
To better monitor behaviour, manage the flow of traffic at its hubs, and to optimise the operations, the company invested in the solar, wireless surveillance solution from MicroPower Technologies to ensure the quick transport of goods, minimise liability and reduce risks.
The challenge
The logistics company understood the importance of monitoring vehicle traffic at its transportation hubs to better streamline operations, including the transport and ontime delivery of goods. “We wanted to be able to see trucks going in and out of the parking lots to watch over traffic patterns, driver efficiencies and operational issues. For example, if a truck cuts a corner too close, resulting in damage to a trailer, we can implement a program to better train our drivers or reroute traffic to limit accidents from occurring,” the customer said.
The company was already relying on traditional, hardwired surveillance systems to enhance operations and safety, but officials recognised the need to extend the views of surveillance video to the perimeters of their logistics parking areas. They also required a solution that could be installed without disrupting operations at the busy hubs. Many outdoor camera systems require trenching during installation because of their reliance on cabling for power and transmission requirements. Trenching projects proposed would last up a minimum of three weeks and would shut down access to the logistic provider’s hubs, impeding operations.
After looking at several solutions, the logistics leader ultimately selected the MicroPower Technologies solar, wireless surveillance platform because it delivers highly reliable and secure video surveillance capabilities in a zero-cable design. “The MicroPower system stood out because it is a truly wireless system that delivers the ultimate in deployment flexibility and is built with the industry’s latest technologies in a compact, energy-efficient form factor,” the customer said.
“The MicroPower system stood out because it is a truly wireless system", says customer |
The solution
Working with a leading security systems integrator, the company was able to easily install the MicroPower surveillance platform and configure the system to capture the most valuable video footage. “MicroPower provided excellent training, so we were able to hit the ground running,” the integration firm commented. Installation was further simplified by the fact that the logistics firm did not have to disrupt activity at its hubs to trench for power or network infrastructure. MicroPower’s solar-powered, wireless design eliminates the need for cabling, allowing users to place cameras in areas with limited infrastructure. “From a technology standpoint, the MicroPower system was a natural fit,” the customer added. “Four solarpowered, wireless cameras, two guys, 8 hours, and immediate integration with our current video management software – the system is working like a charm.”
The results
With a simplified design that leverages proven technologies, the logistics company finds the MicroPower system very easy to use, offering the tools and flexibility needed to monitor its perimeter, entrances, exits and traffic chokepoints across its hubs. The cameras also are used to monitor activity in parking lots to ensure drivers respect traffic flow and operations continue to run smoothly. With the MicroPower solution, the company can now monitor any issues and address them in a timely and appropriate manner.
According to the user, the system also is easy to maintain for maximum performance, while being very reliable. Overall, the logistics provider and its integrator partner have been especially impressed with both the technology and people at MicroPower. “MicroPower has been eager to meet our needs and has been absolutely great to work with,” the integrator noted.
The logistics provider now uses MicroPower’s solar, wireless surveillance platform at 10 locations across North America, and plans to broaden the initiative during 2015.