DHL, a division of the German logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL, is recognised as an international company, employing more than 350,000 people from more than 220 countries and territories around the globe. It operates an extremely efficient and complex network of logistics solutions that link customers from Zurich to Zambia. With businesses including DHL Express, DHL Parcel, DHL eCommerce, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Freight and DHL Supply Chain, the company provides a vast array of logistical services with the highest level of precision. In 1978 DHL began providing logistical services to Brazil, and later established a key distribution center in Hortolandia, in the state of Sao Paulo.
Sao Paulo was a natural choice. Known as the “locomotive of Brazil,” Sao Paulo is the richest state in Brazil, and a major industrial center – it is responsible for a remarkable 33.9% of the Brazilian GDP and, if it were an independent country, would rank in the top 20 countries in the world for GDP. It is in the distribution center at Hortolandia, Sao Paulo, that this powerhouse of Brazil’s economy connects with the global logistical mastery of DHL.
Total surveillance solution for complete control
The challenge for the managers of the distribution center at Hortolandia, Sao Paulo, was to maintain complete control over the logistical process, it was an absolute necessity to be able to trace all parcels or documents as they passed through the center. From loading of inbound items, through storage, and to unloading of outbound items, no detail could be missed.
Any blind spot in the observation of this process can represent a disappointed client – something DHL would never tolerate. What was required was a total surveillance solution that could keep watch on every movement of each parcel or document as it passed through the distribution center, ensuring that this center performed its job as central node in the enormous logistical network of DHL worldwide. Given the diverse range of spaces and lighting conditions at the center, the surveillance provider must be able to provide a range of solutions as varied as the logistical solutions offered by DHL. Finally, as the level of detail of coverage required was extremely high, any system must be able to optimise storage and bandwidth to ensure efficiency in data management costs. Management of the facility reached out to System Integrators, KTS and distributors AlphaDigi, who turned to the world leader for total surveillance solutions – VIVOTEK.
Smart Stream II technology
Across the distribution center in Hortolandia, 60 Bullet, Dome, Fisheye, and Speed Dome network cameras were deployed in strategic locations. The bulk of the security work went to VIVOTEK’s own “locomotive,” the C series IB8369A SNV Bullet Network Camera. Providing coverage of external and internal access ways for both people and vehicles, as well as of the high value packages, the IB8369A was selected as a highly adaptable camera capable of capturing high quality video at high resolutions of up to 2 Megapixel and 30-meters IR illuminators. Because of the depth of detail required at the DHL facility, that the IB8369A features VIVOTEK's sophisticated Smart Stream II technology was a great advantage, allowing the camera to optimise image quality for the most important regions in any scene, and thus ensuring maximum efficiency of bandwidth usage and savings of up to 50% on bandwidth and storage requirements.
For inbound, outbound, and stage areas of the logistics process, 7 FE8180 Fisheye Network Cameras and one FE8181V were installed at strategic points. This high-performance, but low-profile camera is able to be mounted directly on the wall to capture 360° surround views of all processes, with zero blind-spots. Vastly expanded coverage means that a single FE8180 can easily do the job of three to four standard CCTV cameras, reducing the cost of installation and maintenance for the management of the DHL facility. The Fisheye de-warp function means that this wide view is coupled with striking clarity and detail, enabling omniscient viewing of live operations and review of any important event. 10 further FD8169A Fixed Dome Network Cameras provided security and reassurance for administrative staff, and two WDR enabled Speed Dome Network Cameras (SD9363-EHL and SD9364-EH) protected and monitored vast perimeter of the facility. Finally, sensors were fitted to every emergency door and a monitoring room was set up, from which the security of the center and the safety of all staff was managed, with any event immediately reported and responded to.
Fisheye camera gives panoramic view
Systems integrators KTS were extremely proud of the new system. “In the logistics segment it is essential to be able to track all processes of inbound (loading), outbound (unloading) and storage of the products. We have been able to solve this need with Fisheye cameras, where we have a panoramic view of all the processes. The dewarp feature that VIVOTEK cameras have, is extremely important and functional for live operation and investigations,” expressed Diego Kamimura from KTS. DHL themselves were no less impressed. “DHL Supply Chain, as a global leader in its segment, has always sought through its partners and suppliers the best solutions and technological innovations for property security, seeking a balance between cost benefit and quality. In Brazil’s safety operations it was no different. We always look for high performance and functional equipment to meet the most diverse operational needs in logistics. We found in VIVOTEK the ideal partner for CCTV solutions, especially due to its durability, which guaranteed cost reductions in maintenance and unplanned downtime, generating financial returns, as well as reliability in the security system,” quoted by Fábio Sá.
Network surveillance and global logistics synergy
Following the installation of the new surveillance system powered by VIVOTEK network cameras, the DHL distribution center in Hortolandia is now a shining example of synergy between the worlds of network surveillance and global logistics. With VIVOTEK’s intelligent cameras watching all aspects of the movement of packages and documents through the center, from arrival and storage to departure, this vital node in DHL’s worldwide network of logistics can now ensure efficiency and reliability of its service. In the rare event of a missing package or document, VIVOTEK’s intelligent and total surveillance solutions mean that the object can be traced, investigated, retrieved, and returned to the streamlined system of logistics for which DHL is known as a world leader.
