IFS has announced that it has helped Anticimex integrate its IoT sensors into IFS applications to deliver business value. Many companies are now piloting IoT systems and Anticimex has delivered an impressive level of integration using the IFS IoT Business Connector. More and more traps are installed and working in Finland with the IoT solution. Anticimex intends to extend this to more than 20,000 traps installed around the world
More than sensing a trap is full
The evolution of traps has delivered several efficiencies to pest control companies. The early electronic versions merely had a flashing light indicator to say that the trap had been activated. Using the IFS platform Anticimex have taken things a step further.
The sensors built into the traps now send back far more information than just a simple activated or not. The sensors can detect movement around the traps, which indicates whether there is still an active pest problem. If this continues for a period it might prompt the IFS ERP solution to initiate a visit by a pest controller to install more traps or move the locations of the existing ones. Battery power levels on the traps are also transmitted, so that schedules can be delivered to replace failing units before they go offline. Finally if a trap is full then an engineer can be despatched to empty and reset them.
What this means to Anticimex is that engineers need to visit traps far less frequently than before and every visit has an action attached to it. With more than 4,000 employees across 17 countries the efficiency gains will be substantial. It also maximises the effectiveness of the service, ensuring that traps are working at maximum efficiency.
Automation brings benefit
The system is now automatically creating field service requests for the pest control technicians to carry out based on information provided by IoT sensors. The IoT data is transmitted to the Azure IoT platform where analytics is carried out. The IFS business connector then integrates with the IFS ERP solution to create service requests automatically
This is just the first phase of the project. After Finland, Anticimex intends to extend the project to all of the countries it is active in. There are future plans to extend the technical breadth of the project too. It is looking to roll out the IFS Mobile Workforce Scheduling module. This will optimise schedules for engineers including the travel routes that they use.
Anticimex CIO Daniel Spahr commented: “This is true digital transformation for Anticimex. We see enormous potential in harnessing IoT to offer intelligent pest control solutions that will provide premium customer service and at the same time save time, money, and the environment. By feeding sensor-captured data via the IFS IoT Business Connector into our business software IFS Applications, we are able to react much quicker to service needs and even work proactively to prevent problems before they arise.”
Anticimex install digital traps, sensors and cameras to assist customers with infestation issues. Customers no longer need to routinely check traps as the system is monitored 24×7 using the IOT sensors. It also means that customers no longer need to chase up service visits as they are carried out proactively and the customer can be informed that one has been scheduled.
Conclusion
IFS cloud solutions, including IoT sit on the Azure platform. IFS Business connector uses the available API’s on the platform to deliver the integration to IFS ERP. This is an excellent example of how IoT is making a practical difference to companies today.
IFS CTO Dan Matthews added: “The Anticimex project is a great example of how we at IFS help our customers develop an IoT solution that enables them to not only gather and analyse IoT data, but also automatically take the correct actions based on that data in order to create a more service-oriented and cost-effective organisation.”
