How producers are leveraging tech to their advantage (Part 1)

By |  March 29, 2023
Topics discussed during a technology panel held at the South Carolina Aggregates Association’s Workshop & Exhibition included automation, connectivity and safety. Photo: Allen Knight, Four Twenty One Media

Topics discussed during a technology panel
held at the South Carolina Aggregates Association’s Workshop & Exhibition included automation, connectivity and safety. Photo: Allen Knight, Four Twenty One Media

Jack Kopanski (Pit & Quarry): So, what have you been hearing or seeing from customers in terms of connectivity issues hindering real-time data? How are you addressing those?

Ken Albaugh (Xylem): We have a division that does water meters and gas meters. We do all kinds of connectivity work. We’re able to take some of that technology and leverage it into quarries where there are remote issues or line-of-sight issues and things like that. Having that other level of expertise to be able to make sure it’s real-time connectivity [is important]. Quite honestly, that’s one of the main things customers want to see. [They want to know]: ‘Am I connected?’ And [will they] get that alarm when they lose connectivity to a piece of equipment? That, I think, is going to become more and more important.

Jeromy Davis (Industrial Supply Solutions): For us, the cellular aspect of it is keeping people connected in real time. But some of these plants are very remote. [If] you get out in pit somewhere, there’s no signal. We’re looking at hardwired options, and they’re not always cost-effective. It can be challenging in certain areas of plants and with certain plants just because of where they’re located.

Vikki Bartlett (K&R Group): We have experienced technology changes with the cell carriers. Initially, our product had 3G and, now, a lot of carriers have dropped 3G. In a way, it’s good to see that our customer base is very reliant on the information that they’re getting, but it is also a very urgent issue when that connectivity is broken. We’ve had issues with servers, issues with cellular and there are a lot of places, surprisingly, where you can’t get service. It’s something you need to account for.

Jack Kopanski (Pit & Quarry): Are there ways your companies are helping producers manage multiple subscriptions and helping them work together?

Ken Albaugh (Xylem): The key is to make sure that whatever format you’re presenting it in, you make it easy and user-friendly. A lot of the data is standardized data that you can get. Being able to talk to one another’s technologies is a big part of it.

Joey Pickett (Caterpillar): Truly managing subscriptions is Pandora’s box. You have all the different OEM rates – it’s a tough one.

Vikki Bartlett (K&R Group): Subscriptions are a tough issue. We live in a subscription world. Everything is subscription based, and I don’t know if there’s a way around that. We have paid subscriptions for everything we use now, and I think that falls on the customer, as well. It’s hard to try to work with other manufacturers to say: ‘Oh, we’re going to get all of our information together and combine it.’ It’s tough.

Editor’s note: Read Part 2 of the panel discussion here.


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