TankScan Helps City Service Valcon, LLC Manage Inventory and Field Operations

City Service Valcon, LLC

City Service Valcon offers quality fuel, oil, and energy products with dependable delivery, outstanding customer care, and superior service to the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies markets.

Applications: Diesel and Petrol

Market: Fuels

Challenge
City Service Valcon faced challenges in reducing the costs of their field operations while sustaining a safe and ecologically friendly field operation. Similar to numerous fuel delivery services, City Service Valcon monitored tank levels using tape readings when a field operator made a routine trip to the site. The company’s major concerns were reducing unnecessary travel, improving the reliability of the operation, and knowing what is happening at the site when no one is present.
It can take more than an hour to physically travel to each of the remote sites. Winter and cold weather conditions can increase the dangers associated with travel. System checks could be missed or overlooked if the operator is pressed for time.

“We decided to innovate our operations with TankScan monitors because they are cellular, cloud-based, reliable, and affordable.”, said Scott Curry, Director of Transportation.

Solution
Since 2018, City Service Valcon has used TankScan TSM1000 monitors to optimize their regional fuel hub operations located at multiple locations throughout Montana. The remote monitoring system leverages existing wireless cellular infrastructure and a cloud software application to eliminate large startup and setup costs associated with alternative solutions. The install requires screwing the monitor into a 2” port on the top of the tank and plugging in the battery. The cloud application is set up remotely and offers unlimited users, historical trending, and email/text notifications.

The tank levels are viewed from a field operator’s cell phone or from a PC at a remote office. The system is cost-effective due to its use of existing infrastructure of the internet connectivity, internet browser, email, text message, and cloud computing. The user is provided with accurate readings to the digital devices he already owns, understands, and supports.

Results
City Service Valcon has found many benefits from remote level monitoring, including:
• Reduced labor associated with trips to the field locations
• Improved reliability of their field operations with remote tank level visibility
• Improved confidence and reduced environmental risk with automated notifications
• Improved safety by reducing travel in hazardous weather conditions

“The monitors give us historical data for inventory control. It saves us a lot of time, is easy
to manage, and alerts us when there are issues with the tanks.”, said Scott.

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