Big Problems with Small Devices

Up to 40% of small equipment is lost or damaged on construction sites. Seyit Can has programmed a small equipment tracking inventory app to address this costly issue.

Not only large construction machines are used on STRABAG construction sites, but also countless so-called small devices: drills, cordless and impact screwdrivers – but also coffee machines are among them. However, up to now there have been hardly any checks on who uses these devices on the construction site and what their status is. “Until now, we could only use invoices to check which stock should theoretically be present on which construction site,” says Seyit Can. He recently programmed an inventory app for small equipment tracking for the group to create a little more transparency and traceability in this area.

The need is great, even if it is not always visible to everyone. “Many small devices are passed on to subcontractors – but which subcontractor owns which device can only be traced through the time-consuming checking of handover certificates,” Can explains. But these are often no longer available.

Seyit Can estimates that currently up to 40 % of the equipment lent out does not come back or comes back damaged. In practical terms, this adds up to about 150 machines on the Stuttgart main station construction site, for example. If you extrapolate this to the approximately 11,000 Group construction sites, you quickly realise the potential of an efficient small equipment inventory.

Return request via app

In the app developed by Seyit Can, a foreman or forewoman who has ordered a drilling machine, for example, can create this new device in the application. They note down the manufacturer, type and serial number. Many fields are already pre-filled. The commercial site manager then automatically receives an email and can complete further information such as an invoice number and the invoice date. The equipment is always assigned to a foreman or forewoman and a construction site, but can also be reassigned if it is passed on. If a subcontractor wants to use the equipment, the foreman or forewoman uses the “Lend equipment” function in the app. In this way, it is possible to track which equipment a subcontractor currently owns, who has lent the equipment and by when it will be returned.

Individual units can also be marked as damaged in the unit overview. A photo can be uploaded to report the damage. The commercial site managers then write a return request directly via the app.

“No one has to search in folders for old bills anymore. Those concerned receive a notification and simply place the device ready for return”.
Seyit Can
IT-Coordination ZÜBLIN

The application thus manages equipment completely, from acquisition to inventory to invoicing or return. According to Can, all those responsible have an overview at all times: “The costs remain clear, the inventories are transparent – this is how we optimise the entire process”.

Seyit Can studied business informatics and digital business engineering. At STRABAG, he develops applications, analyses complex digital processes and coordinates operational IT projects in the responsible Subdivisions.