Craig Allan of ABAX explains how the latest security technology can protect tools from theft and, at the same time, improve productivity. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones finds out more.
Security tracking devices are a well-documented weapon against tool theft, but one company is on a mission to educate the industry on the same technology’s value in efficiency terms. Not only that, but if you’re assuming that these devices are the preserve of the likes of vehicles and plant then think again, because ABAX is providing solutions that can be utilised on a much wider range of assets – including power tools.
“There is undoubtedly and industry wide problem with theft, and it should not be underestimated,” explains the company’s Craig Allan, “but there is equally an issue with valuable items simply being misplaced – and it’s often something that companies don’t want to admit to. I recently spoke to a major contractor – who will remain anonymous – and they revealed that they’re losing up to €80,000 worth of tools a month.
“That’s an incredible amount but it can be just as big an issue for smaller builders. If you need a particular piece of kit to finish a job, and it’s in somebody else’s van – or on the wrong site – for example, that’s means a delay in invoicing, you’re not getting on to the next project as quick as you might, and you’re wasting fuel making an unnecessary journey to retrieve it. In fact, our research reveals that construction workers lose 38 hours annually looking for their tools – that’s a significant productivity loss that ABAX can help overcome.”
ABAX is championing tracking as an equally effective solution in this context, and the beauty of its product range is that it spans a much wider range of equipment – from the very large to the most portable. “In our experience, even items that it might seem incredulous to lose can go astray,” continues Craig. “Whether it is skips, storage containers, site lighting or generators – they can just as easily be in the wrong place when needed – but misplacing power tools is clearly much easier to do and more common. Protecting your vehicle or a mini digger is a priority, but the combined value of a tradesperson’s power tool inventory could rival the cost of the vehicle itself, especially if you’re in possession of equipment that’s more specialised.”
The value of an arsenal of tools that may well have been accrued over a lifetime is not just counted in monetary terms, but in the ability to do the job. Take them away and a builder simply can’t function – with all the loss of earnings that entails. In addition, given current supply chain issues, it may well take a number of weeks to replace an item, which could mean losing out on ongoing contracts or having to lay off staff.
Whether it’s securing your assets against theft, or making them more visible to you and your employees, the answer is the ABAX Mini. This self-installable, Bluetooth (BLe 5.2) enabled device, emits a signal approximately every 20 seconds, providing a real-time overview of portable assets on a smart phone via an app. Crucially, its compact dimensions are only 19x43x6.5mm – and it weighs just under 9grams – which means it can just as easily be added to a cordless drill, as it can an SDS Hammer. Every tool equipped with a Mini is then visible within the system and, with a battery life of six years, it could easily be in operation for the lifetime of the tool.
On a day-to-day basis tracking makes a business of any size more efficient. The ABAX system can be used as a tool inventory device, where a tradesperson can be confident, even without physically looking, that what’s need for that day’s work is in the back of the van, or on the right project, as Craig reveals: “Geofencing functionality is traditionally used to alert an owner or responsible individual when assets have been moved from a designated area – acting like an invisible tripwire in the event of theft. This is, of course, still very much the case but it can equally be used to make sure that the right items have gone out. Similarly, it will also record when assets have moved into an area, which could help prove you, your employees or subcontractors are fulfilling the terms of a contract in terms of hours worked, or that you’re not breaching Local Authority planning laws by working too early or late.”
Whether it’s tool theft or lose the repercussions can reverberate through a business and beyond. “Tool theft is a very serious problem, and the statistics are horrendous – as is the cost for the victim – but every single tradesperson will have been affected by simply not knowing where equipment is when they need it. It’s an issue that’s not talked about anywhere near as often but, in terms of downtime, would have a serious impact of its own.”
In 2020 theft cost the construction industry £800 million and that figure is projected to increase in 2022. Add to that an average of 20,000 incidents of tools stolen from vans each year – and that’s just the ones that are actually reported to the police – and tracking devices can be deemed a necessity on that basis alone. What is not calculated is the hidden cost of losing or misplacing tools, and its impact on profit, but the very same technology can be of equal value in addressing the issue.
For further information on the ABAX Mini visit https://www.abax.com/uk/hw/mini2
