The platform is currently being utilised across 15 RWE sites, with over 1600 users. The extensive use of over 60 customised Papertrail modules demonstrates its versatility in meeting various operational needs within the company's wind farm projects.
Furthermore, the platform has facilitated seamless collaboration, as evidenced by the sharing of over 9000 records with RWE suppliers. This highlights the platform's significant role in enhancing communication and streamlining processes across the supply chain, contributing to the overall efficiency and robustness of RWE's operations.
Claire Swannick, a logistics coordinator with 30 years of experience, highlights the complexity of managing logistics for a large number of equipment assets in the wind industry. The challenges include keeping track of equipment certifications, ensuring compliance with regulations, and maintaining the safety and efficiency of wind turbines. Initially, the company used Excel for logistics management, which proved to be inadequate for handling the volume and complexity of the equipment.
"After 30 years in logistics, including a decade in the wind industry managing hundreds of pieces of equipment and complying with certifications such as PUWER and LOLER using Papertrail has made the process easier”
- Claire Swannick, RWE Triton Knoll
RWE adopted Papertrail to address the challenges of managing equipment and certifications effectively. Claire Swannick emphasises that Papertrail has been important in ensuring compliance and maintaining safety standards. The software's ability to demonstrate a proactive approach to equipment management and provide a full history of every equipment piece's activity has been crucial for RWE.
With the overarching goal of keeping the turbines running and ensuring health and safety compliance, Papertrail provides the traceability and linked records required to demonstrate proactive asset management.
The software has significantly improved logistics operations for RWE, streamlining the onboarding process for new employees and managing the issuance of equipment. Swannick points out that Papertrail's electronic task creation has facilitated electronic confirmation of equipment issuance, improving traceability and reducing the likelihood of equipment going missing. This has ultimately reduced costs and improved efficiency.
Papertrail eliminates the need for manual data entry from purchase orders and invoices by leveraging Linked Records, as suppliers have already preloaded the necessary information.
RWE has benefited from various features of Papertrail, including linked records. The Linked Records system effortlessly connects suppliers and customers, facilitating seamless inspections, tracking historical data, and transferring information smoothly between parties.
The implementation of NFC tagging for PPE items and other equipment has eased the identification process, especially in challenging environments where serial numbers may be hard to read.
The onboarding process for new employees at RWE has been seamless. 30 minutes training for technicians and 90 minutes training for admin users, is all that is required for effective use of Papertrail. Swannick attests to the user-friendly nature of Papertrail, highlighting its learnability and ease of use.
The customer success team excels in providing exceptional support by enabling direct communication with the Papertrail development team. This collaboration allows for customised solutions to be identified and implemented, ensuring that the software meets our specific requirements effectively.
Looking ahead, RWE is exploring further features and developments that could enhance their experience with Papertrail. The company is particularly interested in leveraging the PartnerHub feature for improved sharing and collaboration while ensuring proper access control and training for external partners. Papertrail is also working with RWE to create custom modules specific to their needs.
RWE's successful implementation of Papertrail has demonstrated its ability to meet the complex logistical and safety needs of the wind industry. The company has leveraged the software to improve compliance, safety, and efficiency while streamlining equipment management processes.
RWE, with more than 125 years of experience, has evolved into a prominent provider of renewable energy globally. The company is leading the way in sustainable practices, heavily investing in renewables. RWE focuses on wind farms, solar power, and battery storage facilities across multiple countries.