The Digital Transformation Journey
Before implementing SmartMix, Blue Dot Readi-Mix, a leading concrete supplier based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was exploring technology options to enhance their productivity and overall output further. Relying heavily on custom spreadsheets, the amalgamation and analysis of quality control data was tedious, time-consuming, and posed significant security and continuity risks to the business. As Blue Dot Readi-Mix continued to scale its operations and face more demands, doing more with less became a common theme and a need for evolution was imminent.
Glen DeLozier, Quality Control Manager, has been with Blue Dot for a decade and knows the company’s systems well. Despite this, he encountered challenges in being relied on so heavily. These prevented him from delegating tasks and being proactive for the company’s benefit. Mistakes like accidentally typing 30,000 psi instead of 3,000 psi could go unnoticed by anyone other than Glen. This left him with insufficient time to proactively seek opportunities to optimize their mixes and materials that could significantly impact the bottom line.
How SmartMix™ Transformed Blue Dot’s Concrete Operations
Recognizing the need for a comprehensive digital solution, Blue Dot made the strategic decision to implement Giatec SmartMix, an AI-powered mix management system developed by Giatec. By offering a single platform for data storage, analysis, and optimization, SmartMix significantly contributed to Blue Dot’s overall digitization strategy.
SmartMix’s automation capabilities changed everything for Blue Dot. It allowed for easy data entry and analysis, centralizing all data in one platform. This not only saved time but also enabled several team members to participate in data entry using a more intuitive system. Glen noted the ease of delegating data entry tasks, as the platform was user-friendly and prevented accidental errors that were common with spreadsheets.
The initial motivation for Blue Dot to try SmartMix was the promise of improved mix management and overall concrete mixture cost reduction, achieved without increasing effort or labor. Andy Barnes, CIO, reflected on the implementation saying, “Giatec came in, delivered a clear vision, made recommendations, we implemented them, and it showed that – it does what it’s supposed to do and is giving us a ROI. It simply works!”
You really try to make time to look for opportunities but with SmartMix it’s a matter of a push of a button and it’s so much easier to get to the base line of what we need to get to.”
Glen DeLozier, Quality Control Manager, Blue Dot Readi-Mix
Profit Achieved in Three Months With Just Two Pushes!
Since implementing SmartMix, Blue Dot has realized substantial savings and efficiencies in their concrete operations. The initial excitement came with the first AI suggestion taken in collaboration with the Giatec team where a reduction was saved and pushed back to Blue Dot’s batch system for the next day’s production. However, the real testament to SmartMix’s effectiveness was the second “push”, which Blue Dot conducted independently and immediately broke even on their total investment. The company has since enacted many more opportunities with SmartMix’s optimization suggestions and is currently sitting with 15x more in optimization value awaiting review. Blue Dot is only scratching the surface of what SmartMix can achieve for its concrete operations.
While SmartMix allows for smaller incremental adjustments, these changes prove to be impactful due to the volume of the mixes and the quantity of adjustments available. Companies like Blue Dot are seeing the real value in their ability to implement several smaller optimizations that might have otherwise gone unnoticed or deemed less significant. As noted by Glen, the ability to see metrics such as standard deviations and identify outliers, allowed him to drill down into the causes of variability, making it easier to proactively address mix quality issues. He specifically expressed his excitement about having everything in one place, which simplified the analysis and optimization process.
Embracing Technology for Continuous Improvement
Blue Dot’s digital transformation is ongoing, with a steadfast commitment to leveraging technology for smarter operations that enhance accuracy, quality, and cost-efficiency. As SmartMix plays a pivotal role in this transformation, this marks only the beginning of their journey. Beyond optimizing the design stage, SmartMix seamlessly integrates with Blue Dot’s systems to pull data needed for further analysis of the concrete quality. Blue Dot’s current batching system is equipped with its own Artificial Intelligence capabilities to optimize concrete production. The synergy of these two systems working together has demonstrated how integrated systems can significantly improve operational efficiency and drive innovation in concrete production.
Optimization is not a one-time effort; rather, it continues incrementally as more aspects of the production cycle advance. By demonstrating improvements across other operations software, SmartMix acts as a tool to validate advancements and drive continual progress. This ensures that Blue Dot remains at the forefront of innovation, continuously advancing to meet evolving industry standards and technological capabilities.
