Metsäsairila Oy is a waste management company owned by the city of Mikkeli operating in Etelä-Savo, whose basic task is to organize waste management which is the responsibility of the municipality according to the Waste Processing Act. The company has a sorting and recycling centre and three small waste stations. With the help of mScales the municipal waste management company has gained flexibility in its operations and improved the use of its resources.
Material flows have increased in the Metsä-Sairila recycling area, when the new recycling hall Kieppi was completed in 2021 where sorting points for various wastes have been made. Waste treatment is concentrated in this area. Both private consumers and entrepreneurs can use the Kieppi recycling point with a piece goods fee. Larger loads coming to the recycling station often go through the weighing of truck scales either to the hall for waste sorting or directly to the sorting benches area. Currently, the digital mScales weighing service is used in the area's vehicle scales as well as the three-wheeled station loader scales.
The new three-bridge vehicle scale also makes it possible to sell weighing
Metsäsairila uses two Tamtron Precision vehicle scales, which are connected to the digital mScales weighing service. A new three-bridge HCT scale is located upon arrival at the site, making it easy for long trucks to use the scale.
Metsäsairila built a long three-bridge HCT vehicle scale as a market scale, and at the same time the weighing system was renewed. The company's previous system began started to be at the end of the road. In connection with the purchase of scales, Metsäsairila wanted to update a new, more modern program, which is why they used mScales. Metsäsairila's selection criteria was also the continuous development of the digital weighing service. In mScales product development, the weighing service is constantly being developed, so that the development of the service benefits all customers and users.
mScales' services enhance operations at the recycling station
The best benefit for Metsäsairila is mobile weighing, which can be done easily from the digital mScales service. Mobile weighing frees the weighing operators' working time for other tasks, and the drivers can also manage the weighing independently on their mobile devices.
"The released resources have been able to be used for other work, so we have achieved cost savings," says operations manager Olli Siekkinen.
Metsäsairila has also been able to utilize the vehicle scale by selling weighing services to other companies in the industry. External weighing services for customers can also visit the area, so with the help of mScales, the company can now offer weighing services to them as well.
"We can give our regular suppliers weighing codes and thus access to the area is also freed up, so their deliveries are not tied to our opening hours," summarizes Siekkinen.
mScales additional module gate control function can be used to open the gates of the recycling area remotely, making remote working more flexible. Logistics manager Olli Siekkinen can work from home, for example by opening the gates of the Metsäsairila area when a vehicle is entering the area outside of normal opening hours. In this way, time and effort are saved significantly, when you don't have to drive several tens of kilometres just to let vehicles into the area.
The gate control system enables the recycling area to have especially flexible opening hours and smooth comings and goings. Gate control is also possible from the driver of the vehicle directly from the cab using mScales as a mobile device, which makes moving around the area smoothly and easy. Especially in winter, when the vehicle scales in the recycling area are kept clear of snow, smooth comings and goings are very important.
The electronic transfer document as required by the Finland Ministry of the Environment will be available to Metsäsairila at the beginning of September 2022 as a new service. An electronic transfer document certified by electronic signatures is easily obtained from mScales. In this case, separate paper printouts are not needed and the information is transferred to the official register as up-to-date and error-free.
Loader weighing can also be done conveniently with a mobile device
Metsäsairila has also connected mScales to three-wheel loader scales. Connecting the loader scale to the service now enables the driver to do all loader and scale weighing's on the go. Weighing is smoother when all types of waste and container transfers can be done more easily with weighing codes.
"When goods move in different containers, we are able to monitor stock transfers and balances all the time. Weighing is really fast and easy, you just prepare the product and drive to the scale. This only takes 20 seconds, you continue your journey again and the weighing is done. We have been satisfied with the ease of the service, the self-service and the fact that the information travels immediately, says Jorma Lampinen, the driver of the wheeled loader.
Constantly developing service and customer service as advantages of choosing mScales
Metsäsairila's operations manager Olli Siekkinen justifies the choice of mScales as follows: "As a municipal operator, of course we have to consider the choice of different suppliers. We chose mScales because I got a convincing picture of customer service and sales. I felt that this activity suited us specifically and I trusted the realisation of the project. In my role as a contact person, our cooperation has been flexible. mScales also has the advantage of a constantly developing service."
"From the mScales team, we have a designated contact person who facilitates communication. They know our needs and problems and can immediately answer our questions. The long-standing experience with Lahti Precision tipped the scales in your favour, so to speak!".
Read more about: Introduction to weight-based material flows
Metsäsairila Oy is a waste management company, whose basic task is to organize waste management that is the responsibility of the municipality according to the Waste Processing Act.