Gerdau Driver Connection App
A critical tool in steel manufacturing operations, making it easier, faster, and more efficient to manage logistics across North American steel mills
Gerdau, a global leader in steel manufacturing, faced a significant challenge in streamlining its driver check-in process at its Cartersville, GA mill. In partnership with Haneke Design, Gerdau implemented a custom web and mobile solution that transformed the way truck drivers check in, reducing inefficiencies and improving the overall experience for both drivers and mill employees.
The success of this solution at the Cartersville facility led to a broader enterprise rollout across Gerdau’s North American steel mills, with Haneke Design adapting the application to support multiple facilities and scaling it into a strategic initiative.
Addressing Operational and Logistical Challenges
At Gerdau’s Cartersville, GA mill, the driver check-in process was inefficient and required drivers to leave their vehicles and walk to the office to complete necessary paperwork. This created bottlenecks and unnecessary delays, impacting mill operations and driver satisfaction. Gerdau’s goal was to create a more efficient, user-friendly process that integrated seamlessly with their existing ERP systems and provided drivers with an easy way to check in from their mobile devices, eliminating the need to exit their vehicles.
The challenge was not only to streamline this process for Cartersville but to design a scalable solution that could be implemented across Gerdau’s other mills throughout North America.
Haneke Design took a user-centered approach to develop the Driver Connection App. By deeply understanding the needs of the drivers and mill employees, we were able to create a customized solution that simplified the check-in process while also enhancing operational efficiency.
Custom Web and Mobile Solutions
We created a unified solution that enabled drivers to check in directly from their mobile devices. Integrated with Gerdau’s existing SAP ERP system, this solution provided real-time push notifications to guide drivers to the appropriate loading areas, reducing confusion and delays.
The application eliminated the need for drivers to exit their vehicles, making the check-in process faster and more efficient. It also allowed mill employees to track drivers’ loading times and overall stay times, providing valuable data to improve operations.
Scalability for Multiple Mills
With the success of the Cartersville solution, Gerdau asked Haneke Design to scale the app to support multiple mills across North America. We refactored the backend to support a multi-tenant environment, allowing each mill to have customized configurations while maintaining a central hub for oversight. This flexibility enabled Gerdau to roll out the solution to their other locations without unnecessary complexity.
Enhanced Operational Insights
By capturing data such as timestamps for check-ins, loading times, and total stay times, the application provided Gerdau with valuable insights into their operations. This data enabled Gerdau to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, leading to better decision-making and optimized processes across the network.
Custom Branding and Web Design
As part of the project’s expansion, Haneke Design also took on the creation of a distinctive product brand identity for the Driver Connection App and a central hub to support the app’s use across Gerdau’s mills. The goal was to provide a cohesive visual identity for the application, while also creating an online platform for communication and collaboration among mill employees.
Continent-wide Results
The Driver Connection App has been a game-changer for Gerdau, significantly improving efficiency at the Cartersville mill and across the company’s North American operations. It has streamlined the driver check-in process, improved operational oversight, and provided actionable insights that have helped optimize Gerdau’s logistics and mill processes.
Widespread Adoption Across North America
Following the success at Cartersville, Gerdau has successfully expanded the use of the Driver Connection App to other mills, starting with Charlotte, NC. The app has become a cornerstone of Gerdau’s efforts to improve efficiency and enhance the driver experience across its operations.
Charlotte, NC
Cartersville, GA
Petersburg Mill, VA
Wilton Mill, OH
Monroe Mill, GA
Manitoba Mill, CAN
Jackson Mill, FL
Fort Smith Mill, AK
Cambridge Mill, OH
Whitby, ON, CA
Cambridge, ON, CA
Midlothian, TX
Improved Operational Efficiency
With the app’s data-tracking capabilities, Gerdau has been able to identify operational bottlenecks, reduce waiting times, and improve overall loading efficiency. This has led to more streamlined logistics operations and better use of mill resources.
Client Satisfaction
Brian Hood, Improvement Facilitator for Gerdau’s Cartersville mill.
“Haneke Design has been a great partner in this project, The Driver Connection App has not only improved the driver check-in process but also provided us with invaluable insights into our operations. We’re excited to see this solution being rolled out across our other mills, and it’s clear that Haneke’s approach and expertise have played a big role in its success.”
The Solution at a Glance
Custom Web and Mobile Solution
We developed a tailored application that integrated with Gerdau’s existing SAP ERP system, improving efficiency and simplifying the driver check-in process.
Enterprise Scalability
The app was scaled to support multiple mills across North America, with customizable configurations for each facility.
Branding and Web Design
We created a cohesive product brand identity and a central hub to support communication and collaboration across Gerdau’s network.
Operational Insights
The app provided Gerdau with valuable data that led to improved operational efficiency and better decision-making across the organization.
