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Digitalisation has entered the intermodal terminal of Busto Arsizio-Gallarate. Since end of 2017, two portals equipped with video cameras have been monitoring all trains entering and leaving the terminal. The goal? Speed up and perfect the train control processes, with immediate data input into the WOLF Web Oriented Logistics Framework management system.

Andrea Castino, production manager of Hupac SpA, highlights the benefits: "The system outperforms the human eye in terms of speed and completeness. Thanks to the letter-decoding software, we save 25 minutes for the management of each of our more than 50 trains per day, offering a faster and more accurate service to our customers.”

The two OCR (Optical Character Recognition) portals, installed at the end of 2017 at the north and south entrances of the Busto Arsizio-Gallarate terminal, capture and transmit a number of information regarding the trains entering and leaving the terminal:

- the wagon number

- the number of the intermodal transport unit in combination with the wagon

- possible damages to loading units and wagons.

The advantages are clear and range from speeding up train checks to making shunting operations more efficient, from supporting safety processes to informing drivers of the exact location of their units: thanks to the faster control process, information on the track in the terminal is available earlier. The quality and accuracy of the data has improved considerably, too.

All these factors have earned Hupac SpA the "Logistics service provider 2018" award, assigned by Assologistica, for its contribution to improving the intermodal transport sector. Aldo Puglisi, project leader of Hupac's parent company in Chiasso, says: "In the near future, the installation of inbound and outbound road portals for the truck control process is planned. After Busto Arsizio, we have already started a similar project for our terminal in Antwerp. It is currently under analysis, and installation is scheduled for 2019. Other terminals will follow in accordance with our digitalisation strategy.”

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