Savi Tech system monitors Dow fleet of tanker rail cars
Dow Chemical Co. has outfitted its fleet of rail tank cars that handle hazardous materials with a Savi Technology system that monitors the location and security status of each car's contents.
Savi's system incorporates GPS, satellite communication and sensors affixed to tank cars, the company said in a release at the opening of the LogiChem Conference in Atlanta last week.
Mountain View, Calif.-based Savi, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, designed the system for Michigan-based Dow’s Railcar Shipment Visibility program. The system allows Dow to receive feedback on demand from car transponders, or receive automated alerts of possible security breaches, unsafe temperatures and high impacts to tank cars. In addition, virtual perimeter fencing capabilities which leverage satellite images, enable the system to identify the nearest first responder in the case of an emergency or security threat.
'The chemical industry should set the highest standards with advanced technology solutions like this to address concerns and ensure safe passage of chemicals in-transit or at rest,' said David Kepler, executive vice president, chief sustainability officer and chief information officer of Dow.
'This innovative turn-key solution with Dow makes the transportation of chemicals by rail across our country safer and more efficient,' said David Stephens, chief executive officer of Savi Technology.
All wireless data is transmitted via the Savi SmartChain Asset Management Application, which transforms the data into useful information for Dow.