Making a difference with digital

• Bartels-Langness has been using idem telematics for nine years
• Sören Langkop: “We manage the complete transport process via cargofleet 3”
• idem fulfils customer request: Departure checks completely digitized
• Use of modern technologies such as wireless BLE sensors and geofencing

The North German family-owned company Bartels-Langness is strengthening its supply chain with modern telematics, clear processes and reliable real-time data.

From Sylt to Berlin, from Rügen to Bielefeld: "We deliver chilled goods to all our major customers throughout northern Germany every day," explains Sören Langkop, Team Leader for Logistics Processes, describing Bartels-Langness's business. The owner-managed, family-owned company based in Kiel has been active in the food trade for more than 130 years. Today, the group operates 92 famila department stores, 36 Markant supermarkets and three of its own wholesale markets in northern Germany, among other outlets. In addition to this core business, the company's operations also encompass the bakery trade and retail, the pet food industry and even runs a vineyard.

The central warehouse in Neumünster, along with additional locations in Gleschendorf and Wittenhagen, stock fresh produce, frozen foods and dry goods. For transport, Sören Langkop uses around 100 of the company's own vehicles – including truck vehicles, semi-trailer tractors, drawbar trailers and semitrailers, many equipped with three-compartment refrigerated bodies. From vehicles to data, from drivers to materials planning, everything is digitally connected. Bartels-Langness has been working with idem telematics since 2017 – and has been steadily upgrading its systems ever since. All of the company's hardware has already been replaced with new-generation devices.


Wireless BLE beacons, geofencing and tachograph archiving

"We manage everything via cargofleet 3, the central telematics portal from idem telematics,’ says Sören Langkop. This is where all vehicle-related information is consolidated – from temperature monitoring and driver communication to tachograph archiving and route comparison. "This gives us the real-time overview we need." Temperature sensors in the vehicle reliably trigger an alarm if any deviations occur. "We used wired sensors for a long time, but they caused a lot of problems. Vibrations in the vehicle often led to cable breaks. Today, we use wireless BLE sensors which, together with the new telematics boxes – each equipped with its own SIM card – give us a much more reliable and straightforward solution."

All customer locations are stored in the system using geofencing, making it possible to determine exactly when a store has received a delivery. This provides added security in the event of complaints or inspections. Since 2024, statutory tachograph archiving has also been handled entirely via telematics – including violation evaluation and reporting. "This is a huge help in ensuring that everything runs smoothly," says Langkop.


Joint developments with idem telematics

Sören Langkop and his team are in constant contact with idem telematics and have already collaborated on developing several features. "We provide input on what we need in practice, and if it's suitable and economically viable, we commission it." One of the most useful solutions arose from the wish to digitise the departure check. Together with idem, Bartels-Langness developed a feature that allows drivers to carry out their vehicle checks directly in the idem app on a tablet. "This allows both the driver and us to prove at any time that the departure check has been completed," says Langkop. The existing messaging function in the portal was used for the technical implementation. "The aim was to ensure that everyone could immediately see if there were any issues with the vehicle."

If a driver notices a fault, they can take a photo straight away. The information is automatically uploaded to the system as a PDF file – complete with a time stamp and checklist – and emailed directly to the garage. This process used to be far more time-consuming. Drivers had to fill out a repair receipt by hand and submit it to the fleet office, which then had to arrange a workshop appointment. "Processing everything via telematics reduces paperwork and phone calls and helps to avoid potential mix-ups."


Better decisions, more efficient driving

Bartels-Langness still relies successfully analogue methods in materials planning: "Our route planning is still based on a clipboard with a tick list." This will remain for now, but with growing support from digital tools: "We use past data to optimise future activities." Analysing previous tours helps improve decision-making and boost driving efficiency. "Even though many drivers perform very well on the road through intuition and routine, digital data creates transparency that leads to new insights. For example, we extract data using the report function and transfer it to our data warehouse. With bulk data, you can achieve a great deal in terms of identifying patterns and filtering out anomalies."

The company is also highly active in the area of sustainability. Bartels-Langness already operates four fully electric lorries – three semi-trailer and one truck vehicle. And here too, telematics is opening new possibilities: How long did charging take? Where did it happen? Is the range sufficient for the next trip? In future, questions like these could be answered directly.