THE ART OF IDENTIFICATION

THE CEA’S OFFICIAL SECURITY SCHEME, CESAR POWERED BY DATATAG ID, WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SHOWCASING AT PLANTWORX THIS YEAR AND WILL BE ANNOUNCING ANOTHER MILESTONE IN ITS HISTORY: THAT BEING THE 600,000TH SYSTEM SOLD INTO THE INDUSTRY.

TO DATE, CESAR HAS PROTECTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT WHICH HAVE EACH BEEN MARKED WITH UNIQUE MULTI-LAYERED IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES GIVING EACH PIECE OF EQUIPMENT A UNIQUE IDENTITY. THE NOW ICONIC CESAR TRIANGULAR REGISTRATION PLATE HAS BECOME THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IDENTIFICATION MARK AND ALONG WITH THE OTHER TECHNOLOGIES HAS RESULTED IN CESAR CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO A DECLINE IN THEFTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY SINCE THE SCHEME WAS FIRST LAUNCHED IN 2007.

Today the Industry’s CESAR Scheme appeal is strengthened by the Emissions Compliance Verification (ECV) enhancement which helps “police” air quality within construction. In 2019, after invaluable input from HS2, the Energy Savings Trust and some London boroughs, the CEA and Datatag ID announced the launch of CESAR ECV which visually displays a machine’s engine emission standard, taken from the EU Type Approval number.

CESAR ECV combines with the technology behind the main CESAR scheme adding a colour-coded plate showing engine emission stage from two through to five and now includes electric and, coming soon hydrogen. The information about the machine is collated on a comprehensive, secure database accessible through the ECV clearing portal and this enables plant owners and operators, contractors and site managers to comply with any local policy or contractual obligation regarding machinery emissions levels.

The mix of a secure database of machines’ vital information plus an easy to read and scan visual sticker cuts out a lot of work for construction site managers and local authorities providing a quick and easy reference. CESAR EV is invaluable on sites where companies are required to comply with Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) emission regulations.

JCB and Hitachi were among the first to adopt CESAR ECV and following their lead to date the scheme has been taken up by approximately 90% of OEMs and leading machine dealers in the construction sector.

Datatag Venom

Through its work with the Official CESAR Scheme, Datatag recognised a major issue costing the industry millions of pounds every year. That of fuel theft. So, with its history of forensic DNA identification marking, Datatag set about developing a smart technology-based solution to the problem. The result was Datatag VENOM.

VENOM is a unique forensic DNA marker carried in a visible green dye which can be supplied to give a company an unique DNA identifier for their fuels. It has been tested to EN590 by SGS in Germany providing the necessary qualification to prove that any dye or additive added does not change the base fuel’s performance in any way, especially its octane or cetane rating. This is critical as it proves that VENOM will not damage any part of the fuel system, affect the emissions and importantly not affect the machine performance in any way.

VENOM is simply a formulation of dyes and forensic DNA which contains no surfactants or heavy metals. It removes nothing and leaves nothing.

The VENOM vivid green colour is its first security feature and will visibly announce its presence if and when it is extracted from a machine. This alone makes VENOM a powerful theft deterrent as this colour is almost impossible to remove from fuel once applied. The dye used is the same as dyes commonly found around the world in rebated diesel, used for years with no detrimental effects. They are similar to the dye previously used in rebated red diesel. Datatag are aware that some European countries still operate rebated fuel with our closest neighbours the French choosing to use a blue dye and Ireland green. And whilst there isn’t an issue to add additives into tax paid fuel, including white diesel, there are regular ongoing discussions and tests planned with government bodies etc following HMRC’s decision to stop construction machinery running on red diesel.

VENOM is dosed at a level of just 50 parts per million (ppm) meaning a single litre of VENOM will protect 20,000 litres of fuel! If a full tank of fuel was treated with VENOM and that tank then half emptied and subsequently refilled with untreated fuel, VENOM’s distinctive colour would still be visible and the unique forensic DNA still detectable. Datatag say that ideally vehicles would be filled from a bowser where the fuel is kept at the required dosage rate constantly. However, VENOM can be detected in fuel at dose rates far below this which means that if stolen fuel were mixed with genuine fuel the presence of VENOM, even if not visible to the naked eye, could still be detected and a prosecution sought.

The unique VENOM DNA code can be linked specifically to an individual, a company or a site or fuel location or even a machine and anyone taking treated fuel will be well aware it is marked with VENOM.

DATATAG will support clients with highly visual, impactful warning signage for site fences, company notice boards, bowsers and vehicles that announce the presence of VENOM and provide a secondary line of deterrent.

VENOM is supplied in one litre metal containers and you might imagine that this level of technology would be expensive to implement but Datatag have kept the costs for VENOM down to mere pennies per litre protected. An early adopter of Datatag VENOM is construction giant CLANCY who are currently trialling VENOM at a number of sites across the country. Early indications are that it is already having an impact in reducing fuel theft.

As far as Datatag are aware VENOM is the only commercially available forensically marked fuel dye on the market in the UK at this present time offering a level of fuel security and traceability not seen before.

Kist

At Plantworx this year Datatag will also be showcasing KIST, their new asset management solution born from a challenge to them by the industry, hirers, utility and infrastructure companies to help combat the problem of tool theft. The challenge being to develop an asset management tool and software programme that is multi-platform and which would work with data flows from manufacturers, hirers, insurers etc. A software “unicorn” if you will.

After almost three years of development, Datatag proudly announce their solution - KIST. A platform designed by the industry for the industry much, in the same way, that the original CESAR Scheme was designed by the Police for the Police. Developed using the existing MicroCESAR system as a key equipment identifier, KIST allows companies to keep track of and manage vital equipment and vehicles through easy-to-use mobile and desktop applications and has been shortlisted for Plantworx Innovation Award at this years event.

KIST, using a web-based administration portal, has been designed to allow assets to be easily created, managed and administered using existing phone/tablet technology to scan QR codes and or unique identification numbers. As each asset is created it can be allocated to a user or parent asset i.e. a tool to a storage location or a vehicle) and each asset’s unique CESAR identifier can be used to create an audit trail of movement and allocations enabling company managers to track and manage an asset’s entire lifecycle from initial purchase and allocation to periodic maintenance and finally to phase-out from inventory.

The administration portal provides a standard (albeit configurable) set of reports providing tracking and visibility of assets and also provides invaluable exception data where scanned or audited assets can be identified when they are offschedule. This visibility of an asset gives greater transparency leading to increased accuracy and accountability across a fleet of assets.

A recent report, using data compiled from insurers Direct Line, was quoted as saying;

“Since the easing of lockdown in April 2021, more than £46 million worth of tools have been stolen from vans with more than a third of thefts coming from London alone.”

This is equivalent to an almost eyewatering quarter of a million pounds worth of tools being stolen every day, with only 1% of stolen tools being recovered and doesn’t take into consideration the costs associated with loss of work time suffered as a result, often by small businesses struggling to get back on their feet after the pandemic.

KIST’s mobile application allows authorised users to conduct audits of assets allowing the recording of the asset’s status in real time. This gives them the ability to manage preventive maintenance schedules and routine inspections thereby preventing expensive repairs and security risks from poorly maintained equipment.

The application also includes pre-drive vehicle checks with email alerts to supervisors on reported damage or driver concerns. Mileage and vehicle safety checks can be easily reported, monitored, and audited along with service history, safety certificates, links to user/operator videos, map location screens including What3Words, the uploading of photos and the issuing of a “Temporary Tag” for hired in equipment.

No asset management solution currently is a “one size fits all” but KIST by Datatag is aiming to achieve this. The configurable tool allows managers, supervisors, and teams to locate, manage and control assets to increase efficiency, reduce waiting times and also waste. KIST is already making a huge difference in how companies manage assets including plant equipment, tools, vehicles, maintenance and teams. It will no doubt become an industry game changer as more companies adopt it and the industry starts to benefit from something at Datatag we call “crowd policing” where users and companies, working together, reduce theft and increase recoveries.

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