Fueling Chihuahua's Mining Sector

Grupo Carvel started out by providing diesel oil to the mining and transport industries in Chihuahua in 2010, originally delivering the product in small containers. As the company grew, it started to use larger containers in order to transport larger quantities at a time, and it now focuses on purchasing fuel from PEMEX, the only manufacturer it works with, and distributing this fuel to other companies throughout the state of Chihuahua. “We have two storage plants, the main one is in Chihuahua city and the second one is located in Dolores and is specifically designed to serve the mining sector,” shares Ricardo Román, a Project Engineer at the company.

When transporting diesel to mines throughout the state, Roman believes that security is always the biggest issue as the highways in Mexico are not always safe. However, Grupo Carvel has not experienced any problems, and he attributes this to its dedication to and focus on its work. “We avoid contact with criminal groups by only transporting fuel during the day, and we have GPS tracker systems and emergency alert buttons fitted onto each and every one of our vehicles so that we are always in close radio or telephone contact with our staff when they are on the road,” he explains. “Moreover, all of our mobile units are regularly checked for tire degradation and other maintenance concerns, because there is a lot of stress put on vehicles when travelling long distances on a regular basis.”

Carvel System was developed as the solution to an inhouse problem. With an ever-growing number of operating vehicles, the company needed a system to track which vehicles were transporting fuel, how much, from where to where, and other logistical issues. This led to the creation of Carvel System. The program is split into two separate systems, one that focuses on the fuel tanks themselves, and the other that tracks the coming and going of transportation vehicles, and also monitors how much fuel each vehicle is carrying. Both systems can be accessed from tablets, smartphones, and computers, allowing the user to stay up-to-date on their operations 24 hours a day, even outside working hours. “This provides security benefits as well, as users are alerted in real time of any theft taking place,” Roman comments. “Each system also has strict privacy settings and password requirements to further boost user control. Put simply, Carvel System is based on a premise of providing control, administration, and security to users’ flotilla.”

Another program that the company is going to continue developing this year will allow clients to track the progress of any fuel orders they place. This means that the client no longer has to speak to the driver of the truck, or the logistics manager, or the group director, or the plant operator in order to find out when and where their order shall be delivered. “The clients will be in complete control and will have all the necessary information regarding the progress of the order, which will in turn help them plan their operations more efficiently,” Roman states.