Case Study: African Rail Company (ARC) achieves real-time railcar visibility and reduced idle time with ORBCOMM satellite tracking

African Rail Company - Customer Case Study

African Rail Company (ARC), a Geneva-based rail supply chain operator moving fuel through Maputo and Beira into Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and the DRC, needed reliable real-time visibility of unpowered tank cars to reduce idle time and assure customers of on-time deliveries. Cellular networks were patchy across long rail routes, so ARC engaged ORBCOMM for a satellite-based GPS tracking solution to monitor wagons beyond station limits and improve accountability.

ORBCOMM implemented a pilot of satellite GPS tracking devices (30 units) reporting position on-demand or at six-hour intervals, with long-life batteries (up to 36 months), remote reprogramming, geofence alerts and onboard motion sensing. The solution let ARC pinpoint loaded and empty wagons, proactively notify customers, shorten dwell times at stations and borders, and recover the pilot investment within four months—prompting ARC to expand the deployment and boost operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

African Rail Company

Dave Beek

African Rail Company