Aluterr GmbH: “CarFleet: A Safety Asset for Our Employees and Vehicles”

Aluterr is an SME specializing in aluminum construction, based in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Maxi Kmiecik, the company’s marketing manager, explains how they use CarFleet to manage their vehicle fleet.

Echoes: Could you tell us a little about your company? 

Maxi Kmiecik: Aluterr specializes in the design, construction, and installation of aluminum structures: sunrooms, awnings, pergolas, garden sheds, and carports. Founded in 1992, the company employs 20 to 25 people depending on business volume, spread across two locations in the Ruhr region: our headquarters in Bottrop, on the one hand, and our secondary site near the city of Bielefeld, on the other. As a family-owned business founded by three brothers, our company has undergone many changes over the years. Innovation is one of the keys to our success, as are the longevity and durability of our products. To achieve this, we rely on well-trained experts and advanced production processes.

Echoes : Can you tell us about your fleet of vehicles? 

MK: We have a fleet of six utility vehicles, including four Mercedes Sprinters and two Renault Masters, which our installers use to travel to customer sites. Our staff also use a Citroën C5 X to take measurements and prepare estimates. 

Our employees cover the entire state of North Rhine-Westphalia and drive a lot—between 10,000 and 20,000 km per month in total. As a result, safety is a major concern for us. We often experience traffic accidents, though fortunately they have been minor fender-benders so far. However, as a preventive measure, we wanted to equip ourselves with a tool to monitor and track our fleet.

Echoes: How does CarFleet help you improve employee safety? 

MK : First and foremost, we find it very reassuring to know where our employees are at all times. The incident alerts sent by Echoes also allow us to contact the installers as soon as a problem is detected. In addition, fleet tracking allows us to ensure that our employees are taking their breaks. 

Echoes: Is theft prevention also a concern for you? 

MK : We know that cases of fuel fraud by employees are becoming increasingly common in Germany. CarFleet allows us to compare, with a single click, the amounts of diesel paid for via the fuel card with the amounts actually dispensed into the tank. No fraud has been reported at Aluterr so far, but Echoes protects us from this potential risk.

Echoes: Do you have any other uses for CarFleet? 

MK: Echoes helps us better manage vehicle maintenance and servicing: thanks to mechanical alerts and dashboard indicator lights, we can respond immediately in the event of a malfunction, engine failure, or low fluid levels. We also avoid missing maintenance deadlines and workshop appointments. Furthermore, real-time mileage tracking allows us to avoid penalties under our lease agreement.