Gilbarco and Tridium said they’ve joined forces to develop the Gilbarco Intelligent Device Management (IDM) solution, which will include fuel and dispenser management as part of an overall remote site/device management program.
The system will encompass energy management, remote fueling and current c-store equipment monitoring and diagnostics including heating/air conditioning, lighting, power consumption, coolers and other fixtures within the convenience store environment from a remote, central location.
Gilbarco IDM provides an on-screen summary dashboard for easy management review and decision-making. The system enables management by exception. For example, a retailer who established in advance that a given cooler should operate within a specified overall temperature range will get an alarm notice if the cooler temperature goes out of that range or they are notified when a dispenser needs routine maintenance, such as filter changes, receipt paper, or other alarm conditions. Retailers can optimize power and energy consumption by establishing rules to avoid peak utility rates, maximize uptime, protect inventory, and comply with guidelines for food storage.
“The return on investment for this program is less than eighteen months,” said Fawaz Khalil, Gilbarco’s director of service marketing. “Retailers report percentage power consumption savings in the range of double digits and additional savings measured in terms of increased uptime and saved inventory. Retailers save time and money and consumers have a better experience when everything is working as promised.”
Gilbarco’s IDM system will be built on the Tridium Niagara Framework, a universal software platform designed for Internet-enabled equipment systems and device-to-enterprise applications.