We sat down with Noel to learn more about his new start-up, O2D, a real-time delivery management system with a unique driver contact app for rerouting, diverting, and canceling deliveries.
by Andrew Curtin / August 12, 2022
What challenge is O2D solving?
Origin to Destination (O2D) was developed as a solution to the construction industry’s inefficient delivery problem. It provides a real-time delivery management system with a unique driver app for rerouting, diverting, and canceling deliveries. It can be used in conjunction with existing on-site logistics systems to enhance the ability to track deliveries from origin to destination effectively.
O2D increases supply chain communication, improving the transparency and efficiency of the delivery process. It facilitates the free movement of vehicles and keeps construction timescales on track. The app reduces stoppages and a build-up of vehicles on-site and decreases the number of repeat journeys and delivery delays. Vehicles can be diverted before they reach a site and held in holding bays, to be called in once a site is ready.
What is the environmental impact of this problem?
There was a 2017 Aecom report that shows that every vehicle turned away from a building site circles for an average of 10.5 miles. The construction site O2D followed had 27,000 deliveries a year and turned away 20% of them due to delays and stoppages. This meant that 54,000 unnecessary road miles were driven as the drivers circled waiting to get to the site. That’s the equivalent of driving twice around the world!
These unnecessary journeys from one construction site produced 64,000kg of CO2 and other harmful gases. Multiply that by the number of construction sites across the UK and it is a staggering figure. London is looking to reduce its pollution levels and so getting this correct is a good step in the right direction.
What makes O2D unique?
Our blend of Daniel Pinnell’s technical knowledge and my decades spent in construction are well placed to innovate and disrupt as we move on to other issues within the sector that traditional methods fail to improve. We understand the processes of both construction and tech so we can bridge that gap, and speak a language the industry understands.
Our group has worked with other sector organisations like the Welsh FA by digitizing their training which has enabled them to offer to coach globally and we believe construction knowledge is one of our greatest exports so working with the industry we can make that can one day be exported as well globally.
What is the most exciting thing happening in the industry right now?
For me, it’s seeing the baton handed over from the legendary old guard the pioneers who built most of our skyline and infrastructure to the next gen of young tech-friendly custodians who will be more receptive to technology. It’s exciting because they see technology as another tool to work alongside the compressors and breakers of yesterday from being the second worse adopter of tech to being at the top of the list. It’s an awesome industry as it is but the changes in efficiency, safety, and sustainability this can bring will be amazing.
What’s an interesting challenge you’ve faced while running the business? Persuading our industry that tech can help solve the issues traditional methods can not
What’s an interesting challenge you’ve faced while running the business?
Persuading our industry that tech can help solve the issues traditional methods can not.