Custella Sdn Bhd, through its flagship field management solution FieldEx, is on a mission to modernise plantation operations nationwide.
Founder Andrew Thomas (left in main pic) described FieldEx as ‘an all-in-one field service management tool capable of improving the performance of organisations’ mobile workforce by automating and optimising tasks from creation to completion’.
“Understanding that every organisation has unique operational processes, FieldEx provides a highly configurable system for seamless implementation, significantly reducing setup time,” said Andrew.
The company has identified the plantation sector as a key market due to the high demand for efficient field operations and asset management.
One of its successful implementations is with SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantations Berhad), where FieldEx has significantly enhanced operational efficiency and asset management.
SD Guthrie Berhad is one of the world’s largest producers of certified sustainable palm oil, with operations spanning across, amongst others, Malaysia and Indonesia – the world’s two largest palm oil countries. As a part of the recent rebranding, the main focus of SD Guthrie Berhad has been on modernising and digitising the group’s operations. They commenced their transformation by prioritising the following three key areas: (1) Mecha-Tech operation monitoring and Field Service Management, (2) Marketing Strategy and Development System and (3) Sales Performance Tracking and Monitoring System.
“We have seen significant improvement and seamlessness in our operations by leveraging FieldEx, particularly with the exponential growth of new business ventures here at SD Guthrie Berhad,” said said Noorita Yusof, Manager, Digital and Business Development, SD Guthrie Agri Bio Sdn Bhd (an SD Guthrie Company).
“In one of the initiatives, we are managing many estates with a large service team. FieldEx has enhanced real-time communication, streamlined task allocation, simplified data capturing and boosted productivity. The ongoing collaboration with FieldEx ensures continuous operational efficiency and adaptability, supporting SD Guthrie Berhad’s dynamic and evolving needs,” she added.
“Being a global leader in palm oil cultivation, focusing on sustainable practices and innovation to improve productivity and environmental stewardship, FieldEx was a natural choice for SD Guthrie Berhad to realise their commitment to responsible agriculture,” said Andrew.
“By incorporating FieldEx’s cutting-edge technologies to enhance efficiency and maintain high standards of sustainability in its operations, SD Guthrie Berhad was able to continue playing a pivotal role in the global palm oil supply chain.”
Andrew further explained: “Many apps address either the corporate folks in the office or unskilled profiles. We have proven that FieldEx is truly easy to adopt, as we have planters in over 92 estates, with over 600 semi-skilled technicians in workshops, and skilled engineers all on the same platform.”
The FieldEx solutions offers comprehensive modules, including:
- Field Service Management: Streamlining task scheduling and dispatch, ensuring timely completion of field operations.
- Asset/Inventory Management: Tracking and managing assets and inventory with real-time updates.
- Case/SLA Management: Ensuring compliance with service level agreements and managing customer cases effectively.
Acknowledging that many existing tools and systems are outdated, Andrew said that FieldEx aims to meet the demands of both current and future technologies.
“Our solution offers a comprehensive suite of features, from scheduling and dispatch to work order management, customer management, inventory management, asset management, and ensuring compliance and safety,” said Andrew.
Meanwhile, Commercial Director Mithran Balakrishnan (right in main pic) noted that FieldEx is a horizontal solution cutting across all industries with a field workforce, focusing on installation, maintenance, particularly preventative maintenance, asset management, service SLAs and data analysis.
“The common factor we have achieved is bringing chaos into order, complexity into simplicity, and converting challenges into opportunities,” he added.
FieldEx is also set to introduce ‘Insight Orchestrator’ features, including AI-based scheduling and predictive maintenance, demonstrating its dedication to continuous innovation and staying ahead of the curve.
