Smart Work 2027: Implementation of a Storage System for Hand Tool Machines
The Smart Work page showcases everyday innovations and success stories developed by the City of Hämeenlinna’s employees.
The Suosaari depot had a small internal Würth store space called Wücon, which sold a small but essential selection of Würth products for us. When I started working for the city two years ago, I asked to see Wücon’s lease agreement, and found a line stating that “a lending service is included in the monthly rent,” meaning the tenant’s own items could be placed in the store with a Würth tag, allowing staff to borrow them with their own card, like a book from a library. That’s when the idea struck me, and I started developing it.
Combustion-engine and battery-powered tools used to be scattered haphazardly around the hall and in vans. Tools went missing, were returned broken, and no one knew who had which machine. I had a large storage room built in the parks maintenance hall, which became a dedicated Wücon space, complete with shelves, racks, and battery charging cabinets. Every machine and battery was numbered and fitted with a Würth tag. Using the system didn’t create any ongoing extra costs. A small-tool service point was also set up in front of Wücon.
Now, through the Würth portal, we know which machines are available in storage, and tools are borrowed for work use with a personal card, so we also know who has borrowed a machine or who last used it. Machines no longer go missing, and they stay clean, in working order, and neatly organized. No one returns a tool in poor condition under their own name, and if a machine develops a fault, it can be logged in the machine’s record when returned, after which it’s sent for servicing.
Storing and borrowing small machines through the Wücon store system has proven to be a very effective and well-liked way of working. The Wücon portal has become an efficient daily tool for supervisors, and for employees, having intact and clean tools is essential for smooth and pleasant work. We have now also added the keys to the green maintenance vans to the system, so we can keep track of vehicle use and know which vehicles are available.
Developer
Tero Saarikoski, Fleet Manager, Urban Structure Maintenance