How is equipment plant hirer Lynch accelerating its digitalisation journey

“At L Lynch Plant Hire, it’s about finding the right technology, making it work and even creating the tools we need to support our digital transformation, says Mark Crawford, its Digital Transformation Manager.

Peter Haddock caught up with Mark on the Leica Geosystems stand at Highways UK to find out how the business is investing for a digital future.

Mark:” We’re focusing on digitising for both internal and external solutions, all aimed at enhancing the customer experience. To do this, we have created a digital-first journey, from creating our own platforms and apps to integrating real-time data into a single customer portal.”

“By creating our own portal, we can aggregate data from different machines, human form recognition systems, and other technologies into one place."

"This allows our customers to make data-driven decisions, whether reducing idle time, cutting carbon emissions, or improving operational efficiency.”

“The ability to use that data to show tangible improvements on site is game-changing.”

 “We’ve been working towards a connected autonomous future for some years now, and the recent CAP report from Costain funded by Department For Transport showing a potential £426 billion positive impact by 2050 is a validation of that effort.”

“We are already seeing the potential for improvements in both efficiency and productivity by using data drive insights and sharing information with our customers."

"For example, jointly, we can now make smarter choices, ensuring customers are using the right machine for the job, saving both time and money while supporting sustainability.”

“But it’s not just about having the data. It’s also about using it in a positive way to train and upskill our team and customer operators using our eco-operator programme and 3D Machine Control courses.”

“We are certainly seeing a shift towards data maturity in the industry, where customers are now fully embracing the value of data."

"This is just the beginning, and there’s much more to come in terms of optimisation and smarter decision-making.”

The team at Lynch already work with technology providers like Leica Geosystems, Xwatch Safety Solutions, Safety Shield and Plinx.