Managed solar & battery supply that halved sign failures

Transport for NSW needed a solar and battery partner that could keep its projects on schedule and on budget. Valen Power built a managed supply program around monthly scheduling, custom specifications and on-call support. Every contract was delivered on time and within budget, and on-site call-outs and sign failures fell by more than half.

Discover

The client

Transport for NSW is responsible for the roads, transport networks and roadside infrastructure that keep New South Wales moving. Much of that infrastructure, including roadside signage, depends on solar and battery power to stay working.

The challenge

On a program of this kind, a late delivery or a battery that has sat too long on the shelf is more than an inconvenience. It can hold up installation crews, push a project off schedule and lead to failures once the equipment is in the field.

Transport for NSW needed a partner that could provide:

• Reliable service and supply, removing the risk of the project getting off track or over budget
• Stock forecasting, so the right stock was available for each project milestone
• Batteries charged and labelled to its custom requirements
• Solar panels custom specified to suit a predesigned bracket
• Technical assistance and on-call support to troubleshoot issues as they arose

Design

Valen Power set out to reduce the workload on the Transport for NSW team and make sure the project was completed on time and on budget. Rather than supplying order by order, Valen Power helped develop a monthly schedule to manage the flow of materials.

The schedule tracked battery stock levels closely, so batteries were used before their shelf life expired. Solar panels were specified to fit the existing bracket design, and batteries were charged and labelled to Transport for NSW’s requirements before dispatch, ready for installation.

Deliver

With the schedule in place, Transport for NSW had guaranteed supply for the length of the contract. That removed the supply chain risk of late deliveries putting the project behind schedule. Forecasting stock against milestones also helped Transport for NSW manage its cash flow, with materials arriving when they were needed rather than all at once.

Throughout the contract, Valen Power provided technical assistance and on-call support to help troubleshoot any technical issues.

Support

The outcome

Valen Power’s supply management approach meant every contract it was part of was delivered on time and within budget for Transport for NSW.

The managed approach and proactive scheduling also cut on-site call-out fees and sign failures by more than half, delivering substantial savings on both labour and product costs.

• All contracts delivered on time and within budget
• On-site call-outs and sign failures reduced by more than half
• Substantial savings on labour and product costs
• Guaranteed supply for the length of the contract, with no expired battery stock
• Better cash flow management through forecast, milestone-based supply

Beyond transport

Any organisation rolling out solar and battery equipment across many sites faces the same risks: late stock, batteries past their shelf life and components that don’t quite fit. A managed supply program with forecasting, custom preparation and technical support behind it turns those risks into a predictable schedule, and fewer failures in the field.