nexTrack in Action: Reducing Lost Cylinders and Equipment Downtime

A cylinder that can’t be located is still accumulating rental charges. One that runs out mid-shift without warning stops production until a replacement arrives. These are two of the more common and quietly expensive problems in gas-dependent operations, and both come down to the same root issue: not knowing where assets are or how much is left in them.

nexTrack was built to close that gap. It combines three technologies, Roadnet, Advanced Cylinder Management, and TIMS Electronic Delivery, that together cover the full picture from delivery confirmation to asset location to return credit.

Where Cylinders Actually Go

In a busy shop or manufacturing facility, cylinders move. They get wheeled to a welding station, emptied, set aside, moved again, and sometimes sit in a corner of the floor for longer than anyone intended. Without a tracking system, the only way to know what’s where is to walk the floor and count, and that count is already outdated by the time it’s done.

ACM assigns a unique barcode to every cylinder in circulation and scans it at each stage of its journey through the supply chain. From our facility through delivery, across departments, and back through the return process, every movement is recorded. That means at any point, you can see exactly where a cylinder is, how long it’s been there, and whether it’s been returned and credited correctly.

Aging reports within ACM flag cylinders that have been sitting at a customer site beyond their expected window. That’s where rental costs accumulate on assets that have stopped being useful, and catching it early keeps those charges from building unnoticed.

Stopping Downtime Before It Starts

Unplanned downtime from a gas shortage usually comes down to one thing: nobody knew the supply was getting low until it was already a problem. Usage data gathered through ACM shows consumption patterns over time, which departments are drawing most heavily, when usage peaks, and how production changes affect gas requirements. That information allows for proactive reordering rather than emergency calls.

Roadnet adds the delivery side of that equation. Connected to our network of over 200 drivers, it gives customers real-time visibility into incoming deliveries with ETA windows, status updates, and arrival confirmation. If a delay comes up, you know about it early enough to adjust rather than after a production run is already waiting on a cylinder that hasn’t arrived.

Keeping Delivery Records Clean

Documentation errors at the point of delivery create downstream problems: incorrect charges, missing return credits, and reconciliation headaches that take time to sort out. TIMS handles this by letting drivers update delivery tickets, quantities, and lot numbers on-site from a mobile device. Proof of delivery goes out electronically before the driver leaves, and any changes made on-site are immediately reflected in the record.

Returns are scanned and credited in the same transaction, which means the cylinder balance updates in real time rather than waiting for a manual process to catch up.

What It Adds Up To

Over 4,500 customers are currently registered in nexTrack. The consistent feedback is fewer supply interruptions, cleaner billing, and less time spent tracking down assets manually. For operations where gas supply is woven into every production shift, that reliability has a direct effect on output.

Backed by our expert KnowHow™, we help customers configure nexTrack to fit how their facility runs. We help our clients Forge Forward with ease, and if your current cylinder management is creating more work than it should, reach out to your local nexAir team and let’s take a look at what nexTrack can do for you.