Achieving Predictive Maintenance and Compliance in Precious Metal Recycling

Client Overview

The Challenge

Petra Precious Metals Recycling is a leading recycler and refiner of precious metal-bearing materials such as catalytic converters. The company sources materials from multiple suppliers globally, processes them internally and via third-party labs, and settles payments based on final assay values.

Before DreamzCMMS implementation, Petra’s operations were managed through disconnected spreadsheets and email-based communications, leading to several issues:

• Manual tracking of supplier hedges, receipts, and settlements.
• Delayed updates on material processing, sampling, and lab results.
• Lack of centralized visibility for inventory status and financial reconciliation.
• Difficulty in notifying suppliers at key milestones (e.g., assay results or settlements).
• Inconsistent document management and delayed internal coordination between production, lab, and back-office teams.

Petra required a unified and traceable system that could handle every stage of the supplier transaction lifecycle — from hedging to final settlement — with automation, transparency, and audit-ready reporting.

The DreamzCMMS Solution

DreamzCMMS developed and deployed a Supplier Material Processing and Settlement Management System designed specifically for Petra’s hedging and refining operations.
The system digitizes every stage of the material lifecycle and provides real-time visibility to both suppliers and internal teams, ensuring transparency, efficiency, and financial accuracy.

Core Modules Implemented

1. Hedging Management

• Supports both bulk and lot-specific hedges, enabling suppliers to fix metal prices ahead of delivery.
• Admins can also initiate hedging on behalf of suppliers, specifying metal type (Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium), quantities, and rates.
• Automatic hedge confirmation documents are generated and shared with suppliers.
• The system allows multiple hedges per lot, capturing comprehensive details for traceability.

2. Material Receipt & Valuation

• On delivery, a Weight Report (NC-013) is issued to confirm lot receipt and gross weight.
• The system automatically records the approximate lot valuation based on prevailing hedge or market prices.
• Supplier and internal notifications are triggered at the time of material receipt.
• Inventory is updated to reflect the new lot, enabling instant visibility for admin and production teams.

3. Processing & Sampling

• Material processing follows a standardized workflow: De-canning → Milling → Sampling → Lab Preparation.
• Each stage is timestamped, status-driven, and triggers notifications to respective departments.
• Sampling results and internal lab readings are logged to track metal content and weight variations.
• Processing queues and completion reports help monitor turnaround times and identify bottlenecks.

4. Lab Inspection & External Assay

• Internal labs generate Preliminary Inspection Reports (AC-071) capturing sample weights, preliminary metal readings, and provisional assay values.
• Samples are sent to an external third-party laboratory for final assay testing.
• Once results are received, final assay data is entered into the system, including:
  • Precious metal concentrations
  • Settlement weights and payable quantities
  • Calculated values based on hedge rates
• The assay data forms the foundation for final settlements and supplier payment adjustments.

5. Advance Payment & Final Settlement

• Suppliers can request advance payments after sampling or at shipping (if hedged).
• Admin calculates the Advance Payment (AYZ-047) based on the preliminary values and hedge type.
• Upon receiving external assay results (typically within 10 business days), the system computes the Final Settlement (AYZ-046), factoring in:
  • Final assay results
  • Refining, treatment, and transport costs
  • Hedge prices and adjustments
• Overpayments or underpayments are automatically reconciled via the Supplier Payment Ledger, maintaining accurate supplier balances and financial transparency.

6. Supplier & Admin Notifications

• Automated alerts are sent at each key milestone:
  • Material received
  • Sampling completed
  • Reports uploaded
  • Advance calculated
  • Final assay and settlement issued
• Internal team notifications ensure sequential task execution — e.g., after sampling, advance calculation is automatically queued for review, followed by payment authorization.
• Two-week reminders ensure that pending assay or settlement processes are proactively followed up.

Reporting & Inventory Management

• Inventory Reports: Track lot status (Received, Processing, Sampled, Shipped, Settled).
• Lot Valuation Reports: Display estimated and final values per lot for financial analysis.
• Supplier Payment Ledger: Dedicated ledger for every supplier showing all advances, settlements, and balance adjustments.
• Stock Reconciliation Reports: Provide a clear overview of received vs paid vs pending materials.
• Bottleneck Reports: Identify process delays in production, lab testing, or settlement.
• All reports can be exported in Excel or PDF format, ensuring audit readiness.

Key Features Utilized

• Supplier & Admin Portals with Role-Based Access
• Hedge Creation (Bulk & Lot-Specific) and Confirmation Generation
• Material Receipt & Gross Weight Recording
• Processing & Sampling Workflow Management
• Lab Inspection & External Assay Result Entry
• Advance Payment & Final Settlement Automation
• Supplier Payment Ledger with Auto-Reconciliation
• Inventory Tracking & Lot Valuation Reports
• Bottleneck Identification & Alert System
• Automated Email & System Notifications

Key Results / Outcomes

• 100% digital workflow for supplier-to-settlement lifecycle.
• Full traceability of every transaction with auto-generated reports and ledgers.
• Real-time inventory valuation with accurate stock and payment tracking.
• Reduced manual entry by 50%, eliminating spreadsheet-based reconciliations.
• Improved supplier transparency through timely notifications and milestone updates.
• Faster payment cycle, with seamless advance and final settlement coordination.
• Enhanced internal reporting enabling data-driven operational decisions.

Technology Stack

• DreamzCMMS Cloud Platform
• Supplier & Admin Web Portals
• Secure Role-Based Access Management
• Automated PDF Reporting Engine
• Supplier Ledger & Financial Dashboard
• Email & Notification Workflow Engine

Document (Optional)

SOW:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tpq22UJ1eJXFrfuAqTxa3itC4APULhU7fje90jTdCUg/edit