Mobile application for traceability of Liquid Petroleum Gas Cylinders in Kenya

Abstract

The introduction of the universal valve for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders in 2009 effectively lowered the entry barrier into the Kenyan LPG industry. The lower entry barrier coupled with poor visibility along the supply chain; resulted into the raise of illegal re-fillers; who preyed on other players’ cylinders and consequently their brand equity. The illegal refilling business has been hugely characterised by incorrect weights of product and failure to adhere to safety regulations. This has resulted in a number of reported deaths and loss of property through fire. Consumers and traders have suffered losses attributed to incorrect weights. The research proposes to investigate the extent of cylinder traceability requirement in the Kenyan LPG cylinder space. The study attempts to investigate the feasibility of application and adoption of an LPG cylinder traceability application. The research proposed is descriptive, adopting a positivist paradigm. The data will be collected through questionnaires administered to different stakeholders in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinder supply chain. The study will also capture data through structured interviews and meta-data regarding the LPG cylinder supply chain. The proposed solution is a cross platform mobile application that will allow traceability and authentication of LPG gas cylinders within the Kenyan LPG supply chain.