Auto manufacturer DaimlerChrysler South Africa (DCSA) has migrated its base of 89 Intermec handheld barcode scanners to Symbol devices through supplier RangeGate.
The migration to new technology sees the South African business maintaining the company`s international standards.
"We were able to trade in our old devices for the new ones, resulting in competitive pricing, while maintaining our international standards for efficiency," says Jonathan Holmes, systems analyst, IT division at DCSA.
DaimlerChrysler, which this year celebrates 50 years in SA, originally deployed the automated warehouse management system in 2001. The total system consisted of RangeGate`s Inter-Gate, an integration suite connecting the handheld scanners and SAP`s R/3 ERP software.
The result then was stock accuracy of 98%, better stock tracking and more efficient administration, sales management and customer service.
Today DCSA manufactures approximately 50 000 vehicles a year, of which about 75% are for export, and has 3 200 employees. It has steadily increased turnover from R5.3 billion in 1998 to R20.4 billion in 2002.
The Symbol 9050 units which replace the older Intermec scanners are ruggedised mobile computers with 400MHz Intel processors and as much as 64MB of RAM, running the Windows CE operating system. They can withstand 2 000 six-foot drops onto concrete and 4000 one-metre tumbles. A range of other features make them technically superior to the older Intermec models they replace at DaimlerChrysler, such as the larger, full-colour screens, which allow for more and better applications and ultimately greater flexibility at the business coalface.
DCSA has a five-year support contract in place with RangeGate and Symbol Technologies Africa, which sees 10 of the 9050 devices stored onsite at RangeGate to permit rapid replacement of damaged units. The company also keeps 10 units at its site in East London for the same reason.
"Deploying the new devices was quickly achieved," says Anne Stone at RangeGate in Port Elizabeth, "and easy enough for DaimlerChrysler to perform itself. The project kicked off in March this year and was completed by April."
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For over 14 years, RangeGate, 84.15% owned by JSE-Securities Exchange-listed Datatec, has focused on leveraging mobile technologies to give its customers a competitive-edge - a mobile edge - in their supply chain and service operations. The company helps its customers take advantage of the real-time data capture capability of wireless mobile technologies in order to optimise business processes and accelerate the return on investment from back-end systems. RangeGate`s MOBILE-EDGE solutions provide supply chain execution spanning manufacturing, warehouse control, electronic proof of delivery, in-store fulfilment and field service enablement.
RangeGate is an accredited mobile partner of major IT vendors including Microsoft, Symbol Technologies and SAP. RangeGate`s blue-chip clients include Sainsburys, Scottish Courage, Exel, Daimler-Chrysler and Johnson & Johnson.
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