FM Logistic moves merchandise faster and better with Datalogic Mobile's Falcon

FM Logistic is present on the Romanian market since 2003, offering logistics services (warehousing/handling, internal and international transportation, co-packing) to some famous companies such as Nestle, P&G, Cora, L'Oreal, Yves Rocher and Sanofi-Aventis.
 
The company now uses Datalogic Mobile devices in all the warehouses operated in Romania because "half way through 2006 we decided to replace the terminals we were using. The equipment used a DOS operating system with text interface and it was difficult to use the menu and functions," said Nicolae Blea, IT manager FM Logistic. "We needed mobile computers that had a Windows Mobile or CE platform and that was easy to use in general. Wireless connection was also a must. We received all this and more with Datalogic Mobile's Falcon. This mobile computer gave us the operating system we were looking for, Windows Mobile and CE, with a graphic interface, colour tactile screen and the possibility of centralised management of the terminals. It also provided standard wireless 802.11g, which is much more powerful than 802.11b."

 
Datalogic Mobile offered FM Logistic a full-service package at a fixed price with an attractive warranty, that covered free equipment transport to the Datalogic Mobile service centre from Italy and service, without limiting the number of interventions. That sealed the deal. A first contract was made at the local level in all the countries where the FM group is present, and shortly after, it was signed at the group level between FM and Datalogic Mobile.
 
After the implementation of radio equipment with Datalogic Mobile's Falcon in one of FM Logistics' warehouses, the results were:
 
100% radio reception with portable printers improved standard times by 40,25%.
 
The application for collecting damaged goods reduced the average number of ripped boxes before delivery from 0.033% to 0.006%
 
Full radio pre-pack - improvement of IRA (Inventory Record Accuracy) picking by 12.41%.
 
Online inbound radio picking raised productivity by 11.78%.
 
Use of radio frequency for stacking, inventory, etc. raised the average IRA EPR from 99.18% (before implementation) to 99.93% (after implementation).
 
Radio rolling inventory in the picking area, still being tested, has already raised IRA by 8.32%.
 
Presently, FM Logistic is working on the development of a Windows interface to replace the old system, but the company intends to add others as well. "We are working on a project to rebuild the radio picking application on a new platform, that will allow better graphics and adjustments that the old application cannot provide (for example the Chinese and Russian alphabet), with this clearly implying our intent to extend the collaboration with Datalogic Mobile to the global level," said Blea.