A provider of innovations in actuator solutions for controlling heating, sensorics, ventilation and air conditioning systems, Belimo Holding AG—an international group of companies was confronted with a unique challenge: The company stood in need for implementing a new warehouse system in a landscape of other systems such as ERP systems, material flow control systems, and robots. To drive efficiency of management for warehouses, Belimo required automation to be implemented in the workflow. Belimo leveraged a robust and innovative supply chain software system, Logis and its various module (i.e. goods entry, picking techniques like pick-by-light, outgoing goods), software functionality to control robotics and high-rack storage systems as well as automatic conveyors.
The brainpower behind the Logis Supply Chain software is Dataphone with its headquarters in Zurich and branches in Dortmund, Leer, Bratislava, Moscow, Hagerstown and Mexico City. The company consults various worldwide customers as regards the automation options in Supply Chain Management, scanning, transportation and retail solutions. The degree of automation will be decided with regards to the customer’s situation, especially the article type, industry, budgets and warehouse dimensions. Man-to-goods commissioning with manual picking sometimes offers a better cost-benefit-ratio than fully-automated solutions. Working with Dataphone allowed Belimo to handle the challenge with partly-automated and partly-manual processes. Logis is a powerful and cost-effective supply chain software system, which enhances the flow of goods in warehouses. Users are allowed maximum flexibility to plan, control, edit and track orders, thereby improving the efficiency of the entire supply chain process.
Success stories as such are indicative of Dataphone’s commitment to developing smart warehousing solutions for (online) retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and more industries. Once established as a family-owned stock company in 1986, Dataphone is now ranked among the first companies in Switzerland to have leveraged innovative, modern solutions in logistics in times of mobility and digitalization. Contrary to the conventional norm of enabling businesses to leverage new technologies, Dataphone delivers a ‘one-stop’ service for solving logistical challenges in a fast-changing environment. According to Nina Habicht, Marketing and Business Development Manager, “Dataphone solutions enable customers to be logistically competitive in their markets by combining optimized business processes with smart and new technologies.”
What makes Dataphone second to none is its capability to deliver a sustainable increase in efficiency of business processes, a substantial decrease in supply chain costs, and more traceability and transparency through scanning and digital solutions.
Contactless payment systems being one of the predominant trends in the retail tech industry, Dataphone’s scanning solutions help businesses track stock numbers and execute payments accordingly. To keep pace with the increasing demand for fast and/or automated ordering systems, Dataphone provides an easy-to-use app called Shopper. Store managers profit from the ability to order in a mobile and fast way missing articles, to keep track of the entire article flow and inventory. The company celebrates the success of smart logistics in the e-commerce market by aiding clients with automated replenishment, which facilitates fast shipping with minimal costs for end-consumers.
Instead of adopting long internal communication paths or huge regulatory loops that hinder fast reactions to market demands, the company follows a lean, agile and flexible development model. Dataphone’s international network within the logistics space has been immensely helpful in attaining an in-depth understanding of the customers’ challenges. As explained by Nina, Dataphone offers four solution units. Besides the warehouse management system Logis Shopper retail app empowers users with assortment planning, news features, inventory tracking, and other logistical benefits and further helps in faster order placements as opposed to stationary and complex webshop order systems. Hermes from Dataphone is designed to assist users in route planning, proof of delivery and track and trace with the aid of maps, maps, laser, NFC and MSR. Mobile hardware is the fourth unit consisting of industrial computers, scan solutions for smartphones (i.e. Linea PRO & Linea S), smart glasses and voice-applications.
Dataphone aims to develop more user-centered supply chain solutions encompassing big data, KPI-visualization, and automation, along with cloud-based services. Apart from leveraging blockchain technology, the company plans to release new technologies in retail and logistics including smart watches and glasses combined with voice-solutions.
