[02/20/07]
A solution using automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) software from NCR Corporation is helping global consumer packaging specialist Huhtamaki Americas automate its inventory management and labeling processes.
The Huhtamaki Americas solution is among major case studies to be featured at AIM Global's 2007 AIM Showcase, Feb. 25-27, in Tampa, Fla.
"Through the use of AIDC technologies, including NCR TransitionWorks software, we have reduced working capital and labor costs," said Huhtamaki Americas IT Project Manager Mark Pettigrew. "We have also eliminated manual labeling, which assures all shipments are correctly identified. This is critical to our food-processing industry customers, because it helps them avoid the possibility of filling a container with the wrong product."
The automated inventory management and labeling processes at Huhtamaki America are currently bar code-based.
"Should we decide to convert to radio frequency identification [RFID] in the future, we won't have to worry about the AIDC software," Pettigrew said. "We will continue using NCR TransitionWorks, as it is completely RFID-enabled - supporting UHF, HF and LF spectrums for both active and passive RFID. To our knowledge, no other software offers that kind of investment protection."
NCR's inventory management application with high availability supports Huhtamaki America's goal of continuous uptime and superior performance in case of a hardware or software failure, while providing automatic load balancing during periods of heavy usage in the plant and warehouse. Huhtamaki Americas also employs the design-time version of NCR's AIDC and process management software platform, NCR TransitionWorks, to develop unique business processes designed to increase effectiveness and efficiency in plant operations as new opportunities present themselves.
To date, the AIDC solution has been deployed at three of Huhtamaki America's 18 facilities, and the company is currently implementing it in a fourth location. The firm recently signed an enterprise-wide agreement with NCR, and is considering a global rollout.
About Huhtamaki Americas
Huhtamaki Americas is a specialty packaging organization offering category-leading food service and retail tableware products, consumer packaging and packaging machinery. With corporate offices in De Soto, Kan., Huhtamaki Americas has 18 facilities in North and South America and is a part of the global packaging company, Huhtam?ki Oyj, headquartered in Espoo, Finland. For more information, visit www.us.huhtamaki.com.
About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation is a leading global technology company helping businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. NCR's Teradata data warehouses, ATMs, retail systems, self-service solutions and IT services provide Relationship Technology that maximizes the value of customer interactions and helps organizations create a stronger competitive position. Based in Dayton, Ohio, NCR (www.ncr.com) employs approximately 28,900 people worldwide.
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