This week, I met a perfect manufacturing prospect thanks to John Cook of Premier Electronics http://www.premierelectronics.com/ . Premier Electronics is a supplier of leading edge technology solutions, providing barcode scanners and printers, RFID, warehouse management systems (WMS), data collection, asset tracking and inventory control devices. This prospect shows how VAR’s like Premier can sell a variety of solutions to manufacturers; you just need to show them ideas on how color labels will benefit their operation.
With John, I met a parts manufacturer who provides OEM parts to the major vehicle companies as well as store brands to auto part retailers. Because of these various channels, this manufacturer labels the identical part number with more than 10 different brands.
Currently, this manufacturer picks the products, moves them to a location to print a preprinted label with variable data and then packs the parts for shipping.
As this process is cumbersome, involves handing the same item several times and requires a large inventory of labels, the manufacturer wants to move to a mobile, on-demand process. They want to begin using power carts, handheld computers and the TM-C3400 label printers to produce and place color labels on the parts during the picking process.
By moving to a mobile, on-demand color labeling process, John Cook says “the manufacturer will save labor, reduce potential labeling mistakes, reduce inventory and improve their overall labeling and shipping process”. Overall, the new process will save them a significant amount of money.”
During our discussion, something else occurred that I wanted to share with you. While on the call, I referred to the Tubelite success story and how this manufacturer improved their shipping process. If you have not seen this story, contact me!
In addition, I reviewed to the results from P.I. Components to improve their shipping process. Please see the earlier blog post on this end user.
After this discussion, the manufacturer began brainstorming how color could improve their shipping processes also. Currently, they print black-only text shipping labels. Although they have a limited number of miss shipments, sometimes the manufacturer stages pallets incorrectly, that could get loaded on the wrong trailer. By using color to stage pallets, this prospect could insure all pallets are staged and loaded correctly.
In addition, this manufacturer uses a variety of freight companies who cross dock pallets. By adding color, the prospect believes their freight suppliers may improve their internal cross docking process, reducing errors and improving delivery accuracy.
Based on the results with this manufacturing prospect, be sure to discuss on-demand color for improving not only manufacturing processes, but also for improving logistic processes as well. You can help your customers with an innovative new solution; and help your business as well.
Guy Mikel
