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Brian Rayner Case Study

Scanning system solves logistic problem

As a major distributor of computer hardware equipment from a central warehouse to customers all over the UK, Brian Rayner Transport had a problem. They had inherited an 'archaic' system for logging and tracking goods which was costing them in terms of time, lost goods and claims, according to Warehouse and Distribution Manager, Neil Powell.

In November 2006, a decision was made to upgrade their system. A specification document with an outline of their business and detailing 15 'must have' features was created and sent out to four companies with an invitation to tender.

The contract was awarded to SB Electronic Systems following an 'impressive' presentation. "We liked Paul Burchett's manner, the way he sold his product and the fact he didn't try and oversell. He was knowledgeable, instantly comprehending what we were looking for and had a professional approach to the project from start to finish," said Neil.

The company was looking for a system to log and track about 5,000 boxed products that arrive on pallets each day from all over the world. They have a six-hour window during which time they all have to be sorted, labelled and paperwork printed then loaded on to vehicles to be distributed. The system needed to be easy to use and highly efficient.

They bought 10 hand-held Cipherlab 8500 series scanners linked to a database on a single PC. The scanners are used to scan two-dimensional barcode labels on the boxes and the software logs products against orders and produces a delivery note to accompany each vehicle.

The entire system was implemented within six months and the benefits have surpassed expectations. "The entire process has sped up, from scanning previously taking six seconds per box down to 1 or 2 seconds," said Neil. "Not only has our productivity increased dramatically, the reliability has increased significantly with less chance of boxes not getting scanned."

A further advantage is that the system creates a comprehensive database of scanned products. This gives the warehouse operators an immediate snapshot by comparing orders with scanned products and producing a discrepancy report. This has had the benefit of reducing claims for lost consignments.

"We specified a pretty basic and uncomplicated system and this should last us for many years. However, the system can be easily upgraded to become extremely comprehensive giving us the opportunity to develop our systems in line with the growth of our business."

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