Advanced Foodsystems Announces New Second Generation Warehouse Management System Software Availability

New Fully Featured, Open Architecture Product is Specifically Designed and Priced for Food Distributors and Processors

Phoenix – Advanced Foodsystems ("AFS"), a provider of fully integrated, end-to-end software solutions for the food industry, announced the immediate availability of the its new, second generation wireless bar code scanning warehouse automation solution AFS WMS. The new packaged solution contains the most popular functionality food distributors and processors require which virtually eliminates the need for customization, drastically reduces implementation time, accelerates time-to-benefit and speeds return on investment when compared to other systems. The new product uses the Microsoft Windows operating system at the server and desktop level with PocketPC and WinCE supported at the mobile computing device level providing all users with a flexible, configurable, and easy-to-use graphical user interface. The open architecture employed allows any industry standard RDBMS to be used as the database and the application can operate as a stand alone system or interface in batch or real time to numerous ERP systems using an application programming interface (API).

"Building on the market knowledge gained from serving the WMS needs of food distributors and processors since 1997 with our first generation product FoodScan, we developed this second generation product to be fully featured, yet adaptable, highly configurable and easy to manage so that changes in business rules, processes or customer requirements can be performed quickly and inexpensively," said Kurien Jacob, AFS President and Chief Executive Officer. "We also chose a very open architecture to be as compatible as possible with all the major brands of mobile scanning computers, major in-building wireless data communications standards and RF frequencies, popular industry standard bar code formats and label printers, and voice recognition products."

Warehouse Management Systems create an electronic, automated warehousing system that replaces paper-based transactions with instant wireless bar code scanning. The instantaneous nature of this automation provides accurate, real-time inventory valuation with online updating and access to transactions and inventory status for all desired employees. Typical warehousing activities like receiving, directed put away and product selection, picking accuracy, staging, and optimal truck loading are all improved as are inventory management activities like cycle counting, replenishment and physical inventory. Companies using WMS reduce waste, errors, and inventory cost and improve warehouse efficiency and space utilization, improve inventory management and control, increase employee productivity and customer satisfaction. Return on Investment (ROI) typically occurs within the first year.

In addition to providing the company developed AFS WMS application software, Advanced Foodsystems offers customers a complete solution of software, hardware, databases and services through well established relationships with partners such as Zebra Technologies and Psion Teklogix, a leading provider of rugged hand-held and vehicle-mount computers and wireless networking technology. The complete solution provides mission-critical reliability for demanding warehouse and distribution environments, including refrigerated cold storage facilities.

AFS WMS also complies with U.S. FDA country of origin labeling and BioTerrorism Act "One Up, One Down" traceability and reporting requirements by allowing distributors to control and track their purchases, inventory and shipments by lot and code date plus transfer other pertinent information both into and out of their distribution centers from suppliers one link up the supply chain and to customers one link down the supply chain.

Jacob concluded, "Our customers have found that a well run, automated warehouse can result in as much as a three percentage point improvement in bottom line profitability and our software is a major contributor to that success as mid-market food distributors are increasingly seeing the value of real-time enterprise information and are aggressively investing in new technology to boost competitiveness."

SOURCE: Advanced Foodsystems