Lincolnshire, IL - Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a recognized global leader in solutions that extend real-time visibility into business operations, announced the release of its Material Flow “Wireless Replenishment Starter Kit,” a manufacturing replenishment system that provides real-time visibility on the plant floor so manufacturers can respond quickly to changes in inventory, production status and customer requests. Designed to support and automate lean manufacturing techniques, Material Flow replaces traditional kan-ban and push systems, eliminating the need for manual and labor intensive processes.
“We are excited to release Material Flow to help manufacturers improve their asset utilization and improve their efficiencies across the plant floor” said Adebayo Onigbanjo, location solutions product manager, Zebra Technologies. “Zebra Technologies is committed to providing best-in-class location solutions that leverage our customers’ already existing data to give them real time visibility into their operations so they can make faster and smarter decisions.”
The quick start kit is based on wireless technology and comes with a complete system to get one or multiple assembly lines up and running with lean replenishment principles. The system includes all the hardware, software and services to launch, including 20 Wireless Request Buttons to initiate part calls in the system. For example, once the system is installed, a line-side worker makes an inventory replenishment request by pushing one of the Wireless Request Buttons that is strategically placed in an area that is close and easy for staff to access. The Material Flow server processes the request and the material handler receives the prioritized call for their assigned area and delivers the required inventory quickly and efficiently.
If applied properly, Material Flow can help manufacturers streamline their inventory replenishment processes in less than nine months and realize significant savings and gains including:
- A decrease of on-hand inventory by five to 10 percent
- A reduction of labor costs by 15 to 20 percent
- An improvement in asset utilization by five to 10 percent
Material Flow is part of Zebra Technologies’ broader Location Solutions offering, which provides real-time locating systems (RTLS) sensor infrastructure, tags, software applications and services to locate, track, manage, and maximize the utilization of high-value assets, equipment, transactions and people. More information about Material Flow can be found on Zebra.com.
About Zebra Technologies
A global leader respected for innovation and reliability, Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA) offers technologies that give a virtual voice to an organization’s assets, people and transactions, enabling organizations to unlock greater business value. The company’s extensive portfolio of marking and printing technologies, including RFID and real-time location solutions, illuminates mission-critical information to help customers take smarter business actions. For more information about Zebra’s solutions, visit http://www.zebra.com.
