German express freight operator trans-o-flex is investing around €5 million in 4,350 new handheld scanners from Zebra Technologies to be deployed in sorting and delivery operations.
“The immense progress in IT makes the new devices faster, more stable, more fail-safe, smaller and easier to handle and maintain than their predecessors”, Wolfgang P. Albeck, CEO of trans-o-flex, said. “Since we are also switching to a new operating system, we are investing not only in hardware but also in reprogramming of the software.”
The new devices are being introduced gradually. They feature a large 5-inch touch screen and run on Android 6.0 operating system. trans-o-flex already started replacing 800 hall scanners in December 2017, with this first deployment to be completed by the end of this month.
At the same time, the company started with the more extensive programming of the delivery computers. Once completed, the delivery computers will be tested in a depot under real conditions. These mobile computers control all the logistic processes on the last mile.
“In the depot, for example, the devices show the drivers an overview of their shipments, announce the next stop on the tour and indicate special features of the shipment, such as cash on delivery or hazardous goods. And recipients also use them to sign the receipt of their parcels,” Albeck continued. The first drivers will receive the new touch computers in early 2019. A total of 3,000 handhelds will be purchased for the drivers at trans-o-flex and 550 at ThermoMed in Germany and Austria.
The scanners look like a smartphone but are much more robust. The TC56 scanner from Zebra Technologies which was selected after extensive tests functions even after being dropped into water or onto a concrete floor from a height of more than one meter. “However, the main reason for this system migration is that we no longer want to use Windows mobile as the operating system but Android”, Albeck explained. “The choice of devices is much wider and we can use state-of-the-art technology and optimise processes.”
Should problems occur, drivers can now, for example, get quick support via remote diagnosis directly on the device. New updates are also available via remote maintenance. With the previous generation of devices, extensive updates had to be installed in the office.
In 2017, the trans-o-flex Group generated sales worth €459 million. It employs approximately 2,060 staff.
