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Dematic Adds Smartphone, Tablet App For Realtime Warehouse Information

GRAND RAPIDS -- Dematic, a supplier of logistics systems for the factory, warehouse and distribution center, is rolling out a new technology to enable customers to manage their businesses remotely.

The company introduced the Dematic Mobile Monitor, a software application for monitoring and controlling warehouse and distribution operations from a smart phone or tablet. Built upon the company's existing software platform, the Mobile Monitor provides remote access to real time information to help users to keep facility operations running at optimal levels, even from off-site locations.

Notions Marketing, a Grand Rapids creative arts distributor shipping thousands of orders per day, has been using the Dematic Mobile Monitor for four months.

"Delivering real-time operational data to our mobile devices provides immediate insight into warehouse performance for quick decision-making, enabling us to improve processes for efficiency gains that impact the bottom line," said Notions Marketing CEO Herbert Lantinga. 

Using a simple Wi-Fi connection, Mobile Monitor brings mission control to smart phones and tablets with an intuitive interface that is simple to understand and easy to use. The application enables operations and maintenance personnel to view both material handling system and operational statuses to quickly evaluate and improve conditions that affect performance.

The application's interactive dashboards provide insight into key performance indicators, area progress and labor statistics to warehouse areas from receiving to shipping. Users can see current performance, statistics and resources of a particular area using the application's intuitive, standard gesture-based navigation. The Mobile Monitor's DC View visualization interface lets users quickly observe the facility layout from a bird's eye view. Interactive markers display ID, progress and views into real-time operations with a simple touch. Pinch gestures allow users to zoom in and out of areas for greater detail.

"Mobile Monitor has provided me with a mobile office to manage my staff remotely," said Dean Lantinga, warehouse manager of Notions Marketing. "The technology has saved me an average of one hour per day in travel time, leaving me with more time to work one-on-one with employees to improve efficiencies."

Robert Nilsson, vice president and general manager of software and supply chain intelligence at Dematic, said: "Our goal is to enhance our customer's ability to make informed decisions for operational improvement. By delivering solutions such as the Mobile Monitor, we are providing valuable warehouse information in a way that makes it easy for them to quickly access performance metrics and alerts, and make the necessary decisions required to maintain optimal operations."

For more information on Dematic Mobile Monitor, contact Cheryl Falk at cheryl.falk@dematic.com or (262) 860-6715, or visit Dematic at booth 1212 at the upcoming ProMat Show, Jan. 21-24 at McCormick Center, Chicago.

Dematic is a global engineering company that provides a comprehensive range of intelligent warehouse logistics and materials handling hardware and software. It has developed and implemented more than 5,000 integrated systems for a customer base that includes small, medium, and large companies doing business in a variety of market sectors. Dematic generates a global business volume of approximately $1.3 billion.

Notions Marketing is distribution center for the crafts industry. Founded in Grand Rapids 75 years ago, Notions Marketing began as a supplier to local 5&10 stores. Two generations later, Notions Marketing is the largest distribution center to the creative arts industry in the world. Notions Marketing has invested heavily in warehouse management systems in recent years and credits that investment with improved service levels during years of extreme growth. Notions Marketing offers 140,000 unique items in over one million square feet to 10,000 retailers worldwide.

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