Product category:
Factory data acquisition
News Release from: Epic Data International
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 17 June 2003
Best application of technology award for
Epic Data
Epic Data is pleased to announce that it has won the Best Application of Technology award for 2003 from the British Columbia Technology Industries Association (BCTIA).
Epic Data is pleased to announce that it has won the Best Application of Technology award for 2003 from the British Columbia Technology Industries Association (BCTIA) The award recognises the innovative use of Epic Data's eXpresso wireless data platform to improve the province-wide dairy milk pickup and transportation system of the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board (BCMMB)
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 10 Aug 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Our solution for the BC Milk Marketing Board exploits our leading-edge eXpresso data capture platform in wide area wireless networks to provide enterprise-wide visibility of operations in real time," said Peter Murphy, company president and CEO.
"This award recognises Epic Data's ability to provide technology solutions that deliver measurable and significant operational improvements for our customers".
Epic Data's solution replaced a paper-based system for milk pickup and delivery with a real-time electronic system using wireless handheld devices connected over a cellular data network to a central accounting system.
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The electronic solution replaced a system of hundreds of paper forms, couriers and data-entry clerks inputting daily delivery information.
"In a $400 million annual system that pays out $17 million twice a month to 700 dairy farms throughout the province, speed and accuracy are critical".
"The traditional paperform pickup and delivery system caused delays and made the financial administration of payments to the farmers and transporters a labour-intensive and challenging exercise," said Robert Delage, comptroller of the BC Milk Marketing Board and manager of the Board's information systems.
"The eXpresso solution automatically manages all the incoming data and synchronises and updates 35 separate databases of information for the handheld units," noted Delage.
"It also provides us with a log of errors and allows us to monitor the entire system in real time, to see the data as it's coming in".
Delage estimates savings of up to $30,000 per year through the elimination of follow-up work to track errors.
The cost of the paper system, including direct costs and the expense of using couriers to deliver the slips to the central processing office from all over the province, was estimated at $80,000-$100,000 annually.
This total did not include the work by the driver completing the paper forms or central administration time in managing the system and following up on errors.
"More than the savings from the reduced paperwork, the accuracy is vital to us," adds Delage.
"With our tight timelines, it improves our ability to report and manage the accounting system properly, and that's worth a lot more".
BCTIA is the largest and most influential association representing B.C.'s technology industry.
It is dedicated to fostering growth and development in the province's technology industry.
Since its incorporation in 1993, the association has grown to over 450 member companies.
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