Ford Global -- WhereNet Collaborate to Revolutionize Plant Call System
23 March 2000
Ford Global Technologies, Inc. -- WhereNet Collaborate to Revolutionize Plant Call System
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--March 23, 2000--Ford Global Technologies, Inc (FGTI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, and WhereNet Corporation, the leader in Real Time Locating Systems, announced today that they have signed an agreement to commercialize a jointly developed enhancement to WhereNet's world-class wireless parts replenishment system.This modification, a timer, will revolutionize the WhereNet parts replenishment system traditionally known as a "Kanban," or material call system.
"One of the goals of Ford Global Technologies, Inc. is to manage the Ford intellectual property portfolio. Our emphasis is extracting value from technology through collaborative development and commercialization arrangements with suppliers and technology vendors," said Roger May, president and CEO of Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
"Developing and commercializing this breakthrough technology with WhereNet is a good example of how FGTI's systemic, creative approach to working with suppliers and technology vendors can produce benefits for everyone."
"The implementation of our real-time locating system applications has been extremely successful within Ford Motor Company's automotive plants," stated Dan Doles, WhereNet president and COO. "The enhanced call system we have developed with Ford revolutionizes the material replenishment call process and provides infrastructure and labor savings."
WhereNet's material call system is a real-time locating system based on a wireless tag and a network of readers. These readers locate and track tags which have been attached to supplies, and provide a database of information which supports supply chain visibility applications.
This system allows production workers to submit a parts request for delivery to their line-side workstation by simply triggering a button on the WhereNet call tag. The timer enhancement, invented by Ford employee, Mark Wrubel, provides the ability to manage the call process more effectively by knowing exactly which part was called, when it was called and the duration of the delivery process.
The enhanced wireless parts replenishment system is flexible, and replaces Ford's current hardwire system, providing time and cost savings through reduced maintenance and increased efficiency.
Ford began implementing this system in its manufacturing plants in January 2000. WhereNet's call system is currently installed at Ford's Norfolk Assembly Plant, in Norfolk, Va., the Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., and Ford's Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Center in Detroit.
WhereNet is the first company to design, build and market RF-based Real-Time Locating Systems for locating, tracking and managing supply-chain resources, critical to success in today's competitive global business environment. The WhereNet Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) offers a total solution for real-time supply chain execution. It seamlessly connects a company's resources to its information systems, in real-time.
WhereNet's location and tracking solutions combine fundamental, patented advances in spread-spectrum wireless technology that, allow objects to be located within 10 feet indoors or outdoors. The result is constant; on-demand information about what is in the supply chain, where it is, and knowledge of its status. Driven by wireless tags, fixed position readers and browser-enabled software, WhereNet location solutions offer lower operating costs, improved return-on-assets and higher levels of customer service. WhereNet is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., with sales offices throughout the United States. Information is available on the WhereNet web site at www.wherenet.com.
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