Lake Country, BC Canada - July 2, 2009
Waveteq has provided a complete wireless broadband network for the main factory and adjoining yard at FormaShape, 3D Architectural Design Solutions. They operate an 80,000 square foot, ISO 9001, factory in Kelowna BC, supplying clients around the world. Currently, FormaShape, together with its sister company Whitewater West Industries, is the world leader in the design and manufacture of waterslides for the Global amusement park market.
FormaShape products are typically large and can have a multitude of parts and colours in the one order. Ensuring that all these parts are shipped on the correct truck, on the right day and in the right order is critical. Monitoring and managing the orders from factory floor to crating and shipping to the customers’ premises has presented a significant challenge to the Management team at FormaShape. Parts have gone missing, colours needed to be confirmed and matched and, as a result, the lack of an auditable supply chain has proven to be expensive. A full slide system might have shipped but there was no way of definitely confirming that the complete order had shipped as opposed to parts having been misplaced at some very large construction sites. The cost to rectify this problem always fell back to the FormaShape organization.
The implementation of the Waveteq wireless network facilitated near to perfect inventory control. Bar code readers are extremely accurate. Part numbers are now recorded correctly and components are inventoried correctly and can be traced to a specific crate and truck. This has resulted in significant savings for FormaShape to both costs and reputation. The impact was immediate.
Peter Jeffrey, President at FormaShape, said, “The Waveteq system is working very well and it enables us to run our own high capacity wireless network within our plant. We are a Lean Enterprise and continually working to eliminate waste from our processes and lower the price of our products to our customers. Not only do we now have a close to perfect tracking system that reduces timely follow up on customer order issues in the field, but we have reduced our inventory count times from 24 hours per month to two. In addition, we are now able to deal with any discrepancies immediately and resolve these within two days or less from the previous average of 14 days”.
Five Waveteq ShadowMaster radios and one Waveteq ShadowAP radio were installed and commissioned by FormaShape staff with help from the Waveteq team in less than two days. The system was then set to work almost immediately, providing a direct internet feed into the company office computer from the factory floor and the yard outside, from portable hand held bar-code readers, laptops and from any machinery fitted with wireless capability.
This interconnectivity has provided FormaShape instant and secure, inventory tracking along with the availability of both global internet and the company’s internal intranet information literally anywhere on their premises. The Staff and Management conveniently take connectivity with them when they move within the premises and the extensive outdoor storage yard.
About FormaShape:
FormaShape is one of North America's largest manufacturers of composite fibreglass and is the market leader in the application of fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) for architectural products and is a recognized leader in the application of closed moulded resin transfer technology. Founded in 1981, the company operates out of an ISO 9001 certified 80,000 square foot purpose built facility in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, using Lean manufacturing principles. In 2007, FormaShape was named winner of the Okanagan Science & Technology Council (OSTEC) Innovative Organization of the Year award, and in October 2008 won both the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Award for Big Business of the year, as well as the Canadian Innovation Award for Productivity Enhancement at the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters annual Innovation Awards.
About Waveteq Communications:
Waveteq Communications Inc, a privately held British Columbia Canada Corporation, builds and designs robust, multifunctional WiFi radios for rural and underserved markets worldwide. Our users include ISP’s, major system integrators, public safety, municipal and industrial operations in Africa, South America, the United States and Canada.
Media Contact:
Ken Mason
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Waveteq Communications Inc.
North America 888-927-3837 ext. 205
International +1-250-766-9229 ext. 205
Ken.mason@waveteq.com |
