USA: VF To Roll Out Wireless Solutions At Major Plants

VF Corp, the world's largest apparel manufacturer, said last week that it is to implement wireless and mobile manufacturing and warehousing solutions at its six major apparel business units, at nearly 200 locations in six countries. VF selected Symbol's wireless infrastructure to optimise its manufacturing operations by maximising its data accuracy and operational productivity from incoming raw materials through finished goods, TextileWeb reported. The initial rollout phase targets inventory management at their raw materials and cutting facilities. Receiving, storing, transfer postings, and finished goods applications will all be automated. In addition, Symbol will support VF's transition from a legacy computer system to the enterprise-wide SAP environment. VF Corp plans on incorporating Symbol's Spectrum24 wireless local area network and bar code scanning infrastructure as part of its initiative to place all its divisions on a common systems platform. Wireless mobile computing appliances, wearable computing systems with ring scanners, vehicle-mounted computers and industrial bar code printers will all operate on Symbol's Spectrum 24 network. "We selected Symbol because of its technological superiority. Open systems platforms and global service and support were some of the key selection criteria for VF," said Joe Plaster, VP ebusiness technology, VF Corp. The new system will optimise VF's ERP system by scanning data to be transferred over a reliable RF backbone.