IDC WIN ORDER TO SUPPLY NEXT GENERATION WAREHOUSE CONTROL SYSTEM (WCS) TO LEADING INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR AND RETAILER

A major international retailer with over 65 out of town outlets in the UK and a National Distribution Centre based in the midlands has selected IDC to provide a Warehouse Control System (WCS). Designed to meet the demand for growth over the next 5 years, the WCS will integrate existing and new conveyor and sortation equipment and provide the company with all the benefits of the latest Oracle and Microsoft .NET Foundation Software.

Due for delivery in July the WCS will provide a platform for the integration of the existing conveyors and slide shoe sorters, with additional conveyors and a new tilt tray sorter. IDC's scope of supply will include a new WCS server with an Oracle relational database designed to handle data storage and exchange between each subsystem and the Warehouse Management System (WMS). A second server will be provided to handle communications to a Siemens S7 PLC controlling the new tilt tray sorter and provide a local Operator Interface. Client workstations will be developed with user-friendly intuitive displays and diagnostics providing real-time visibility across all warehouse conveyor and sortation operations.

Key functions will include:

• Management, execution and consolidation of wave and transaction files from the WMS.
  
• Dynamic, fixed or prioritised allocation of chute to store relationship.
  
• Real-time tracking of product using barcode technology.
  
• Development of algorithms to optimise material flow and facilitate pre sortation of product between mechanical automation systems.
  
• Real-time material handling automation interface to provide operators and supervisors with controlled access to all operational zones.
  
• Management reports and operational data.
• Equipment status and maintenance diagnostics.

An Oracle 10i Enterprise Edition relational database server will handle the transactions between the WMS and the new tilt tray sorter. Oracle Database Enterprise Edition offers industry-leading scalability and reliability in both clustered and single-system configurations. It provides comprehensive features for business intelligence services and open access to Web services through SQL, XML and standard Web interfaces.

The client workstations will be developed using Microsoft's .NET Framework, which enables a client or a browser-based user interface to be deployed over a variety of network bandwidths, providing accessibility to the application anytime, anywhere, and on any device. The .NET Framework also integrates Web services allowing programs written in different programming languages and on different platforms to communicate and share data through standard Internet protocols such as XML and SOAP. This enables companies to more broadly integrate with their IT networks by connecting diverse operating systems, devices, businesses and individual users, allowing companies to create transparency throughout the operation in real-time.

For further information contact: Peter Hadley, IDC Ltd, Keynes House, Chester Park, Alfreton Road, Derby, DE21 4AS. Tel: 01332 604030 Fax: 01322 604031 E-mail: sales@idc.gb.com Website: www.idc.gb.com