Computerized Auction Warehouse Realizes Six-Digit Savings,
Reduces Theft, Streamlines Logistics Using
Networked Palm® Device, Barcode Scanner, And Inventory Control Software
GREAT NECK, N.Y. - Advanced Barcode Technology, Inc. (ABT) today announced that AMA Auction Service, Inc. has deployed ABT's networked IC-2000 to manage the movement of inventory between its New Jersey warehouse and auctions across the United States. ABT's automatic identification solution, which consists of a Palm® device equipped with a barcode scanner and ABT's Inventory Control software, has enabled AMA Auction to migrate from paper-based tracking to an automated, computer-based system that identifies individual objects of art and monitors their progress from the time they are stocked in the warehouse until they are delivered to a buyer.
AMA Auction has realized six-digit savings as the result of the implementation, with a significant reduction in theft and inadvertent loss, greater control of inventory levels, and the ability to identify specific items for auction based on international price fluctuations.
The customized Palm devices identify each item by scanning its 15-digit barcode and then cross-referencing the code against a database residing in the device. Information is updated on the Palm devices by AMA Auction staff and then uploaded to the host using radio frequency technology. The bundled ABT solution also includes queries and reports that enable AMA Auction to retrieve information as easily as it can record it.
"Advanced Barcode Technology has delivered an unparalleled solution to the challenge of managing our art on the move," remarked Asher Milchman, President of AMA Auction Service. "By customizing the IC-2000 to meet our needs, ABT has enabled us to achieve optimal control of our inventory with minimal impact on our daily operation."
Within the AMA Auction warehouse, staffers use the device to scan new merchandise and track its placement in specific warehouse locations. Each item's barcode is associated with a unique record in the database, which stores merchandise-related information, such as description, cost, and vendor. The IC-2000 Inventory Control solution thus enables AMA Auction to quickly locate merchandise, determine when inventory levels dip below acceptable levels, and calculate reasonable profit margins based on each item's age and cost.
Each week, AMA Auction dispatches up to 30 trucks containing signed art, antiques, jewelry, and art reproductions to locations throughout the country. Using the Palm devices, supervisors in the AMA Auction warehouse scan each item as it is moved off the shelf, logging its transfer to a truck en route to auction. On site at the auction, AMA Auction personnel then use the devices to track the movement of items off the truck and eventually into the hands of buyers, resulting in a marked decrease in loss resulting from theft or negligence.
The implementation, which began in November, 2000, will soon be extended to enable AMA Auction personnel to record buyer information at the time of purchase. A Global Positioning System (GPS) connected to each truck driver's mobile phone will also be deployed, permitting AMA Auction to determine the current location of its trucks - and its merchandise - at any time.
Advanced Barcode Technology (ABT) offers innovative, cost-effective automatic identification solutions for business and industry. ABT is dedicated to delivering comprehensive systems that enhance productivity and the flow of information in today's complex business environment. Its drive for technological excellence coupled with unsurpassed attention to meeting customer needs clearly position ABT as the emerging leader in the automatic identification marketplace.
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