Fridosa, Bolivia’s largest meat processor, has discovered a way to monitor and minimize climatic impact on its products.  Fridosa employees used to track inventory and quality control data by hand. Then they introduced a computer-based inventory management system.

“We tried to implement automated controls with conventional computer equipment. But this equipment did not resist the extreme environmental conditions at the facility, and it deteriorated very quickly,” says Oscar Aguilera, Fridosa’s systems manager.

Frustrated with conventional computer equipment and unwilling to return to manual inventory control, Aguilera and his team contacted Neologic to discuss rugged computer options. Fridosa needed a computer with barcode-scanning functionality, one that performs reliably in humidity and low temperatures and communicates wirelessly with other computer equipment.

Using the Nautiz X3, a rugged, pocket-sized field computer and imager from Handheld Group, inventory employees can easily maintain a detailed product database that bolsters quality control efforts, resulting in a better product for consumers and saving Fridosa valuable time while preserving profits.

The Nautiz X3 is small and easy to operate in one hand, and it is built specifically for rugged applications in the world’s toughest environments: It meets U.S. military standards for withstanding extreme temperatures, humidity, repeated drops and vibrations. Its IP65 rating means it’s also sealed against dust and water exposure — valuable qualities in an industrial environment. This data collector comes standard with a built-in barcode scanner, and its battery lasts all day on a single charge. A perfect fit.

Better quality control with rugged technology

When animal shipments from local ranchers arrive at Fridosa’s facility, they are loaded into refrigerated chambers, processed into four pieces and labeled. Inventory employees use the Nautiz X3’s barcode scanner to read tags affixed to each piece, recording identification information into a database. The pieces are then weighed and digital scales send weight data to Fridosa’s server. The Nautiz X3 reads this data from the server and stores it locally.

The weigh-in process is repeated before meat is dispatched. At any time, inventory employees can view animal identification information, the type of cut, the weight, and the date and time of each scan, directly on the Nautiz X3. The Nautiz X3 and Fridosa’s local database communicate back and forth to store all this information in the company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) software program.

Because employees can identify any excessive product shrinkage at multiple points during processing and storage, Fridosa is able to better control its cold storage environments to deliver the most optimal products. Cuts of meat maintain better coloring, appearance, texture and flavor in these conditions — and since meat is priced by weight, preserving the mass of each piece also preserves Fridosa’s bottom line.

“With the Nautiz X3, we have created a better inventory-control system, and we have experienced significant savings with better shrinkage control for our products,” Aguilera says. “Additionally, we have gained efficiency by shortening the time it takes to carry out the control process. We plan to purchase more units soon.” NP

For more information on the Nautiz X3, contact Amy Urban, a.urban@handheld-us.com or (541) 752-0313.