The Food Industry Technology Alliance (FITA) has today announced its formation, bringing together the perfect combination of logistics consultancy, hardware and software to provide flexible, end-to-end, total systems solutions.
The Alliance, formed by TouchStar Technologies, Proteus Software and LPC International, will offer food and drink manufacturers, processors, distributors, wholesalers and retailers a one-stop-shop for a total logistics system solution.
FITA combines state-of-the art supply chain software, including warehouse management systems (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) tailored to the food sector, vehicle routing and scheduling, proof of delivery, in-cab technology and wireless data capture systems. FITA is not a ‘closed shop’; members work with incumbent systems and other solution partners. A key Alliance member is leading logistics consultancy LPC International. This partner can assist in the initial stages of scoping a project and identifying likely costs and deliverable benefits.
All software is offered in either ‘packaged’ or Software as a Service (SaaS) form. Opting for the latter will give customers cloud-based full functionality without the need for a server located in the office and the obligatory support team. Quick to implement and requiring only a low capital expenditure, cloud-based systems can be easily scaled to meet the fluctuating business needs of today’s supply chains.
All data capture hardware has been thoroughly tested from both a laboratory and field perspective to ensure certified integration with the software offerings of FITA members. Real-time data capture technology can be added at multiple operational points within a supply chain.
Commenting on the formation of FITA, Mike Turner, group marketing manager for alliance founder member TouchStar Technologies, said: “This is an exciting development for food and drink operations seeking logistics optimisation technology. Through FITA, each member company can act as prime contractor to offer its customers an end-to-end logistics IT solution. This means new and existing customers will enjoy easy access to other technologies required for their operations, thus saving much time and effort. TouchStar is proud to be partnering with companies that share a high service level ethos, which will ensure that we can deliver customer oriented solutions.”
Chris Warren, sales leader for alliance founder member Proteus Software echoed this viewpoint: “Our prospective clients will benefit from a total systems solution that offers value for money with less overall implementation time as all of the solution’s elements will interface with ease. Clients gain further advantage from having a single point of contact, empowering them because of the members’ collective knowledge and years of experience in providing systems for the food industry sector.”
The founding membership of FITA comprises some of the biggest names in supply chain solutions provision and reflects their commitment to the provision of integrated solutions.
