Maxatec PDA keeps beer on tap for SPAsoft customers

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Brewing industry solutions company SPAsoft has selected the Arbor Gladius 5 rugged handheld from Maxatec for mobilising its Brewery Management System (BMS). The tough IP-65 certified 5.5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass screen equipped Android "phablet" will run a specially developed app providing integrated barcode scanning and fingertip signature capture for instant, electronic proof of delivery. SPAsoft has also chosen vehicle and desktop docking stations to complement the revolutionary handheld.

Nigel Hoppitt, CEO of SPAsoft, says, "The Arbor unit gives us a robust and usable PDA that is highly suited to the brewing industry. The device incorporates an integrated 1D barcode scanner, superb colour LCD screen offering both clarity and touch capability, quad-core processing power we need for our software and BMS functionality, heavy duty casing, wireless charging and GPS. This all comes at a very competitive price enabling our customers to buy it outright if they wish. Feedback shows that they like the device and they recognise that it will improve their efficiencies and profitability."

SPAsoft has integrated the device with its BMS-PDA Android app as part of the company's innovative delivery and collection module using WiFi connectivity. The system improves delivery and collection efficiency using the barcode scanner and GPS features, with useful data shown on the clear display. The mobile solution is currently being used by draymen delivering and collecting casks and kegs to and from pubs across the UK. Draymen typically collect up to 100 casks a day, and the system enables efficiency improvements and easy expansion without adding cost.

"From a purely work efficiency point of view, the mobile solution improves vehicle routing while reducing transport cost, it eliminates the manual process of scanning delivery notes and invoices to send back to the customer. Scanning empty casks onto the dray improves the rate of collection and removes the need to scan them back at the brewery. We have also improved delivery accuracy, because the brewery delivers the correct goods to each customer.

"Brewery customers are also experiencing greater satisfaction with services because they benefit from the efficiency improvements too, they get instant electronic proof of delivery and have an alternative means of payment made easy using the payment app. They also benefit from seeing their empty casks being collected more regularly," adds Nigel Hoppitt.