Brookfield-based Guardian Business Solutions has been providing software solutions for manufacturing and distribution industries for 15 years. To account for the rapid shift toward mobile solutions and technology, the company recently launched a new line of iPhone and Android products for its customers called Mobilize-IT.
“We realized about a year ago that smartphones and tablets were where our clients were going to be,” said Bob Lazlo, director of sales and marketing for Guardian Business Solutions.
The company has released two mobile applications in the Mobilize-IT suite and plans to release more as they continue to gather feedback from clients, Lazlo said.
“We just recently released the Cycle Count and the Quality Inspection Capture applications for the android and iPhone smartphone and tablets,” he said. “The applications can help employees on the manufacturing floor be more efficient.”
The Quality Inspection Capture is an application that assists with capturing quality and inspection data. The Cycle Count application helps companies with inventory count. Traditionally, companies would either be using handheld scanners, bulky laptops or paper to perform the same tasks, Lazlo said.
“We’ve been testing the apps in Beta for a few months now,” he said. “Our customers love them and they keep telling us they want more.”
According to Lazlo, the mobile applications are unique because of the middleware server the company has developed to support the applications.
“The middleware really is one of the keys,” Lazlo said. “The middleware server can run on any company’s operating system. It has a built-in mapping system companies can use to integrate the applications with their already existing software.”
Guardian Business Solutions has customers all over the country, but the primary focus for the company is the Midwest, Lazlo said. Companies of all sizes can also take advantage of the efficiencies created by using the new mobile applications.
“The Mobilize-IT suite can be priced for a smaller company,” Lazlo said.
Simple versions will be available on both the iPhone and Android marketplace, but the full versions of the application will be sold together with the middlewear server, he said.
“Companies can purchase the middlewear server along with a single application and then pay a nominal fee for each additional application they need,” he said.
The company has more applications they plan to release and can even create custom applications for companies if they need them.
Guardian Business Solutions currently has two manufacturing firms, including Gardner Manufacturing in Horicon that have been testing the applications, he said.
“The applications have only been available in recent months,” he said. “And we’re gathering feedback about what other kinds of applications they need.
Phone and tablet manufacturers are just starting to release more ruggedized models of their popular devices, which are perfect for the manufacturing floor, Lazlo said.
“Manufacturing companies need rugged, drop-proof devices with long battery lives,” he said. “There are a few devices on the market, but more and more companies are starting to develop their own ruggedized line of products.”
The manufacturers that Guardian works with were open to making some initial investments if it meant cost savings and efficiencies in the long run, Lazlo said.
“The applications make businesses and process function in real time,” he said. “Because of the built-in check list accuracy is also improved, which could mean cost savings as well. We’re already developing additional applications that will be able to help manufacturers and distributors improve efficiencies. We’re going to continue to listen to our clients to find and develop applications they really need to improve their bottom lines.”
Guardian Business Solutions
Brookfield
Innovation: Mobilize-IT, a smartphone application for manufacturers
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