The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) awarded its first-ever supplier innovation award to Innovative Data Systems of Sayville, N.Y.
Alan Miceli, president and founder of the company, accepted the award from Stephen Grimes of Pallet Resources of North Carolina at the NWPCA Annual Leadership Conference recently. Stephen was chair of the committee that considered the nominees and is a happy Innovative Data Systems’ customer.
Alan developed his first pallet tracking system in 1996 when he was working as a sales manager for Pallets R Us. He designed the system to work with an Industrial Resources pallet repair line. It was difficult to track production of piece workers because all pallets moved on one conveyor, Alan explained. His system was the first on the market that helped pallet companies track production and inventory.
Alan later went into business for himself, providing software solutions to pallet and lumber companies. The Pallet Track ® automated software was his first big success. Through the years, Innovative Data Systems has developed a complete line of products, including:
• Mill Manager™ ERP Systems
• Automated Repair Line Systems
• Wireless Pallet Mill Systems
• Wireless Saw Mill Systems
• Click-Draw ™ Systems
• Palm™ and Pocket PC™ Based Systems
• Hand Punch Clock Systems
• Integrated Systems
• Touch Kiosk Systems
• Forklift-Mounted Data Collection Terminals
Having owned a pallet business himself before he sold out to Pallets R Us, Alan understands the needs of the industry. Also, he wrote all the programming code for the pallet and sawmill software systems.
Alan said, “Nobody knows my customer’s customer better than me because I used to sell to pallet and lumber users. I know what they are looking for as far as counts and accountability. We tried to bring integrity and honesty right from day one.”
Innovative Data Systems computer solutions are networked together so that managers can access information in real time; managers can know what is going on at any time on the plant floor and assist in quickly answering customer questions. The system can produce labels that help identify problems and the employees responsible for them. This adds accountability to any operation.
Innovative Data Systems programs are intuitive and easy to use, according to Alan, and computer kiosks have both Spanish and English labels. The company also offers hand-held scanners in lieu of kiosks.
A forklift mounted computer is the newest product that Innovative Data Systems offers for its pallet and lumber systems.
Alan said that all the suppliers nominated for the award had made a valuable contribution to the industry. He felt that his company won because it has pioneered software that helps pallet companies become more profitable and improve customer service.
Some companies use basic spreadsheet and accounting programs to track information, but they may not be the best fit for progressive companies.
In the pallet industry, a GMA pallet may have 15 different names; each customer may call it something different. Traditional accounting systems require each name to be designated a unique item, which is confusing and laborious in keeping track of inventory. Alan’s system overcomes those challenges.
Another reason to use a system tailored to the pallet and lumber industries is that pallet companies may use a wide variety of species and sizes to make pallets. Depending on what lumber a company has in stock, its cost and lumber market fluctuations, it may not want to use standard material to fill an order. Alan’s system of scanning raw material coming in and finished products going out automatically adjusts inventory accurately.
Alan explained, “A ‘bill of material’ is simply used to schedule a cut list. It is not used to deduct your inventory. Once we follow it straight through and create a shipper, you can integrate the invoice into about any accounting system.”
Innovative Data System integrates with most common accounting programs, such as QuickBooks, MAS 90, Peach Tree and others.
Alan said, “What I tell my customers is, ‘Let your accounting system do what it does best, which is your receivables and invoicing. Because it does not do inventory very well in the pallet industry, let Pallet Track ® take care of that.’ ”
Innovative Data Systems offers customized solutions, too. Alan tries to mimic a customer’s current system as much as possible.
Looking to the future, Alan said, “The Internet has become the driving force of technology. In the future, where we are going to is a global type of tracking system.”
He added, “On the enterprise level, you could have a forklift with a forklift-mounted computer and Internet connection at one of your customer’s DCs in California, where you are doing on-site sortation. As you are doing sorting and imputing data into the computer on the forklift, that information is transferred into your company’s central computer in New York. Management will be able to watch in real time what is going on at every one of their DCs and facilities.”
Congratulations to Alan for his innovative work and accomplishment! For more information, call 631/244-0069 or visit www.pallettrack.com.
