Honeywell Case Studies A Bountiful Harvest: When LoBue Citrus Switched to a Food Traceability Solution from Intermec by Honeywell, Packing Accuracy Jumped to 99 Percent

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	A Bountiful Harvest: When LoBue Citrus Switched to a Food Traceability Solution from Intermec by Honeywell, Packing Accuracy Jumped to 99 Percent Honeywell

A Bountiful Harvest: When LoBue Citrus Switched to a Food Traceability Solution from Intermec by Honeywell, Packing Accuracy Jumped to 99 Percent

Honeywell

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems Networks & Connectivity - RFID
Applicable Industries	Agriculture Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions	Quality Assurance Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases	Inventory Management Predictive Maintenance Track & Trace of Assets
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	LoBue Citrus, a significant player in the California citrus industry, faced challenges with their manual produce traceability program. The manual process was resource-intensive and prone to errors, which could impact their ability to meet the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) requirements. The need for a more efficient and accurate system became evident, especially given the scale of their operations, which involved exporting a significant portion of their produce to Asia. The company sought a solution that would automate their traceability process, improve inventory accuracy, and reduce the time required for trace-back operations. Read More
About Customer	LoBue Citrus is a family-run grower and distributor of oranges, contributing approximately four to five percent of the California citrus industry. The company handles between four and five million boxes of oranges annually, with 40 percent of their product exported to Asia. Based in Lindsay, California, LoBue Citrus has been a key player in the citrus market, focusing on quality and efficiency in their operations. The company recognized the need to modernize their produce traceability program to maintain their competitive edge and ensure compliance with industry standards. Read More
Solution	LoBue Citrus partnered with FoodLogiQ to implement an automated traceability system using Intermec by Honeywell Smart Printing solutions. The system included Intermec by Honeywell PM4i industrial smart printers, which did not require an additional computer to print labels, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly solution. Workers used Intermec by Honeywell SR30 handheld scanners to scan barcodes generated by FoodLogiQ, which then instructed the PM4i printers on what labels to print. The system also included Intermec by Honeywell PB50 mobile printers for generating pallet tags. This setup allowed workers to move the printers to the boxes that required tags, streamlining the labeling process. The automated system provided real-time inventory control, enabling LoBue Citrus to make informed decisions in sales and production. The integration of FoodLogiQ's PTI solution with Intermec by Honeywell technology ensured that all aspects of traceability, food safety, and documentation were covered, allowing LoBue Citrus to focus on their core business. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Networks & Connectivity - RFID

Applicable Industries

Agriculture

Food & Beverage

Applicable Functions

Quality Assurance

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Predictive Maintenance

Track & Trace of Assets

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

LoBue Citrus, a significant player in the California citrus industry, faced challenges with their manual produce traceability program. The manual process was resource-intensive and prone to errors, which could impact their ability to meet the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) requirements. The need for a more efficient and accurate system became evident, especially given the scale of their operations, which involved exporting a significant portion of their produce to Asia. The company sought a solution that would automate their traceability process, improve inventory accuracy, and reduce the time required for trace-back operations.

About Customer

LoBue Citrus is a family-run grower and distributor of oranges, contributing approximately four to five percent of the California citrus industry. The company handles between four and five million boxes of oranges annually, with 40 percent of their product exported to Asia. Based in Lindsay, California, LoBue Citrus has been a key player in the citrus market, focusing on quality and efficiency in their operations. The company recognized the need to modernize their produce traceability program to maintain their competitive edge and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Solution

LoBue Citrus partnered with FoodLogiQ to implement an automated traceability system using Intermec by Honeywell Smart Printing solutions. The system included Intermec by Honeywell PM4i industrial smart printers, which did not require an additional computer to print labels, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly solution. Workers used Intermec by Honeywell SR30 handheld scanners to scan barcodes generated by FoodLogiQ, which then instructed the PM4i printers on what labels to print. The system also included Intermec by Honeywell PB50 mobile printers for generating pallet tags. This setup allowed workers to move the printers to the boxes that required tags, streamlining the labeling process. The automated system provided real-time inventory control, enabling LoBue Citrus to make informed decisions in sales and production. The integration of FoodLogiQ's PTI solution with Intermec by Honeywell technology ensured that all aspects of traceability, food safety, and documentation were covered, allowing LoBue Citrus to focus on their core business.

Impact #1	The new automated system significantly reduced the time required for trace-back operations from two hours to just a few minutes.
Impact #2	Inventory accuracy improved dramatically, with accuracy rates increasing from the high-80 to low-90 percent range to between 98 and 99 percent.
Impact #3	The automation of the traceability process eliminated the need for physical inventories, saving eight to 16 labor hours each day.

Impact #1

The new automated system significantly reduced the time required for trace-back operations from two hours to just a few minutes.

Impact #2

Inventory accuracy improved dramatically, with accuracy rates increasing from the high-80 to low-90 percent range to between 98 and 99 percent.

Impact #3

The automation of the traceability process eliminated the need for physical inventories, saving eight to 16 labor hours each day.

Benefit #1	Packing accuracy increased to 99 percent.
Benefit #2	Labor cost savings of approximately $96 to $240 per day due to the elimination of physical inventories.
Benefit #3	The system is expected to pay for itself within two years.

Benefit #1

Packing accuracy increased to 99 percent.

Benefit #2

Labor cost savings of approximately $96 to $240 per day due to the elimination of physical inventories.

Benefit #3

The system is expected to pay for itself within two years.

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Overview

A Bountiful Harvest: When LoBue Citrus Switched to a Food Traceability Solution from Intermec by Honeywell, Packing Accuracy Jumped to 99 Percent

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit