Mobile warehouses confuse white van drivers, INQ hacks

Though mesmerised by the headline, "Princes Choose iQlink and Sky Innerware For Simple, Fast, Flexible, Cost-Effective SAP RF Mobile Warehouse Solution," like a rabbit caught in the lights of a juggernaught, we will try to interpret this important despatch.

What's so great about Mobile Warehouses, is the question we're too embarrassed to ask, in case someone sniggers and whispers "dinosaur" under their breath. So we won't ask what the van drivers think of these systems. Surely it can't be much fun, after a hard day's cutting people up on the motorway, to return to base, only to find someone's moved the depot. Especially if your sandwiches were in the locker room.

In the time honoured tradition of hacks on trade mags, such as The Regus Star, we found a quote in the press release, and pasted it in, hoping this would pass for an explanation.

Rod Curtis, Stock First Line Manager at the warehouse said: "It has simplified the process, improved stock accuracy, and empowered the users so that they no longer have to return to the office to report errors."

It's a good thing they don't have to report to the office, as it wouldn't be there, in the new truly fluid, flexible mobile warehouse paradigm.

"Most importantly it is easy to use," he added.

No anlaysts would answer my phone calls on a Friday afternoon (if I'd made any) so here's a standard, typically bland, non-offensive analyst quote: "Mobile warehouses might have a very significant role to play in the next few years," said Ben Schmark, of the Hambleton Group. "Only time will tell."

Later, it emerged that Iqlink assisted Princes Ltd to implement a full barcode warehouse at their distribution warehouse in Trafford Park, Manchester. Iqlink delivered an efficient and up to date RF enabled warehouse with stock and distribution information linked to their SAP system through the use of bar code readers as part of Princes' SAP Warehouse Management implementation.

Got that? Me neither!

Anyone fancy a pint? I'm meeting that Martin Veitch in Twickenham in about an hour. Unless they've moved the boozer. µ

L'INQ
Press release
www.iqlink.co.uk