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by StayRAW

What Is A Billabong?

The word “billabong” sounds very silly – it sounds like some nonsense word that a child might make up. However, it’s a real word, and it has several meanings. The word “billabong” originally comes from Australian English. It is a word that refers to a small oxbow lake, a type of lake that is located next to a river. A billabong was originally part of the river but, due to the river changing course, was cut off. This leaves the branch without a connection to the moving water, turning it into a lake. Billabongs have appeared in a number of different pieces of Australian literature and other works. One of the most famous uses of the word is in the folk song “Waltzing Matilda.”

However, many people have heard the word Billabong as a brand name. Billabong is a public company that appears on the Australian Securities Exchange. They are primarily a clothing brand, although they have purchased a number of other companies that make other products. The company was been public since August of 2000, although it was founded back in 1973. The company was originally headed by Rena and Gordon Merchant, the founders, who started Billabong in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Today, Billabong is headquartered in Burleigh Heads, Queensland.

Billabong owns a number of companies. They include the following, all of which operate under their own brand name:

Nixon Watches, which was acquired in January of 2006. They sell high quality watches, clothing, and other products. Von Zipper, a company that specializes in goggles and sunglasses. These products are mainly for the surfing industry. Von Zipper was added to Billabong’s holdings in 2001. Kustom footwear was added in 2004.

Likewise, Palmers Surf was acquired in 2004. They create many different products related to the surfing industry, including hardware and surfboard wax. In July of 2002, Billabong purchased Element. Element is one of the top companies in the skateboarding apparel market.

In June of 2008, Billabong added the retail chain Quiet Flight Surf Shop to their list of holdings. That same month, they also purchased DaKine, a company that produces luggage, backpacks, and accessories for extreme sports. They also added the skateboard manufacturer Sector 9 to their holdings in June of 2008.

In September of 2007, Billabong purchased Xcel. Xcel is one of the top U.S. manufacturers of wetsuits and water sport accessories. They actually produce some diving equipment for military use in addition to their recreational products.

In 2008, Billabong merged with Surf Warehouse and DUBii Apparel, adding to their holdings and making them an even larger conglomerate. With all of the many different products they and their child companies produce, it’s no wonder that Billabong is hardly ever used to refer to a small lake outside of Australia. Even there, the word is becoming more and more synonymous with the company and not with the body of water.

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by familymwr

Dynamics GP Warehouse Management System Implementation

We assume that at this point you are committed to Microsoft Dynamics GP Corporate ERP platform and this application is already in production.  Now you are ready to the second phase, where you plan to organize your Supply Chain Management, Picking and Packing, Shipping and Receiving, Inventory Restocking, Cycle Counts on the warehouse floor and possibly custom barcoding based business procedures around Great Plains Dynamics GP.  In this small publication we will review the options to consider in Warehouse Management System for Dynamics GP selection, implementation steps, optimal strategy for version upgrade, data integration, WMS and SCM reporting.  In Supply Chain Management theory WMS (the abbreviation for Warehouse Management System) is considered as central part (or at least as one of the “key parts” in SCM definitions, more geared toward production and just in time parts delivery).  This is why we do recommend you to make your philosophy and detail oriented homework in selecting the right WMS for your organization.  This paper is created primarily for IT managers, and if you are company owner or CEO, we recommend you to share this publication with your IT personnel, especially when you need clarification on some technology oriented definitions:

1. WMS review on the level of abstraction.  If you call to specific Warehouse Management Vendor, these people will begin to realize the strategy to sell your own WMS solution, and prior to that point, you need to understand the philosophy (it should arm you with the ability to compare and judge).  If you would imagine yourself in the shoes of WMS vendor – probably the most efficient WMS software winning market strategy would be the creation of the completely self-sufficient external standalone Warehouse management System with integration modules or connectors to major ERP applications (Axapta, Great Plains, Navision, Solomon, Oracle Financials, Accpac, SAP R/3 or Business One, etc.).  This strategy should enable the way of selling your WMS solution to the variety of customers and it doesn’t restrict you to the subset of ERP customers with just one Corporate ERP application.  Now, let’s try to speculate on putting yourself into WMS end customer shoes.  Here your concerns are likely to be about cost/reliability optimization. External WMS approach is definitely great option, however this direction suggests you to pay for complete or partial Distribution business logic in software licenses to the WMS vendor, and to your displeasure you already paid for similar logic in Dynamics GP Distribution modules licensing.  If you would like the idea to pay only once and capitalize on Dynamics GP Distribution modules, you should understand the concept of WMS extensions for Great Plains Dynamics, working out of GP databases and sharing the same tables, documents and master records

2. Warehouse Management System specification preparation phase.  Here you need to be satisfied with the proposed solution, prepared by your Dynamics GP Partner or Consultant.  Business Processes mapping for the WMS is typically centered around such procedures as Sales Order Fulfillment (in Dynamics GP SOP Sales Transaction Form), Inventory Replenishment (in GP POP Purchase Receipt screen), Inventory Transfer, Adjustment and Physical Count (in Dynamics GP you have exactly the same forms by their names)

3. Dynamics GP version concerns.  WMS implementation project is often comparable or even surpassing in its budget the original Great Plains software license cost and consulting hours.  Considering that fact, we do recommend you to be on the current or at least supported (directly by Microsoft Business Solutions technical support, as we are writing these lines in September 2010, the versions supported by MBS are Dynamics GP 2010/11.0, 10.0, 9.0) version.  We are happy to support your old Great Plains version, but we do not recommend you to consider legacy GP version as the base for Warehouse Management System implementation and integration with GP.  If you are on Great Plains 8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 (including Great Plains Select on Pervasive SQL 2000/Btrieve or Ctree), or Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows and Macintosh 9.5, 9.2, 9.1 and earlier – we recommend you to consider version update all the way through Dynamics GP 10.0 or 2010

4. Placing order online and Dynamics GP WMS.  Here you are diving into B2B eCommerce strategy for Microsoft Dynamics GP, where placed orders are transferred to the warehouse for automatic picking and packing.  Ecommerce module for Great Plains is another “black horse”, where you do not want to make immediate decision and rather take your time for additional homework

5. Placing orders via EDI (Electronic Document Interchange) protocol.  This method is very similar to direct B2B or B2C ecommerce originated documents.  You might expect some hard selling techniques from Dynamics GP EDI ISV partners, suggesting purchase often overpriced EDI solution for Great Plains.  If your EDI channel is based on one or two simple protocols, we recommend you to program EDI integration in-house

6. Barcode scanners to consider.  Here you are in the hands of your WMS and Barcoding budget.  Barcode scanner should be compliant to Windows Mobile OS or at least to Text mode.  To be reasonably in price/reliability median, we recommend you to consider Symbol PDT 3000 Portable Data Terminal Series, or scanner with compatible features and processing power.  From the scanner info sheet: “Symbol Technologies’ PDT 3000 Portable Data Terminals answer the need for hand-held data terminals that are high on features and performance, but low in price. Designed for efficient, economical data collection, the PDT 3000 Series packs the power of a 16-bit, DOS-based PC into a small, lightweight data terminal that goes anywhere to get the job done. Feature for feature, dollar for dollar, no other terminal surpasses the PDT 3000 Series for overall value. Its durable ergonomic design, standard DOS operating system, and flexible options put the PDT 3000 in a class by itself…”  This scanner cost is around 0.  Well of course there is drawback and for this scanner it is text only user interface, whoever we do believe that Warehouse Management Worker barcode scanning training cost and learning curve period would be comparable to the option to do that with the scanner with graphical user interface (and Windows CE operating system).  The savings could be significant if you plan to deploy WMS for hundreds of warehouses

7. To request further support, please call us 1-866-528-0577, help@albaspectrum.com.  By the nature of our service we are available for WMS implementation USA, Canada nationwide.  Local service is available in Western Michigan: St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Holland, New Buffalo; in Chicagoland, North Western Indiana, Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, Orange County), Houston and Dallas areas of Texas

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by clydeorama

Guidelines on selecting an appropriate warehouse coating

Which or what type of Coating to be used on the floor of your warehouse will be a very imperative decision to take. For a long life you have to choose a proper seal.

Appropriate seal of floors is able to lend a hand for the life of floors; this also makes the process of cleaning easier and keeps the dust and grime to a smallest amount. The selection of floor coating and planned utilize of the region is significant. The claim of the coating you select for your warehouse floor is vital. You don’t wish to put down a huge expenditure for outside layer only to have it go awful in a short period of time for the reason that inappropriate application method.

Selection of Coating Material

The vital judgment you will formulate is what kind of warehouse floor coating to make use of. There are a lot of options you can put together. Some of the types of warehouse flooring are epoxy based finishes, water based urethane and acrylic finishes. A number of thought you have to take into description when selecting a coating for your warehouse floor you must keep in mind that it must be acid and oil confrontation. Will you use drag motors in the region? Is the region subjected to chilled temperature? Do you require element resistance?

Probable reasons for Coating Failure

Assuming you selected the type of floor coating and research work for the substrate, things can go off beam. You may end up with the following troubles:

Coating having pinholes Coatings having air bubbles White spot Crumpling Delaminating

Too much wear due to selecting the wrong substance for the wrong place

Reasons of Coating breakdown

A lot of the troubles connected with breakdown of your warehouse floor coating move towards to the research and inappropriate function of the product chosen. Your coating dealer can assist you with technical recommendation. A few things you have to take into consideration in turn to attain a correct, long-lasting and excellent look of the floor.

There must be a necessary coverage. Coverage will help out seal the plane of the actual and stop out gassing. Exposed gassing is capable to cause pinholes and air bubbles on the plane of your floor coating Dew point spread. Pass the time in anticipation of the temperature and humidity is inside the assortment recommended by the coating producer. Offensive mixing is able to have a huge consequence on the completed appearance of your floor. Mixing at excessively high pace is able to reason for the air bubbles to be intent in the coating. Excess of air movement is able to cause blaze drying in spots being a cause for the air bubbles and pinholes.

Your dealer or manufacturer is a first-class basis of information for the appropriate application of your warehouse floor coating product. Be certain to discuss with them on every topic from product selection, function and care.

This is the first of a 3-part 20-minute presentation on a product called the Virtual Warehouse Management System, developed by Greg Frazier, CPA, PLLC. Greg Frazier is a certified public accountant and his firm is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. The Virtual WMS is an ideal solution for warehouse contractors and logistics service providers that require a system for tracking high volume in-bound and out-bound pallet traffic, as well as stock let-down activity, bin transfer activity, daily recurring storage, and other billable services to their warehouse customers. Greg Frazier, CPA, PLLC provides customized business solutions for small and mid-size businesses in automotive supply manufacturing, healthcare and wholesale distribution. Popular accounting packages such as Microsoft Dynamics GP and Intuit’s Quickbooks are used as a base to provide customized business solutions. Software development tools such as C# in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, Dexterity and Perl are utilized. Microsoft SQL and MySQL are typical data base platforms for the solutions provided.
Video Rating: 5 / 5