“FIPS“ revolutionary planning software for bananas, mangos and avocados

 

“Because of our close cooperation with our long-term customers our software is very practical and offers much more than standard ERP solutions. We completely develop the entire solution and will not use rigid systems. We deliver tailor-made solutions for the fruit and vegetable industry,” states Marco Klein, CEO of "activeIT".

With the newest software development “FIPS” activeIT has brought a revolutionary and extremely powerful new planning tool on to the market. “FIPS” is especially developed for ripening fruit, such as bananas, mangoes and avocados. Of course “FIPS” can also be used for fruit that doesn’t ripen after harvesting.

“Three years ago we started developing a software solution, which significantly simplifies the purchasing process of the banana, including the ripening. The software was an initiative of Robert Schwaiger, an expert in the fruit and vegetable trade, with 20 years of experience, and who previously worked for SPAR Austria. 

What started as assistance has now developed into the full participation of Robert Schwaiger into our company. And with him we have a professional in our team with many years of experience in the sectors we focus on, and with an in-depth knowledge of the everyday challenges of this sector. These advantages are clearly visible in the development of “FIPS“”, states Klein proudly. 

“I was involved in the construction of a banana ripening installation and in charge of the entire process, including the transport and ripening, for 6 years. A precise and continuously updated planning is the key to success,” states Schwaiger. “Unfortunately that is not always possible during the day-to-day business, especially when you consider the complexity behind it.”

After many intensive discussions with several banana ripening companies and other industry experts, we created a unique solution to model all relevant processes and created a usable, partially automated system.

“It was our goal to create a system with a clear overview of the entire process, from the placement of the order until the product reaches the supermarket. The overview should enable the user to react to changes on time," says Schwaiger.

“FIPS“ raises the alarm, before a quantity problem arises, taking into account all relevant lead times and processes, of course all based on actual data. This has a positive effect on the level of availability and stability in the supermarkets, especially for fruit packaged and labelled at the place of origin. It also decreases the cost due to surplus and shortages. 

“Another issue for ripening companies is that the planning is mostly done by one person, with all the necessary knowledge. If this person becomes ill or is otherwise unavailable it creates a knowledge gap that is difficult to close. I know that from personal experience,” states Schwaiger.

That is why “FIPS“ is designed in such a way that the entire planning (volumes, transportation, and ripening) is automatically calculated and can be completed with just a few clicks. ““FIPS” takes over all the calculations considering all parameters. That saves money, time and frustration,” continues Schwaiger.

“The skills of good ripening specialist are difficult to replace. With the support of “FIPS” the specialist has more time for the essentials, the quality of the fruit in his ripening chambers. And that is good for the customers,” states Schwaiger.

While considering all the data, weather, amounts etc you can plan your customers' demands. Special offers and local holidays are taken into account. Furthermore the current weather in the customers’ region is an important factor for the specialist. The optimal use of the ripening facilities is calculated by “FIPS” and is at any time accessible and presented in a clear diagram. 

The ”Info Center“ offers the possibility of viewing all data and evaluations and with the "Mobile Application" all the important information can be checked at any time with a smart phone. “And “FIPS“ can be connected with the existing ERP-System. That the system would be user-friendly was of course a basic condition,” states Klein.

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