AirLinkTM Solutions

Business ChallengePurolator offers a variety of shipping solutions for small and large businesses and individual consumers. One such solution is a cost-effective turnkey shipping system installed in higher volume customer sites, typically a warehouse or mailroom used as a company’s distribution or fulfillment centre. The shipping system – called Purolator E-ShipTM Server (ESS) – allows a customer to print shipping labels on site, with the transaction information collected by Purolator for regular invoicing. ESS is a flexible and feature-rich application that can be easily integrated with customer warehouse management software (WMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

As part of a recent investment program, Purolator chose to upgrade to an IP-based user application in order to more effectively roll out enhanced features and functionality to its ESS customer base. To do so, the company moved away from the non-IP phone line connection used to connect to its backend systems. While the company is able to utilize the landline data links available from some customers in dedicated buildings, many of Purolator’s customers are located in multi-use buildings where piggy-backing on Internet connectivity is not allowed and / or new landline installation is both time and cost prohibitive.

“We deploy our E-Ship Server shipping solutions into many diverse environments,” explained Sam Hutcheon of Purolator’s Customer Automation Client Services. “We needed a new way to connect ESS to our backend systems to pull the transaction information and data updates required for accurate invoicing.”

Sierra Wireless AirLink™ SolutionIn order to provide the flexible, fast and efficient network that was needed to support this transition, Purolator partnered with Rogers Communications Inc. to provide a wireless solution utilizing the Sierra Wireless AirLink™ Raven X intelligent gateway for dependable, always-on connectivity on Canada’s next generation HSPA cellular networks. Purolator chose the Raven X because it is built on a powerful platform and processing environment that provides remote monitoring and two-way communication required to meet Purolator’s needs in operating and supporting the remotely deployed application. The intelligent cellular gateway enables remote data collection, and its sleek, compact form factor enables integration within existing infrastructure and equipment.

The AirLink Raven X is powered by ALEOS™, the longstanding industry benchmark for reliable and feature-rich intelligence, enabling remote configuration, packet-level diagnostics and network session persistence. In addition, it features the ACEware™ suite of tools and utilities to simplify the provisioning, managing and troubleshooting of remote equipment, enabling Purolator to monitor and control its network of wireless gateways in one central location. Using ACEnet™, a one-to-many remote management tool for the enterprise, Purolator was able to manage its deployment of cellular gateways from a central location, as well as remotely resolve network issues and implement regular system status checks.

“We use the ACEmanager™ one-to-one remote management tool to do all of our device configuration and setup,” said Hutcheon. “Everything goes out preconfigured; each device is a basic mirror of the others, with the only change being the device name.”

Purolator employed WPCS, a Sierra Wireless value-added distributor, to perform the initial staging and testing of Raven X devices. Hutcheon also commended the support provided by Sierra Wireless’ field service engineers, who were “instrumental in helping us understand what we could accomplish with the wireless devices, the management of the deployed inventory and how we could create a secure environment.”

Since deploying the first ESS system, Purolator has implemented a total of 1250 systems using the AirLink Raven X intelligent gateway. With transaction speeds increasing with each new generation of cellular technology, Hutcheon is pleased with the performance of ESS and calls the integration of AirLink Raven X devices into Purolator’s backend systems and equipment “seamless.”

From automated solutions to 24 hour pick up and delivery, Purolator provides customers with the services and customized solutions required to get their shipments across town same day or around the world next day. A Canadian company, Purolator has an extensive service network, with approximately 12,000 employees, over 5,000 ground vehicles and Canada’s largest dedicated air express fleet.

As the country’s largest courier, Purolator has the most extensive courier delivery network in Canada, providing coverage to over 825,000 postal code areas. Overall, Purolator processes over 5.5 million pieces (delivery and pick up) each week for destinations across Canada and globally. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, the company’s corporate culture encourages involvement and thrives on communication.

Purolator

AirLink Raven X

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CASE STUDY: Purolator

Sierra Wireless - Connecting people and systems to mobile broadband networks around the worldSierra Wireless modems and software connect people all over the world with mobile broadband networks that keep them in touch, informed, and productive from wherever they need to be. The Company offers a diverse product portfolio addressing enterprise, consumer, original equipment manufacturer, machine-to-machine, and specialized vertical industry markets. Sierra Wireless also provides professional services to customers requiring expertise in wireless design, integration, and carrier certification. For more information, please visit our website, www.sierrawireless.com.

The quick and easy configuration and setup of the AirLink Raven X cellular devices has significantly reduced the waiting time for new ESS customers.

“One of cellular’s big advantages is that it is so much quicker to deploy than a new landline,” explained Hutcheon. “Cellular has cut our required lead time from 8 – 10 weeks down to just days.” And that immediacy translates to improved customer service, as well as potential for quicker revenues for Purolator as customers get almost instant access to their shipping systems.

The Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X communications gateway running on next generation cellular networks has provided Purolator with the following benefits:

• Time savings – Easy setup and configuration provided by ACEware tools, as well as the quick deployment inherent in wireless solutions, allows for minimal solution deployment time.

• Lower operating costs – Remote, two-way wireless communication provided by AirLink devices reduces monthly provider costs by utilizing less expensive cellular service and overall solution costs by providing less expensive alternative to landline (DSL) installation.

• Reliability and remote monitoring – ALEOS embedded intelligence within Raven X communications gateways provides such high-level functionality as remote configuration and device maintenance, packet-level diagnostics and dependable network session persistence. The gateway enables “always-on” and “always-aware” connectivity that has resulted in less than a one percent failure rate in the 15 months since the initial wireless ESS deployment.

• Portability – Utilization of wireless cellular connectivity fulfills potential need to move and re-use shipping systems without costly relocation of data lines.

Results

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“We use the ACEmanager one-to-one remote management tool to do all of our device configuration and setup,” said Sam Hutcheon of Purolator’s Customer Automation Client Services. “Everything goes out preconfigured; each device is a basic mirror of the others, with the only change being the device name.”