One of the World's Largest Independent Automotive Transmission Manufacturers Deploys...

One of the World's Largest Independent Automotive Transmission Manufacturers
Deploys WhereNet Material Flow System to Automate Parts Replenishment at Two-
Million Square Foot Assembly Plant
New Software Manages Consumption-Based Demand Across the Supply Chain,
Streamlining Lean Manufacturing and Increasing Productivity

COLOGNE, Germany and SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- WhereNet
Corp., a Zebra Technologies company (Nasdaq: ZBRA) and the leader in wireless
solutions for tracking and managing enterprise assets, announced today that
GETRAG FORD Transmissions, one of the largest manufacturers of automotive
transmissions in the world, has deployed WhereNet's new Material Flow-
Replenishment(TM) System at its two-million square foot assembly plant in
Cologne, Germany to automate parts replenishment processes as part of the
company's lean manufacturing initiative.
Implemented in less than 90 days, the WhereNet system plays a critical
role in managing a very complex manufacturing environment as the GETRAG FORD
Transmissions Cologne facility makes six different transmission varieties for
global brands including Ford, Mazda and Volvo. The Cologne factory produces
more than one million transmissions annually for automotive manufacturers in
Argentina, China, Europe, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, the Philippines, and
the United States.
GETRAG FORD Transmissions is one of the first automotive industry
manufacturers to use WhereNet's Material Flow-Replenishment System, which
combines business intelligence with real-time location and consumption-based
demand data. The flexible parts replenishment solution tracks the exact time
of every part request, automatically prioritizes the requests, and sends
instructions to material handling drivers -- whose vehicles are equipped with
vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi terminals -- telling them where to pick up and deliver
the parts. The system promptly alerts both the manufacturer and suppliers when
parts are needed on the assembly line, resulting in a synchronous material
flow across the supply chain, reduced inventory, and higher productivity.
Running in German and offered in 15 other languages, the WhereNet system
at GETRAG FORD Transmissions consists of the Material Flow-Replenishment
application; a wireless messaging infrastructure of 220 active RFID
WhereCall(TM) buttons, each of which is uniquely associated with a part number
on the assembly line; a network of 12 wireless WhereLAN(TM) location sensors;
and five Akerstroms (recently acquired by LXE, an EMS Technologies, Inc.
company) rugged, mobile computers, which are mounted on the forklifts.
"The WhereNet material flow system moves us a long way toward our ultimate
goal of a completely forklift-less production operation, as we are now
operating leaner than ever before," said Ralf Vierkotten, Supervisor,
Logistics and Material Handling, GETRAG FORD Transmissions. "Production-line
employees no longer need to leave their workstation to help search for parts
or to help material control determine the correct part; all they have to do is
push a WhereCall active RFID button, and the system notifies all the required
parties -- from the line side to the forklift driver to the internal warehouse
-- that more parts are needed. This 'intelligent' automated system supports
our lean manufacturing processes as we benefit from real-time inventory
consumption and can execute replenishment orders just in time."
Among the benefits GETRAG FORD Transmissions expects to gain from the
WhereNet Material Flow-Replenishment System are:
* Up to 20 percent improvement in labor productivity
* A one-third reduction in daily forklift trips
* A decrease in on-hand inventory from local suppliers from seven days to
two days, resulting in lower inventory carrying costs (a savings of more
than $750,000), and a reduction in handling and storage costs
* Improved floor space utilization for storage of parts
* Increased visibility of plant floor demand
* Almost complete elimination of line downtime due to parts shortages

Based on the success of this initial implementation, GETRAG FORD
Transmissions is planning the rollout of the second phase of the project at
its Cologne factory, as well as expansion at other facilities.
Material Flow Supply Chain Execution System Benefits Multiple Partners
WhereNet's Material Flow-Replenishment System controls the routing of
material not only throughout the assembly plant, but also across the supply
chain. The system's Supplier Portal allows suppliers to receive real-time
demand signals and ship parts from within the portal based on that demand. The
system manages the synchronous flow of parts from the supplier to the dock
door at the plant, from the plant's warehouse to the staging lane, and
ultimately to the appropriate assembly-line operator.
"We are proud to add GETRAG FORD Transmissions to our list of automotive
customers," said Tom Bacon, general manager, manufacturing and government
business, Zebra Enterprise Solutions. "Our new Material Flow-Replenishment
System is taking lean, flexible manufacturing to a new level by enabling
synchronous material flow from tier-one suppliers to the assembly line. We
will continue to expand in this area by adding more asset management
applications for equipment, trailer, container and part tracking, to provide
our customers with even better visibility and execution across the supply
chain."
About GETRAG FORD Transmissions
GETRAG FORD Transmissions is a member of the GETRAG Corporate Group, which
is one of the largest independent automotive transmission and drivetrain
systems manufacturers worldwide, with approximately 13,600 employees at 25
locations. The company's headquarters is in Untergruppenbach, Germany. The
group develops technical solutions for the automotive industry, featuring a
wide product range of transmission systems and powertrain components for
passenger cars, SUVs, motorbikes, and light commercial vehicles. In 2007, the
Group reached a turnover of around 2.6 billion Euros.
About WhereNet Corp.
A Zebra Technologies company, WhereNet is the first company to deliver a
single wireless location and communication infrastructure that reliably and
cost-effectively manages valuable mobile resources and can deliver a complete
return on investment within 6-12 months. Based on patented, standards-
compliant technology resulting from a collective 100+ years of development,
the WhereNet active RFID, real-time locating system solutions enable companies
such as APL, BMW, Ford Motor Company, and NYK Logistics and facilities like
Tobyhanna Army Depot to reduce inventory, lower operating costs, and improve
operations. The company has received the Henry Ford Technology Award; was
recognized for strong ROI by Computerworld magazine; was ranked among the top
10 in the InfoWorld 100; and has been recognized as a wireless innovator by
Forrester Research, Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies, Plant
Engineering, and Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazines. Headquartered in
Santa Clara, California, WhereNet has offices throughout the United States, as
well as in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit the WhereNet web site
at http://www.wherenet.com or call 408-845-8500 (in the U.S.), +32 3 286 84 50
(in Europe), or +86 21 51758558 (in Asia). Information about Zebra bar code,
card and RFID products can be found at http://www.zebra.com.
WhereNet is a registered trademark, and Material Flow-Replenishment,
WhereCall, and WhereLAN are trademarks of WhereNet Corp. All other brands,
products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their
respective owners.
SOURCE WhereNet Corp.

Ross Perich of Trainer Communications, +1-925-556-5463, wn@trainercomm.com,
for WhereNet Corp.; or Orlando De Bruce of WhereNet Corp., +1-510-267-5052,
pr@navis.com