An ID Systems' vehicle management system on a forklift

A US operation of Nestlé SA has contracted to use the wireless PowerFleet-brand vehicle management system (VMS) from ID Systems Inc on more than 700 vehicles across more than 20 facilities, most of them in the US. The contract covers hardware, software and five-year service.

Following implementation, ID Systems will have deployed PowerFleet on more than 2,000 vehicles across more than 60 sites for Nestlé.

Yale/Chase Equipment and Services Inc of City of Industry, California is co-ordinating and supporting the ID Systems' forklift-related business with Nestlé.

"Nestlé takes safety and sustainability in the workplace very seriously," says Ron Meredith, director of logistics operations for Nestlé Waters North America in Stamford, Connecticut. "Deploying a wireless vehicle management system on the industrial trucks in our manufacturing and distribution facilities helps ensure that only trained personnel have access to our equipment, and that they perform a safety checklist before operating it."

A smart impact sensor encourages good driving habits, and the system automatically shuts off idling equipment, reducing fuel consumption and emissions, Meredith notes.

As announced in June 2009, Nestlé Waters North America selected the VMS technology for deployment on industrial vehicles at two initial sites and planned expansion to more than 100 sites globally based on expected system benefits.

ID Systems believes the contract validates its "strategic initiative to accelerate new product adoption and facilitate more rapid scaling of our solutions, with quality, across large enterprises", says Kenneth Ehrman, chairman and chief executive officer of Woodcliff Lake-based ID Systems.

The on-vehicle devices for Nestlé are among hundreds of units incorporating ID Systems' proprietary fourth-generation vehicle asset communicator that were shipped during 2014's fourth quarter. ID Systems says the new VAC4 simplifies VMS installation on forklifts, typically taking about one hour. Also, VAC4 improves the vehicle operator's experience and enhances VMS functionality.

During 2013, publicly traded ID Systems recorded a loss of USD7.5 million on sales of USD39.9 million. Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc of Bentonville, Arkansas accounted for 18% of the sales, and materials handling equipment manufacturer Raymond Corp of Greene, New York for 10%. ID Systems has subsidiaries in Texas, Germany and the United Kingdom.

In the industrial fleet management market, ID Systems' competitors include Crown Equipment Corp, TotalTrax Inc and Automotion Control Systems Pty Ltd's Speedshield unit.