Tompkins Associates Provides Solutions for Gerawan Farming

The Tompkins Development Lab proves to be a breakthrough
for the future of material handling integration

Raleigh, NC, April 3, 2002—Tompkins Associates, the leader in total operations consulting, information technology implementation and material handling integration, was recently chosen to provide material handling equipment integration for Gerawan Farming, the premier grower and distributor of fresh pitted fruit products headquartered in Reedly, California. The Tompkins Development Lab, North America's only material handling equipment and technology solutions testing facility, was instrumental in providing Gerawan a complete solution for its unique needs.

Gerawan Farming came to Tompkins seeking a damage-free solution to handle, package and transport its delicate products. Utilizing over 11,000 square feet of the industry's best material handling equipment and technology, the Tompkins Development Lab was able to provide customized testing, configuration and evaluation for a comprehensive solution that met Gerawan's specific needs.

"Tompkins Associates' ability to test equipment using the Lab is very impressive. They made design decisions based on decibel level and impact tests conducted in the Lab, showing us the results of testing in a video presentation and through written documentation," said Dan Gerawan, President, Gerawan Farming.

By taking advantage of the Lab's selection of different material handling technology, Tompkins was able to provide Gerawan a solution that incorporated proven conveyor products with cutting-edge technology and equipment. All testing and evaluation took place off-site at the Lab, allowing Gerawan to maintain its off-season preventive maintenance schedule of its existing packaging lines.

The Tompkins Development Lab allows organizations to compare and test new technologies and equipment before implementation. The facility is an off-site evaluation center that can be reconfigured to
replicate any company's operations in order to conceive, prototype and evaluate projects at no risk while maintaining the integrity of existing operations. The Lab includes over 2,500 square feet of meeting rooms and training facilities so that a company can offer future users hands-on operations and maintenance training with no downtime. Another key feature of the Lab is the Total Operations Support Center, which provides post-installation software, equipment and operations support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"The Tompkins Development Lab is a resource for both our clients and our integration staff to test concepts, technology and operational techniques in a risk-free, fully functional distribution center environment," says Tony Gerace, Partner, Tompkins Associates. "It's just one more way that Tompkins Associates is trying to expand the our Total Solutions offering for the marketplace."

With several varieties of technology and material handling equipment available, the Lab allows comparison of different technologies to choose the best solution. The Lab includes conveyor stystems, multiple sortation systems, Supply Chain Management systems, optical bar code scanners, automated inventory carousels, local area and wireless networks, RF devices, Web-based customer order receipt and more. The Lab is currently powered by HighJump Software's Warehouse Advantage® Suite Warehouse Management System and features equipment from Rockwell Automation, Interlake Material Handling, Remstar and Accu-Sort Systems, among others.

Since its Grand Opening on October 25, 2001, the Tompkins Development Lab has been host to visitors seeking the latest material handling equipment and technology solutions. Future plans for the Lab include adding a second WMS and remote live remote feed capabilities for training.

For more information on the Tompkins Development Lab, contact 800-789-1257 or visit www.tompkinsinc.com/lab.

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Media Contact:
E-mail Myra Schwartz or call 919-876-3667.

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