Model network at Greek Trade Sp. z o.o.

Benefits of the implementation:

Greek Trade Sp. z o.o. which has existed since 1992 is a manufacturer, distributor, and importer of food products. For 25 years of its activity, it has achieved the sales leader position on the European market. In its Manufacturing Plant in Porszewice near Lodz, the company manufactures products of its own brands, including Helcom, Biooaza, Barri and Ahina, as well as the private labels of its customers. The product offering includes e.g. canned vegetables and fruit, roasted fruit, jams, cake fillings, vegetable and fruit spreads, bruschettes. Continuous modernisation of its manufacturing line, raw material base development, preservation of technological rigour, as well as the choice of qualified staff enables the company to maintain the highest manufacturing quality, enabling to offer safe products meeting the required standards at the same time. The company implemented and kept developing the ISO Quality Management System, holds the HACCP certificate and the Organic Farming Certificate. Besides manufacturing its own products, Greek Trade Sp. z o.o. imports and distributes the ones brought from more than 70 countries worldwide. This is why its offering includes even the most exotic fruit and vegetables and the widest choice of Greek wine on the market.

The offering of Greek Trade is addressed to retail chains, catering sector wholesalers, restaurants, hotels, plants processing fruit and vegetables, bakeries and confectioneries which buy their products in the distribution centres in Krakow and above-mentioned Porszewice. What is more, it exports finished goods to many countries, primarily in Europe, successfully. The company has received many awards for the impeccable quality of its products and for its dynamic development. The awards included, e.g.: Perła Rynku FMCG 2010, Forbes’ Diamonds 2015 and more than a dozen awards in the Business Gazelles ranking.

In the newly added plant area, being the high-storage warehouse, a new distribution site with active and passive equipment was installed. The active equipment is an enterprise-class Cisco switch and a UPS. The switch is aimed at supplying access points using PoE technology while the UPS (power supply) is to back up power supply to the switch and access points if there is any failure. The optical fibre was led to the distribution site to integrate it with the existing network infrastructure. In turn, from the distribution site, the Ethernet cables were led to the access point installation sites, the distribution of which was developed in the design before.

In the newly created plant space, Cisco access points series 1832 with integrated antennas were installed and some access points of the original network which were removed before were adapted. This was to optimise the network operation, i.e. to adapt the original network to the new one with no need to replace all devices.
Thanks to Cisco Mobility Express solution, the network does not require using any dedicated wireless controller. Network management takes place via a virtual controller built into one of the access points.

After the installation works are completed, including any works at height and the relevant configuration, the measurements brought very good network operation parameters compliant with the design assumptions. The wireless network system is automatic and responds to environmental changes dynamically, adapting the power level and access point channels optimally. The need for any human interference is reduced to a minimum. What is more, the system is easily expandable and the newly installed access points will be configured automatically.

The modern, high-quality Cisco equipment (the switch and access points) operating in the wireless standard 802.11ac has very high efficiency and energy saving properties and is also dedicated to implementation in demanding conditions. It ensures high-level communication which enables correct and smooth operation of mobile devices. As a result, the company warehouse management is improved, as the speed and precision of operations are increased and the number of errors is minimised.

The implementation included training held by SKK for the system administrator and the delivered network equipment was covered by an extended, 3-year service contract of the manufacturer.