The Industry Data Exchange Association, Inc. (IDEA), the industry-owned technology a provider of electrical product data, announced that three distributors and one electrical manufacturer are the first IDEA Volumetrics Founders: Kendall Electric, Portage, MI: Schaedler Yesco, Harrisburg, PA: and United Electric Electric Supply, Wilmington, DE; and Cantex, Fort Worth, TX; This group of distributor and manufacturer customers are working with IDEA to lead the industry-wide initiative to provide weight and dimensional data through the IDEA Connector data syndication platform.
IDEA also recognizes the industry’s initial IDEA Volumetrics subscriber, Franklin Empire Inc., Mount Royal, Quebec, the largest independently owned electrical distributor in Canada, with more than 500 employees and 23 branch locations and five assembly and repair shops in Québec and Ontario.
By developing multiple levels of weight and dimensional data for e-commerce freight calculations, warehouse automation, logistics and quality processes, IDEA Volumetrics will improve customer service and sales, increase efficiency and productivity, and make the channel more competitive.
Farrah Mittel, president, Schaedler Yesco, said in the press release, “We believe in the power of strategic opportunities where we can take appropriate action to gather and share information that advances our entire industry, not just our company. IDEA Volumetrics supports our customer-centric approach. Volumetric data will allow us to accurately calculate shipping costs for our growing e-commerce business, as well achieve ideal space utilization and optimization goals that will help us accurately and efficiently service customers from our growing network of distribution centers across our marketplace.”
“United Electric continues to support industry initiatives that are designed to increase the efficiency of our channel and improve customer service,” added George Vorwick, president & CEO, United Electric Supply. “IDEA Volumetrics combines these two goals. “We’re proud to be involved in IDEA Volumetrics to grow our library of data while contributing to building a better future for the electrical distribution channel.”