Astral Media Outdoor Will Increase Efficiencies with an Enterprise Solution from Datex

Montreal, Canada, April 06, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Datex International announces that Astral Media Outdoor, L.P. (AMO) has selected Datex to implement an enterprise solution that includes OutField, a Field Service Management System for OOH, and FootPrint IMS, a real-time Inventory Management System. This solution will manage all of AMO’s field service operations along with their supplies inventory providing them with real-time information and increased visibility.

Astral Media Outdoor is one of Canada's leading outdoor advertising companies. With an unparalleled outdoor network, AMO offers customers close to 8,000 advertising faces in Quebec's and Ontario's key markets. In addition, they offer proven static and electronic advertising solutions at Montreal, Quebec City and Calgary airports. Each year, new advertising formats are added to their range of products in order to better respond to their client's need for innovation, impact and results. In 2007, Astral Media Outdoor became Toronto’s official and exclusive supplier of nearly 27,000 pieces of street furniture positioning the company as the street advertising leader in the Heart of Toronto.

Looking to increase the efficiency of the company in the upcoming years, AMO selected Datex to implement OutField and FootPrint IMS as an enterprise solution able to manage their work orders and inventory. “We looked for a mobile solution in order to be more efficient, keep track of the activities that impact our business, and obtain more specific and standard details entered in our database” commented Jean-Guy Viau, Traffic and Charting Manager.

OutField is a Mobile Field Service Management Solution designed for companies in the OOH Industry requiring field dispatching for posting, maintenance or repair services. The system is based on the used of handhelds for field technicians providing real-time information on the completion of work orders, postings, supplies used, repair services, image capture and any other kind of information needed on the field. FootPrint IMS is an inventory management system designed to provide real-time reporting of the inventory location, status and quantity, as well as maximize the space in the warehouse, increasing the overall visibility and efficiency of the operations. Through the use of handhelds and barcoding equipment, the system increases efficiencies and productivity capturing information during receiving, putaway, picking and shipping of materials and products.

Astral Media Outdoor implementation will begin with a focus on bus shelters and other types of street furniture in the Toronto and Ontario area, followed by similar implementations in other markets and with other types of media. With the implementation of Datex solution, the company plans to improve their average posting time of 24 hours, maintain control of the posters and keep the company informed of clients’ posters by managing inventory, reinforce security by eliminating some of their outsourced tasks, and create, maintain and manage hardware equipment maintenance. “We chose Datex because of the tools they have developed for the Outdoor Industry as well as their ability to connect their solutions with our current charting application” said Jean-Guy.

“We are really excited to include Astral Media Outdoor to the Datex family. Astral is a highly recognized outdoor media company in the Canadian market. They are the first company to combine our Field Service and Inventory Management into one solution which will provide them with real time information on the field and in the warehouse. The flexibility and scalability of our systems will provide them with the technology necessary to cover all of their current and future requirements as the company continues to grow” explained Andy Armanious, Director of Product Development for Datex

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