Koch Logistics, the third-party logistics division of Stan Koch & Sons Trucking Inc., has developed new technology to improve the management of retail store openings, remodels and resets. Koch Logistics' SmartConnect offers project management, secure data protection and simplified communication across multiple partners and vendors. The tool is aimed at improving the management of goods not for resale as well as fixture activities. Offered in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) mode, it can accommodate clients of varying size and scale. Users are approved by a central administrator, and data access can be restricted based on need. They connect to real-time data with a library that stores multiple types of documents such as purchase orders, floor plans and assembly instructions. SmartConnect files are securely hosted to ensure after-hours access to critical data, as well as custom reporting and analysis. The common interface helps project managers to communicate more clearly with all parties, and eliminate confusion and inefficiency, Koch said. Data can be shared by manufacturers, wholesalers, carriers, installers and retailers.

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