About Ratio-Tec
Essen, Germany-based Ratiotec GmbH & Co. KG is well known in the retail sector for its cash management solutions. But in recent years, it has also established itself as an innovative player inindustrial IoT and asset tracking.
Meeting with Sebastian Merhofe (S.M.)CEO, on how Ratio-Tec connects sensors and intelligent machines using Bluetooth Mesh technology, and on the key role of ELA Innovation (E.I.) BEACONS beacons in their deployment.
Introducing Ratio-Tec: between cash management and IoT.
E.I. Can you briefly describe Ratio-Tec’s business?
S.M. “Ratio-Tec is a small company specializing in the development of connected objects. We connect and develop innovative IoT solutions that digitize processes in retail and industry, making them more transparent and efficient.”
An IoT solution to optimize processes
E.I. Can you explain your solution in simple terms?
S.M. “We connect smart sensors and machines to our Bluetooth Mesh infrastructure, enabling our customers to improve their workflows and processes.”
E.I. What problem does this solve for your customers?
S.M. “We reduce search times, avoid losses and create total transparency on inventory and processes.”
Collaboration based on reliability and performance
E.I. Why did you choose ELA for your tracking solution?
S.M. “ELA offers reliable, robust and energy-efficient sensors, perfect for use in demanding environments and in combination with our Bluetooth Mesh infrastructure, for sustainable solutions, for a good opportunity for customers who have had a system and a functional system for a long time.”
E.I. How did the integration with our beacons go?
S.M. “It was very easy, the beacons were quickly integrated and seamlessly connected to our Connect infrastructure. So we have a Bluetooth Mesh infrastructure, the ELA sensors work with BLE and yes, everything works together. We have all kinds of systems and integration is very easy.”
>> Discover our Bluetooth beacon range <<
Concrete benefits
E.I. What advantages have you seen, both technically and operationally?
S.M. On the technical side: long range and stable data quality. On the operational side: easy scalability, reduced manual work and measurable time savings. So yes, it’s really easy for us to implement in our systems and with our customers.
E.I. Do you have an example of a customer’s use?
S.M. “Many of our customers currently use temperature loggers so that we can trigger alarms via our infrastructure if goods become too hot or too cold, thus guaranteeing product safety in a verifiable way. So all we have to do is place the sensor in the freezer and plug our connected system into the electrical socket. I’d say it’s plug and play.”
Ratio-Tec’s advice to IoT integrators
E.I. What advice would you give to other integrators working on this type of solution?
S.M. “Rely on a stable infrastructure, like ours, so that the customer has confidence in the high-quality products supplied by ELA. So keep it simple, and if you have a simple solution, the customer will trust you and your product.”
Conclusion of this exchange.
By combining ELA Innovation’s low-energy Bluetooth technology withRatio-Tec’s Mesh infrastructure, the two companies are demonstrating that it is possible to digitalize industrial processes without complexity. A European collaboration based on reliability,interoperability and a shared vision of an IoT accessible to all.
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