Fonterra and Zebra Create a Healthier Future from Farm to Table
Fonterra, a leading global dairy exporter, sought to modernize its milk collection process by replacing outdated in-cab technology with a more advanced and reliable system. Fonterra implemented Zebra ET60 tablets and other solutions across its fleet of 500 tanker trucks, enhancing efficiency and safety.
Zebra Success Story: Fonterra
Overview: Manufacturing Challenge
Fonterra introduced advanced solutions that enhance operational efficiency, security and connectivity. This upgrade improved workflows and helped ensured a focus on safety and community engagement, aligning with Fonterra’s commitment to quality and innovation. Through this initiative, Fonterra is poised to continue its leadership in the industry with forward-thinking solutions.
Benefits / Outcomes
- Innovative, rugged hardware that integrates with diverse apps
- A scalable solution to support present and future needs
- Improved connectivity and tablet docking and charging stations
- Seamless face recognition-based log-in system for drivers
Customer
Fonterra
Auckand, New Zealand
Partner
Industry
Manufacturing
Solutions
About Fonterra
Each year, around the world we drink enough milk to fill 360,000 Olympic-sized pools. Behind much of this global dairy flow stands Fonterra, one of New Zealand's largest enterprises and the source of over 30% of all exported milk worldwide. “We are a farmer-owned cooperative, and the largest dairy exporter in the world,” describes Malcolm Bailey, National Transport Technical Manager at Fonterra. “As the leader, we’re committed to ensuring consistent quality of our dairy products, on whatever table they land.”
Quality isn't just talk at Fonterra. The company enforces stringent food safety and quality standards across its supply chain. Each farm pickup includes milk sampling to verify that the norms are met. The company also conducts regular on-farm testing and independent farm and environmental assessments. “We stand by our values—Better Every Day and Every Drop Counts,” says Vijay Reddy, General Manager IT – Operations, at Fonterra. Technology enables Fonterra to monitor milk quality, streamline collection and automate operations.
As an industry leader, Fonterra seeks tech collaborators who match its pioneering spirit. "We don't chase automation for its own sake," Reddy notes. "Efficiency allows us to process more milk and deliver to customers quickly. Food safety builds customer trust and keeps people from harm." One trusted collaborator is Zebra, whose solutions have supported Fonterra's distribution centres for over a decade. When the time came to gear up its milk tank trucks, Zebra’s name reappeared. "Zebra's name adds peace of mind," Bailey shares. "They maintain local repair capabilities and sufficient device inventory, so we have no doubts about getting support when a need for an upgrade or replacement arises." This peace of mind is enhanced with Zebra’s OneCare™ Select plan, which offers features like 24/7 live-agent technical support, and next-day, “like new” device replacement pre-loaded with the appropriate settings and software.
The Challenge
Five hundred Fonterra tanker trucks crisscross New Zealand every day, collecting milk from over 9,500 farms. Drivers work nine-day rosters, facing constantly changing routes, weather conditions and other challenges. In this job, no two days are alike. Their day begins with crucial safety briefings, route planning and comprehensive vehicle inspections. "Next, they jump into the tanker and log in to the software in their cab," explains Bailey. The software runs on the in-cab tablets serving as command centres that track the entire day's operations and guide drivers through each step of their shift.
Recently, Fonterra launched the On-Tanker Technology Replacement (OTTR) project to modernise its ageing collection systems, which were about eight years old. The goal for the transformation was to move closer to a future-ready milk collection for the co-ops. The company’s Windows-based tablets had become obsolete and inflexible, lacking support and hindering integration with other apps. “We had our current gear failing all the time, and managing spares and performance daily was a huge effort. Bringing stability to ensure uptime for our tanker drivers in the field was imperative,” explains Reddy.
To achieve this goal, Fonterra chose Zebra because of its reliability and innovation. It decided to replace previous in-cab devices with Android™-based Zebra ET60 tablets that are the central hub of each driver’s work. The tablets feature the VisibilityIQ Foresight service, which provides a unified dashboard view of all Zebra devices and insights to their health, alerting users to potential issues before they arise. To easily manage users logged in via Identity Guardian and handle their onboarding and offboarding, Fonterra has also implemented Zebra DNA Cloud.
We want our drivers to focus on maintaining road safety and engaging with our farmer shareholder community without getting distracted by equipment issues. Zebra’s solutions enable exactly that.
The Solution
Fonterra enlisted Torutek, a specialised software vendor and Zebra Registered ISV Partner, to develop custom solutions using Zebra equipment for milk collection drivers. The goal was to integrate them with Fonterra's core Milk Supply System (MSS) to seamlessly and effortlessly monitor and manage milk collection, transportation and delivery across all tankers, sites and farms.
An RFID card reader is connected to the Zebra ET60 tablets to collect milk quality metrics (like fat content) to transmit this data to central databases. Fonterra also uses an RFID tag to identify the supplier when drivers connect the hose to the supplier’s vat or tank during milk collection. Having an Android operating system means it can seamlessly connect with other OTTR project solutions, a feature Fonterra couldn’t do before. Dedicated Zebra vehicle cradles keep the tablets perpetually charged, with no risk of batteries losing power. Fonterra also equipped tankers with roof-mounted 4G/5G routers to ensure non-stop connectivity and real-time data, come rain or shine.
First, several tanker drivers tested the new solution to evaluate its performance and provide feedback for improvement before full deployment. They rated the devices five stars, praising their durability, which allows them to withstand harsh weather and rough roads, as well as their sharp, high-resolution screen. Having clear visibility in all lighting conditions helps them quickly read maps, instructions and other data, keeping them focused and reducing road hazards.
The new system also allows drivers to log in safely password-free, thanks to Zebra's Identity Guardian biometrics. When they enter the cab, they simply scan the QR code and look into the tablet’s camera. The device automatically scans and recognises their faces, allowing them to access their tasks. “It takes a second,” says Bailey. “And drivers no longer need to remember long, complex passwords to start work.” The face scan matched with the QR Code helps Fonterra keep the network secure, preventing unauthorised access and meeting compliance requirements for the single sign-on. The drivers’ scans aren’t stored in the cloud, reducing the risk of compromising their data.
The Zebra Difference: Outcome and Benefits
Following successful tests, Fonterra adopted a "train the trainers" model, with designated staff mastering the system before teaching colleagues nationwide. Similarly, a technical expert installed equipment at one site before expanding deployment across the country, with ongoing support from Torutek.
Fonterra's new tablets serve as all-in-one tools for drivers, providing complete workflows, routes and tasks once logged in. With 80% of drivers’ time spent driving, the tablets offer GPS guidance and voice-read safety alerts as drivers approach specific locations, to make their journeys smoother and safer. All activities—from tank cleaning to farm visits—are tracked in real-time and automatically shared with dispatch, allowing drivers to stay focused on the road.
Immediate, tangible results aside, teaming with a global provider grants Fonterra access to specialised software vendors, implementation partners and reliable local support for device management and maintenance. “We expected a very simple outcome—to be able to do a good job, anywhere and every time,” explains Reddy. “Yet, this has many facets, from stability to having a simple, intuitive and unified experience. We want our drivers to focus on maintaining road safety and engaging with our farmer shareholder community without getting distracted by equipment issues. Zebra’s solutions enable exactly that.”
"We're serious about global dairy nutrition and recognise our journey is evolving," says Reddy. To that end, Fonterra aims to strengthen its sustainability position while innovating for superior farmer support and food safety through three key strategies: maintaining open technology architecture to prevent vendor lock-in; partnering with nimble tech companies focused on specific business outcomes; and embracing an experimental mindset that accepts failure as part of growth.
With this approach, Fonterra plans to expand the use of Zebra's technology ecosystem, including tablets, handheld computers, scanners, printers, RFID devices, machine vision solutions and relevant software. "We want to tap into Zebra's thought leadership for operational improvements across all levels, from the shop floor to the top floor," Reddy adds. This builds on fundamentals that made Zebra the preferred choice—both companies lead their industries, prioritise innovation and invest now for future returns. “Our engagement with Zebra stands on three pillars,” Reddy remarks. “Collaboration through shared ideas, transparency that respects diverse perspectives and an association that creates mutual gain as we journey to do “Good Together” here, now and into the future.”
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