How zeb Modernized Ward Logistics with a Cross-Platform Mobility Solution

Challenge: Manual operations and legacy platforms restricting scalability

A decade ago, Ward’s warehouse operations were entirely manual. Freight movements, bay assignments, and shift schedules were recorded in paper ledgers, while forklift maintenance updates and dockworker tasks were communicated verbally or over calls. This fragmented approach made operations slow, error-prone, and heavily dependent on human coordination.

With the logistics industry transitioning toward Android and iOS ecosystems and Thor VM3 device deprecation creating additional constraints, Ward needed a future-ready, mobile-ubiquitous solution. The goal was to preserve existing functionality while enabling cross-platform scalability, hardware adaptability, and UI consistency from a unified technology foundation.

Solution: Flutter-powered modernization for multi-device operations

zeb modernized Ward’s warehouse system by rebuilding its legacy Universal Windows Platform (UWP) application into a cross-platform mobility solution powered by Flutter. The goal was to preserve existing functionality while enabling scalability across diverse devices and hardware used in different terminals.

Flutter was chosen for its ability to deliver a single codebase across multiple device types while supporting native-level integrations for warehouse-grade hardware. Unlike other frameworks that depend on platform-level rendering, Flutter paints its own UI, ensuring pixel-perfect consistency across devices, whether on Getac GX10, Honeywell tablets, or standard Android smartphones.

Key Advantages Implemented

• Native SDK Access: Direct integration with hardware SDKs such as Zebra Scanner SDK and RAVAS Weight Service through native channels.
• Code Reusability: Near 100% code sharing across business logic and UI layers, reducing maintenance complexity.
• Scalability: The same Flutter codebase supports both Android and future iOS deployments.
• Unified Architecture: Common backend and shared components ensuring consistent performance and data synchronization.

Re-engineered Role-Based Application Suite
Our expert team restructured Ward’s operational workflows into two dedicated applications designed for specific roles but connected through a unified backend:

• Dockworker App: Built for rugged Android devices such as Getac GX10, integrating Zebra Scanner SDK for high-speed barcode scanning and RAVAS Weight Service for automated freight weighing. The workflow-driven design minimized manual data entry and optimized performance for high-throughput dock operations.
• Supervisor App: Developed for Android smartphones, offering real-time visibility and control over shift management, task assignments, and shipment tracking (bay, door, and PRO inquiries). The app integrated Flutter’s native scanner package, enabling device-agnostic scanning without reliance on specific hardware models.

Design and Implementation Process
We conducted multiple UI walkthroughs and validation sessions with Ward’s operations team to refine layouts, task flows, and accessibility for real-world use. Flutter’s rendering engine ensured visual uniformity across devices, while its modular architecture enabled seamless peripheral integrations, allowing new scanners, scales, or sensors to be connected in the future without altering the application’s structure.

Through this modernization, zeb implemented a maintainable, hardware-agnostic, and integration-ready mobile ecosystem that unified Ward’s dockworker and supervisor operations under one scalable technology framework.

Benefits: Unified mobility and operational excellence

Ward Logistics now operates on a modern, unified mobile ecosystem that connects every role, location, and device type, eliminating operational silos and manual inefficiencies.

For dockworkers, automated scanning and weighing drastically reduced manual errors and increased throughput. Supervisors gained real-time visibility, enabling faster decision-making and seamless coordination across terminals.

Key Outcomes:

• Enhanced Productivity: Streamlined workflows accelerated freight processing and reduced downtime.
• Improved Accuracy: Automation eliminated manual data entry errors.
• Consistent Experience: Identical UI across devices ensured intuitive adoption.
• Future Scalability: The unified Flutter codebase is ready for iOS expansion.
• Simplified Maintenance: A single stack reduced turnaround time and maintenance effort.

We integrated Zebra Scanner SDK, RAVAS Weight Service, and Flutter Scanner Package to form the automation backbone of Ward’s dockworker operations, ensuring precision and performance across every terminal.

Continuing partnership and support

zeb continues to partner with Ward Logistics, offering proactive maintenance and seamless hardware transitions, such as the migration from Thor VM3A to Getac GX10 devices. This ongoing collaboration ensures continued compatibility with emerging hardware and OS platforms, keeping Ward’s logistics operations agile and future-ready.

Conclusion

Through a strategic migration to Flutter, zeb transformed Ward Logistics from a Windows-dependent system into a mobile-first, cross-platform logistics ecosystem built for scale and flexibility.

By focusing on device optimization, workflow efficiency, and role-specific usability, we delivered a solution that redefined warehouse productivity and operational transparency. Today, Ward Logistics operates with speed, accuracy, and adaptability, powered by a hardware-agnostic, integration-resilient platform that grows with its expanding logistics network.