With all of the technology available today to help you run your business, there is no universal ability for every device to effectively and efficiently communicate. In those cases it is often required to bridge two or more systems together. There is almost always a requirement for the mainframe system to actually "talk" to various materials handling systems in the warehouse or manufacturing floor. Sadly this is almost always a custom solution, and almost as many times, our clients find they don't have the in-house ability to accomplish the task. The myriad of packaged software solutions that address this situation are proprietary and need to be customized to each individual application. When implementation is complete, there is now another layer of software programmers to work with and through each time there is a problem and/or a change needs to be made.

Real-time Sortation Conveyor Control System

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We have developed software solutions that take commands from mainframe computer systems; either real time or via file transfers, to do the necessary conversion to equipment, personnel and systems in your production facility. Typically this is a program that links, or bridges, from a server (e.g. order processing, picking and/or packing instructions, inventory instructions) to the physical world. Sometimes it's as simple as providing picking instructions to a warehouse employee, to directing production through a conveyor system, providing system-specific commands to activate/deactivate equipment to feeding information about progress and results back to the host.

Many times clients have limited control over the information from their information management system and even less control over the physical systems that must execute the desired result. Manatee Technologies, Inc. can provide that layer for specialized interfacing, and when we are done, we provide you with the source code so you can maintain the software if you desire. This is a very unique offering in the world of controls software.

Through our arrangement with a major supplier of satellite communication equipment and bandwidth, we are able to offer small fleet users a bundled approach to their bandwidth purchasing as well as a monitoring service that verifies usage over each 24 hour period. We provide the upfront financing for the program purchases based on available plans and forecast usage and then the fleet user pays for their plan-specific usage on a monthly basis.

In addition, we offer a variety of blended bandwidth programs so that the user can avail their individual vessels of the least expensive service access based on the vessels actual location. For example, if the vessel is close enough to shore or in port, access can be via a standard provider such as Verizon or Sprint which is considerably less expensive than access via satellite.

One of Manatee's original services was to assist with developing niche technology to the point which it could be marketed either to end-users or to a financially capable partner. Niche technologies for us are those technological products that are designed to solve a unique requirement for one customer but that might have application to a wider range of customers. Typically these products are developed around a solution specific function and require programming expertise that the end-user may not have in-house and may not wish to work with a larger firm to develop due to cost and control issues.

Manatee works with a wide variety of technology contract personnel that have their own specialized areas of expertise and who, for the most part, are interested in the professional challenge of developing the product, not commercializing it. All of these contractors work with Manatee under strict confidentiality agreements and they do not retain any proprietary rights to that which they develop although in some cases they are granted a royalty arrangement on the sales of the products that they develop with and/or for Manatee and Manatee's clients.

We have successfully used this model to develop a dedicated browser, a bandwidth management router, an interactive employee handbook, an interactive project management tool, a timelog tool, as well as several other client specific products.

Perhaps the greatest service we offer to our clients is the ability to provide objective, professional and time-sensitive project management across a wide range of disciplines. Although there are some technology-specific projects that we are not qualified to undertake (overseeing the building of nuclear power plants, etc.), there are a wealth of one-time and/or unique projects that we have undertaken and are willing to undertake.

What makes our project management service offering unique is that we have no packaged software or other products that we leverage into our project management work. We provide a qualified project manager to manage your project and that is all you pay us for. If other services and/or products are deemed to be appropriate and/or necessary for your project, you pay only the direct costs for those and only if you have pre-approved them.

We have successfully managed a variety of one-time projects including fleet bandwidth evaluation, development and maintenance; custom function-based hardware development; CD based marketing programs; website development; construction management for both new and existing facilities; materials handling system development and implementation; and a variety of other projects that customers did not have the in-house resources and/or time to commit to undertaking.

Because a lot of our clients are small businesses and/or very specialized businesses they do not have the time, nor the desire, to explore the financial avenues available to them to finance and/or manage certain of the products or services that they utilize, or wish to utilize. In most cases, they are financially sound enough to pay for these services, but because their focus is not on "financial" things, the management of these things becomes an irritant for them, taking time away from their professional focus. In these cases, Manatee is willing and able to take over the management of these services and either bundle them or negotiate better terms for them so that they save money even though Manatee does make a fee for providing these services.

Manatee can also arrange for short- and long-term leasing for a variety of equipment from specialized hardware to ocean-going research vessels.

Bookkeeping services for virtually every function, except the filing of tax returns, are also available through one of our associates, MKG Enterprises, LLC. This work can be transmitted via Cloud Technology or through conventional Internet and/or on-site visitations.

We have found over the years that our clients are typically companies that are very specialized and as such they tend to manage their specialty and not the personnel issues that ultimately determine a company's chances for long-term success. And, although these companies may be financially strong, they are not prepared for business succession whether in the normal course of business or from a catastrophic removal of one or more of their senior management team or owners.

As Manatee key management personnel have all had to face this issue over the years, we have established a strong working relationship with Professional Resources Management, Inc. (PRM) to help us and numerous of our clients successfully work through these issues. PRM utilizes Personalysis as one of its key tools for team building; and all the members of the Manatee management have used this tool for many years and can attest to the positive results that come from using it under the proper guidance and management commitment.

We offer this service because we find that the majority of our clients do not have/take the time to focus on it and if the work that we do for a client is going to have long-term benefits, the client has to be around to avail them of that benefit. Team Building and Succession Planning help insure that they will.