CONDIGEL Group strengthens cold-chain operations with reliable RUCKUS Wi-Fi
CONDIGEL Group is a French temperature-controlled food logistics provider with more than 50 years of experience. Its 280 employees support handling, storage, quality approval, processing, packaging and road transport operations. The company manages nine warehouses, including facilities for frozen and fresh products, alongside production workshops, administrative centers and a maintenance facility.
Industry:
Manufacturing Warehousing & Logistics
Products:
Wireless access points
SmartZone WLAN Controllers
BeamFlex® adaptive antenna technology
Reliable wireless connectivity is essential to CONDIGEL Group’s cold-chain operations, supporting radio terminals, carts, PCs and quality-control teams across warehouses operating at temperatures from -20°C to -50°C. Coverage limitations in its previous environment contributed to daily disconnections, reduced productivity, product losses and inventory omissions, with the associated cost estimated at approximately €30,000 annually.
CONDIGEL Group deployed 145 indoor and outdoor RUCKUS access points with RUCKUS Virtual SmartZone for centralized network management. The solution delivers reliable coverage through metal-dense cold-storage environments and supports more accurate inventory, production and shipping information. It has also reduced network-related IT support tickets by 50% and virtually eliminated network-related downtime.
The Challenge: Coverage gaps and daily disconnections disrupted cold-chain operations
Wi-Fi supports business-critical workflows across CONDIGEL Group’s logistics and administrative environments. Warehouse employees use radio terminals while working on foot or operating carts, PCs help control inbound and outbound merchandise, and quality-control teams rely on the same wireless infrastructure across logistics processes. Reliable connectivity is therefore essential for goods traceability and smooth coordination between mobile terminals and information systems.
Previous solutions struggled to provide consistent coverage within the warehouses. Disconnections reduced productivity, contributed to product losses and inventory omissions, and made it more difficult for forklift operators to locate stock. CONDIGEL Group estimated that unreliable Wi-Fi caused nearly one hour of lost productivity each day and approximately €30,000 in annual costs.
The operating environment added further technical demands. The network needed to function in extreme cold and humidity, maintain stable coverage through dense metallic infrastructure, secure critical operations and provide sufficient redundancy to continue operating with up to 50% of terminals offline. CONDIGEL Group also required centralized management and an infrastructure that could scale with its logistics operations.
The Solution: Reliable, centrally managed Wi-Fi engineered for extreme cold
CONDIGEL Group implemented a RUCKUS Wi-Fi infrastructure centered on RUCKUS Virtual SmartZone, providing centralized, scalable and unified network management. The deployment comprises 145 indoor and outdoor RUCKUS access points, including R550, R510, R350, R310, T350 and T350 SE models selected to address the different coverage and environmental requirements across its logistics and administrative facilities.
RUCKUS BeamFlex adaptive antenna technology dynamically optimizes RF performance and mitigates interference, helping maintain signal integrity in reflective, metal-heavy warehouse environments. Ruggedized access points operate reliably in extreme cold and humidity, withstanding temperatures as low as -50°C without performance degradation. This dependable coverage supports the mobile terminals and connected systems used for inventory handling, production tracking, shipping and quality control.
The architecture supports continued operation in degraded mode with up to 50% of terminal devices offline. Centralized visibility simplifies network supervision and troubleshooting, while a custom captive portal and user-policy management strengthen secure access. The infrastructure can scale with CONDIGEL Group’s operational footprint and provides a foundation for future connected-device integration.
“RUCKUS solutions have proven to be an excellent fit for our industrial needs, providing a stable and efficient level of service that ensures the security of our critical operations.”
Thomas Fageol, Deputy Chief Information Officer, CONDIGEL Group
Key Results: Near-zero downtime strengthens cold-chain productivity and inventory accuracy
The RUCKUS deployment has improved the reliability of CONDIGEL Group’s warehouse connectivity and reduced disruption to critical logistics workflows. More accurate operational data has helped reduce order errors, product losses, misplaced pallets and disputes. Improved visibility into inventory levels, production tracking and shipping information supports more efficient warehouse operations, while fewer support requirements and lower maintenance costs reduce the operational burden on IT.
- 50% fewer network-related IT support tickets
- Near-zero network-related downtime
- Fewer order errors and product losses
- Improved inventory visibility and accuracy
FrameIP, a member of the RUCKUS BIG DOGS Partner Program, supported the project from the initial site audit and technical recommendations through wiring, installation, commissioning and training. Its expertise helped CONDIGEL Group address the environmental and logistical complexities of the deployment.
Founded in 2007 by Sébastien Fontaine, FrameIP provides network, security, communication and strategic IT management services. The company supports customers from infrastructure design through the implementation of high-value projects. Visit the FrameIP website.
