Motorola RFID deployed to manage cold chain logistics application

Motorola and Franwell collaborate to deliver radio frequency identification (RFID) solution to improve H&M Bay’s distribution center processes in Federalsburg, Maryland. ...

... "Time is of the essence in a temperature controlled environment. Such is the case for H&M Bay, a premier freight mover in the less-than-truckload (LTL) frozen and refrigerated commodities market. In this industry, cold storage freight transfers must be stored and shipped in environments that meet stringent industry guidelines and government mandates. In an effort to improve the company’s operational efficiencies and guarantee consistent temperature controls, H&M Bay turned to Motorola and Franwell, Inc. for an RFID hardware and software solution that would locate and record pallet information in real time – giving operators an instantaneous read of inventory as it enters, moves through and leaves the distribution facility. " ...

Via Motorola: Cold Storage Freight Transfer

RFID Time Temperature Measurement for the Cold Chain

ZMD AG inroduces the ZMD41211, an RFID chip that functions as a temperature logger and smart label. ...

... "The ZMD41211 enables logistics customers to precisely monitor and record temperature and humidity throughout the shipping process. Many materials can tolerate temperature fluctuations, but only for a limited amount of time. ZMD's new RFID IC records time as well as temperature, so shippers can determine the total exposure. This avoids the necessity of discarding products that may only have been briefly exposed to temperatures outside the permitted range. " ...

Via ZMD: RFID time and temperature recording chip

Metro RFID Traceability Manages Product Replenishment

METRO Group will implement IBM software to capture and manage inventory and expiration dates for meat sold in its retail Future Store. ...

... "The IBM software automates the process of identifying items nearing their expiration dates and alerts staff when the store is low on a particular meat item. In the past, these tasks have been performed manually by employees, who visually scanned shelves for items about to expire, and surveyed the freezer frequently to determine which meats needed to be restocked. Using IBM's RFID technology, METRO Group can improve customer satisfaction and boost sales by ensuring that its freezer is stocked with the meats shoppers are looking for. " ...

Via IBM: METRO Group Selects IBM Traceability Solution to Manage Products Better

RFID Performance at Cold Temperatures

Demonstration of RFID performance as low temperature. ...

Haisan RFID Low Temp Implementation

Haisan uses RFID technology to manage its cold chain in China as it expands service in the region. The company achieved its goals through a phased implementation leading to unit-level tracking of materials in the supply chain. ...

... "Haisan via its wholly owned subsidiary, IGLO (M) Sdn Bhd, implemented a radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track goods stored in the warehouse here with the lowest temperature of up to –28°. " ...

The Edge Malaysia: Haisan China

Logistics RFID Cold Chain Requirements

Accellos completes RFID consortium initiative to address emerging RFID requirements of the third-party logistics (3PL) market in the freezer, cooler and dry warehousing environments. ...

... "The purpose of the project was to develop RFID Slap and Ship capability that meets the compliance requirements of specific retailers. The RFID consortium, a best of breed group comprised of manufacturers, operators and system integrators was a unique approach to enhancing the Accellos Enterprise 3PL product, with each member of the RFID consortium having an equal vote in all project related decisions. " ...

Via Accellos: Successful Development of RFID Capabilities within Accellos Enterprise 3PL

DHL RFID Pharma Temperature Controlled Logistics Innovation Recognized

DHL is recognized for innovative application of RFID technology in the pharma supply chain. ...

... "Today's pharmaceutical products generally consist of temperature-sensitive ingredients that can lose their effectiveness when they are placed in an environment that is too cold or too hot. The DHL Innovation Initiative developed an inventive solution to monitor temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products during transport. RFID sensor tags made by the development partner Infratab monitor the temperature of pharmaceutical shipments. The stored measurement data can be read by a RFID reader without physical contact using radio waves. In the process, the shipment does not have to be opened. The link to the database is handled by solutions created by IBM, one of the global innovation partners of the DHL Innovation Initiative. Thanks to the new service, pharmaceutical companies can react to temperatures that exceed or fall below limits even while the shipment is still being transported.

The battery-powered memory chip is equipped with an integrated alarm function that records each time that the temperature rises above or falls below predetermined limits. In the future, unusable medications can be removed more quickly from the supply chain. Based on the temperatures to which the shipment was subjected, the sensor chip also determines the individual expiration date for medications. As a result, physicians and pharmacists can distribute the medication whose expiration date comes first, preventing medications from going bad after they have left the transport chain. " ...

Via DHL: TEMPERATURE-MONITORED PHARMACEUTICAL LOGISTICS WITH RFID

RFID Cold Chain Presentations Planned RFID World

Sensitech and Motorola will explore accomplishments of RFID-enabled cold supply chains. ...

... "Sensitech's first session, scheduled for March 26, will focus on Driving Measurable Process Improvements with RFID Cold Chain Visibility. Sensitech's vice president of Business Development and New Technologies, Peter J. Maysek, and Motorola's director of RFID Business Development, Tom Racette, will delve into protecting the integrity of perishables and the complexity of supply chain management. They will examine some cold chain management practices, including a Class 4 active RFID monitoring system. They also provide some insight into what is possible with the evolution of Class 3 tags. Areas to be reviewed will include technology, applications, architecture and the business value of data analysis. The second session, scheduled for March 28, will highlight RFID in the Cold Chain - Leveraging Cold Chain Visibility. " ...

Sensitech Presents with Motorola at Fifth Annual RFID World Conference

RFID Cold Chain Application 3PL: Third Party Logistics ...

Atlas Cold Storage implements Ship2Save RFID systems in a second phase of its cold chain. ...

... "As part of Atlas Cold Storage's RFID expansion initiative, Ship2Save has deployed yet another Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system for the cold storage third party logistic provider (3PL). The 2nd deployment site is phasing in a superior Gen2 tag standard that has facilitated Atlas Cold Storage to have a more flexible operational process with the RFID tagging. As it stands, Ship2Save has deployed its RFID solution at 2 of Atlas Cold Storage's 55 facilities. This solution can easily and rapidly deployed at the other Atlas facilities. The Company strongly believes that this number will grow as more and more food and beverage manufacturers begin to adopt RFID as part of their supply chain. " ...

RFID Cold Chain Application 3PL: Third Party Logistics: Via Ship2save: Ship2save deploys second RFID solution for Atlas Cold Storage Inc. ...

RFID 3PL Walmart Cold Chain Solution ...

Ship2Save implements RFID in the third-party logistics (3PL) cold chain for Walmart. ...

... "Ship2Save has provided Atlas Cold Storage with a RFID system specifically developed to enable this premier Cold Storage Third Party Logistics’ provider to offer RFID services to its customers across North America. The first implementation at Atlas Sikeston, Missouri facility was driven by a request from one of Atlas largest ice cream customers to service WalMart's Texas D.C.'s. Atlas is currently working with another customer on a second RFID implementation in the Midwest and has more planned for the future as demand develops. The continued implementation of RFID Systems across the supply-chain is facilitating the use of more open-looped systems. These systems allow cooperation and data sharing amongst trading partners providing supply-chain visibility and improvements in supply-chain processes. The commitment to this technology by 3PL companies such as Atlas Cold Storage will encourage further RFID adoption amongst their customer base, and in turn pave the way for more open-looped RFID systems. " ...

RFID 3PL Walmart Cold Chain Solution: Via Ship2Save: Cost Effective & Innovative RFID Business Solutions: Pulling RFID out of the Freezer: Ship2save deploys RFID solution for Atlas Cold Storage ...

RFID Temperature Monitoring in the Cold Chain ...

RFID Temperature Monitoring in the Cold Chain: Via SENSITECH: Sensitech Launches ColdStream™ PTS Plant to Shelf Application, Empowering Retailers and Perishable Suppliers to Reduce Shrink and Increase Profits through Improved Cold Chain Visibility: Radio Frequency-Enabled Solution is First to Provide Temperature Monitoring Within Every Segment of the Cold Chain ...

... "The launch of ColdStream PTS builds on Sensitech's position as the trusted global provider of cold chain management products and services to 15 of the top 20 U.S. supermarkets, and over 3,000 perishable suppliers of produce, dairy, meat and seafood. For more than 15 years, Sensitech has focused its energies and talents on improving the efficiency and reducing the costs of its customers' cold chains through the application of statistical process control. The company distinguishes itself through its emphasis on aggressive research and development, adoption of new technologies such as RF and RFID, and a worldwide customer support organization. " ...

StateOfArt RFID Solution Center ...

StateOfArt RFID Solution Center: New RFID Center Shows Customers How Solutions Lead To Business Value ...

Xterprise opens a state-of-the-art RFID solutions center in their headquarters ...

... "Xterprise Incorporated, the leading solutions provider for the RFID Enabled Supply Chain announces its new, custom designed headquarters, where the company recently hosted a multiday open house for customers. More than an expanded headquarters, the facility is home to a 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art RFID Solution Center. The center gives Xterprise an operational warehouse/manufacturing environment to showcase its complete suite of solutions that it has deployed around the globe. The growing list of Xterprise solutions serve the needs of many markets: retail, supply chain visibility, food and pharmaceutical cold chain (temperature tracking) and asset management. " ...

Xterprise Incorporated develops RFID supply chain solutions and has been chosen by the many of the worlds most respected supply chains and fastest growing companies as an RFID solution provider. Xterprise blends best practices, supply chain processes, material handling, RFID system hardware and application software, enterprise systems integration, data analytics, demand signaling applications and remote solution support. This provides the industry benchmark for system ease of use and lowest cost per case solution in the markets they serve. Xterprise is headquartered in Carrollton, TX.

RFID Solutions Center: Cold Chain

RFID Solutions Center: Cold Chain: Cognizant and US Cold Storage to Build RFID Solution Center in Dallas: IT Services Leader Teams with US Cold Storage to Meet RFID Mandates by Large Retailers and Suppliers ...

Cognizant partners to construct an RFID solutions center focused on the cold chain ...

... "Cognizant Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: CTSH ), a leading provider of IT services, today announced that it is partnering with a long-time customer, US Cold Storage, a leading cold storage and frozen food logistics provider, to build an RFID Solution Center in Dallas. The RFID Center will implement and manage RFID strategies in a live environment that will enable suppliers to provide RFID-labeled products to major retailers. " ...

Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of IT services. Focused on delivering strategic information technology solutions that address the complex business needs of its clients, Cognizant provides applications management, development, integration, and re-engineering, infrastructure management, business process outsourcing, and a number of related services such as enterprise consulting, technology architecture, program management, and change management through its onsite/offshore outsourcing model. Cognizant's more than 19,000 employees are committed to partnerships that sustain long-term, proven value for customers by delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions through its development centers in India and onsite client teams. Cognizant maintains P-CMM and SEI-CMM Level 5 assessments from an independent third-party assessor, was recently named Forbes' Best Small Company in America for the second consecutive year, and ranked among the top information technology companies in BusinessWeek's Hot Growth Companies.

USCS is a leading national public refrigerated warehouse operator with a network of facilities across the United States comprising over 110 million cubic feet. The company serves a customer base with requirements ranging from primary storage to fully integrated third party logistic solutions for a complete range of perishable food products. United States Cold Storage, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of the United Kingdom and Hong Kong based Swire Group in 1982. The Swire Group was founded in the United Kingdom in 1816 and now has substantial investments in refrigerated warehousing, shipping, road transport, soft drink manufacturing, aviation, property and trading in the United States, Australia, Asia and the United Kingdom.

RFID Shipping Warehousing Operations

RFID Shipping Warehousing Operations: ClearOrbit Harvests Supply Chain Efficiencies for Paramount Farms - the World's Largest Pistachio and Almond Supplier: ClearOrbit's Solution Will Enable Real-Time, Precise Tracking of Inventory, Shipping and Deliveries from Standard-setting Warehouse and Cold Storage ...

... "Paramount Farms is the world's largest vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds, managing 175,000 square feet of cold storage with up to 190 million pounds of capacity. ClearOrbit's G.SI for Oracle Process Manufacturing (OPM) solution enables companies running OPM to leverage bar code, RF scanning and RFID to dramatically improve inventory, warehousing and shipping operations. " ...

Paramount Farms is the world's largest vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds. Paramount Farms, a company with a long established history building successful produce brands including Sunkist® California Pistachios, a top seller; and Sunkist® Almond Accents®, the leading flavored, sliced almond topping. Sister brands include POM Wonderful®, the largest grower of California Wonderful; pomegranates and producer of POM Wonderful® Pomegranate Juice.

Since 1994, ClearOrbit has assisted more than 275 clients in automating and controlling their supply chain execution processes. ClearOrbit extends enterprise systems value with proven Supply Chain Execution (SCE) and Collaborative Supply Management (CSM) software solutions that allow customers to fully leverage their investment in enterprise applications while also gaining additional value by incorporating their trading partners into their supply chains. ClearOrbit products work within the existing enterprise system to leverage a "single version of the truth," expanding rather than duplicating functionality to eliminate inefficiencies in the supply chain. By using the customer's data model, ClearOrbit delivers on the promise of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) and SAP (NYSE: SAP) with fully integrated supply chain execution and collaboration solutions that address "last mile functionality" issues inherent in most ERP systems. ClearOrbit customers include Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU) and Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN).

RFID Temperature Sensor: Cold Chain Wireless Application

RFID Temperature Sensor: Cold Chain Application: With no wiring required the Securetemp is a reliable RFID temperature monitoring and alert system with real-time in-cab display and audible alarm ...

... "Failure to maintain stringent temperature conditions during transit results in the rejection of valuable perishable loads. Securetemp is a reliable wireless RFID system that alerts the driver before critical conditions occur allowing remedial action to be taken. " ...

Sysco RFID Pilot in Cold Chain: Alien Technology Used ...

Sysco RFID Pilot in Cold Chain: 3PL Solutions and Alien Technology® Announce Successful Field Test of RFID & Sensor-based System for Cold Chain Management: Successful field test deployed for SYSCO Corporation, North America’s largest food service marketing and distribution organization, demonstrates capability of RFID to transform the monitoring of temperature and environmental conditions during food transport with huge strides in documentation for food quality and safety ...

Sysco pilots RFID in their cold chain leveraging Alien Technology's RFID solutions with value chain services from 3PL Solutons ...

... "The DAX pilot program field testing was conducted by Alien Technology, 3PL Solutions and SYSCO in the SYSCO Frozen Foods and Produce supply chains and addressed dedicated, LTL, and inter-modal shipments. The RFID and Sensor-enabled system provides cost-effective Chain of Evidence documentation for food shipments, addressing anticipated regulatory requirements for better documentation of quality & safety control in food shipments, as well as improving methods to avoid waste and spoilage losses. Today, when food products leave the controlled environment of a well regulated distribution center, there are few cost effective mechanisms to insure and document continuous environmental control and access control... " ...

Alien Technology Corporation is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products for global customers in government, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and other industries. Using its patented manufacturing process, Fluidic Self Assembly (FSA®), Alien manufactures EPC tags in very high-volumes and at low cost. The company provides a family of RFID readers for a variety of applications including supply chain management, logistics, and anti-counterfeiting, to improve inventory management and reduce operating costs. Alien is an active member of EPCglobal.

3PL Solutions, Inc. supplies the Commercial Warehousing and Supply Management Industry with products and services for the Third Party Logistics Industry with a Commercial and Public Distribution Services focus. In close coordination with affiliate, Geometric Solutions, Inc., 3PL systems and services help manage millions of SKUs for thousands of manufacturers across the country. 3PL Solutions staff is comprised of seasoned professionals with a mandatory combination of skills encompassing Information Systems, Business Practices, and floor Operations. With years of hands-on experience in virtually all major product families flowing through the nations’ supply lines, 3PL Solutions cross-pollinates best practices from one industry focus to another, and enables customers to meld the best of all worlds into cost effective and unusually efficient and profitable operations.

Cold Chain RFID for Pharma: Sensitech and GenuOne Form Strategic Partnership

From PR Newswire (press release)  ... End-to-End Tracking and Analysis Solutions Using RFID and Conventional ID Technology for Enhanced Visibility in the Supply Chain BEVERLY, Mass., Jan. ...

... Sensitech Inc., the leading provider of cold chain information and analysis, and GenuOne, Inc., the leading provider of product tracking software for visibility management, today announced the formation of a strategic partnership to deliver a condition based product tracking solution for the Pharmaceutical and Food industries. GenuOne and Sensitech together will offer an integrated and provensolution for product tracking, authentication / diversion and electronic pedigree. ...

Sensitech is the leading independent provider of cold-chain informationand analysis that enable global leaders in Food and Pharmaceuticals to protect the integrity, freshness and efficacy of their temperature-sensitive products. In the past decade, Sensitech has protected more than $200 billion of its customers' assets around the globe. The company is based in Beverly, Massachusetts, and has offices in Redmond, Washington, Fresno, California, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Chile and Calgary, with service and distribution offices around the world.

Cold Chain RFID for Pharma ...

Cold Chain RFID for Pharma: Sensitech and GenuOne Form Strategic Partnership

From PR Newswire (press release)  ... End-to-End Tracking and Analysis Solutions Using RFID and Conventional ID Technology for Enhanced Visibility in the Supply Chain BEVERLY, Mass., Jan. ...

... Sensitech Inc., the leading provider of cold chain information and analysis, and GenuOne, Inc., the leading provider of product tracking software for visibility management, today announced the formation of a strategic partnership to deliver a condition based product tracking solution for the Pharmaceutical and Food industries. GenuOne and Sensitech together will offer an integrated and provensolution for product tracking, authentication / diversion and electronic pedigree. ...

Sensitech is the leading independent provider of cold-chain informationand analysis that enable global leaders in Food and Pharmaceuticals to protect the integrity, freshness and efficacy of their temperature-sensitive products. In the past decade, Sensitech has protected more than $200 billion of its customers' assets around the globe. The company is based in Beverly, Massachusetts, and has offices in Redmond, Washington, Fresno, California, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Chile and Calgary, with service and distribution offices around the world.

RFID Warehousing: Eagle Creek's Products to Travel Effortlessly Throughout the ...

From Yahoo News (press release) ... Provia's Supply Chain Execution solutions include RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products seamlessly integrated together ...

An RFID-enabled warehouse can increase throughput and increase on-time delivery to the customer. RFID-enabled warehouse strategies can be used to support wave-picking, cross-docking, and space optimization while eliminating the need to manually trigger transactions ...

... Provia Software, a leading provider of supply chain execution (SCE) software solutions, announced that Eagle Creek, a manufacturer of adventure travel gear, everyday bags, travel accessories and packing solutions, has chosen Provia's ViaWare WMS (Warehouse Management System) and SPS (Small Parcel Shipping) software products for use at the company's Vista, Calif., distribution facility. ...

Provia Software, a Viastore Company, delivers The Power of Delivery(TM) for customers like Gillette, Menlo Worldwide, Graybar Electric, Spencer Gifts, Lanier Worldwide, and Owens Corning and third-party logistics (3PL) customers like Menlo Worldwide, Total Logistic Control and Conestoga Cold Storage. Provia's Supply Chain Execution solutions include RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products seamlessly integrated together with web-based visibility tools to create a real-time, end-to-end supply chain execution solution.

RFID Logistics: Delfour Establishes RFID Lab with Third Party Logistics Focus ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... of third party and fourth party logistics (3PL/4PL) management software, has led the formation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) laboratories for ...

Many companies, such as Delfour, are creating working RFID laboratories to support development and testing of new business processes enabled by RFID technology. In this case, the focus is on RFID-enabled logistics processes ...

... Delfour Corporation, a leading innovator and provider of third party and fourth party logistics (3PL/4PL) management software, has led the formation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) laboratories for testing RFID technologies (hardware, software, labels) and integration with standard operating procedures in a real warehouse operating environment, it was announced today by President and CEO Joe E. Couto. Operating under an industry consortium framework in which various 3PL operators and vendor technology groups work together to drive 3PL/4PL-based RFID solutions, laboratories have been established in Richmond, Virginia, USA at the facilities of Richmond Cold Storage and in Brampton, Ontario, Canada at the facilities of Confederation Freezers. ...

Delfour Corporation, based in Markham, is a global provider of comprehensive, highly configurable, advanced supply chain execution solutions for the third and fourth party logistics (3PL, 4PL) industries. Delfour's SmartEnterprise solutions establish exceptionally smart supply chains that enable clients and their customers to experience seamless execution of warehouse management and related logistics functions, and to achieve enhanced profitability by collaborating throughout the supply chain. Innovative use of Oracle's Relational Database Management System and Java(TM) technology enables Delfour to maintain its leading role in the production and implementation of logistics systems that run in all operating system environments.

Mobile RFID: Psion Teklogix Launches Third Hand-Held Computer on its Next ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Psion Teklogix (LSE:PON), a global provider of solutions for mobile computing, wireless data collection and RFID, today unveiled the 7530, an ultra-rugged ...

... Psion Teklogix (LSE:PON), a global provider of solutions for mobile computing, wireless data collection and RFID, today unveiled the 7530, an ultra-rugged, Windows CE .NET-based hand-held computer for the cold chain and extreme logistics environments. Continuing to expand its mobile computing device portfolio, the 7530 is Psion Teklogix' fourth hand-held built on its next-generation platform. It follows the earlier launch of the 7535, NETBOOK PRO and WORKABOUT PRO. The 7530 is designed to meet customers' needs for a powerful hand-held computer capable of displaying client/server, web and enterprise resources while operating in the most intense and cold environments. ...

Psion Teklogix is a global provider of solutions for mobile computing, wireless data collection and RFID. The company's fully integrated mobile computing solutions include rugged hardware, secure wireless networks, robust software, professional services and exceptional support programs. Psion Teklogix is committed to helping its customers reap the benefits of new and emerging technologies, such as RFID. The company continues to introduce new RFID technologies that show tremendous potential across a wide range of markets. With over three decades of industry experience, Psion Teklogix has customers in more than 70 countries around the world, and over 36 sales and support offices in 17 countries. Psion Teklogix is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada with additional corporate offices located in the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Psion Teklogix is the operating business of Psion PLC, which is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (PON.L).

RFID Hazard Tracking: Provia Software Offers HazMat Tracking & Reporting Functionality ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... Provia's Supply Chain Execution solutions include RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products seamlessly integrated together ...

... Provia Software, a leading provider of supply chain execution software solutions, announced today that hazardous material (HazMat) reporting functionality has been added to the company's FourSite(R) third party logistics (3PL) product solution. The HazMat functionality, which has never before been included with a standard supply chain execution application, will be an optional module in FourSite version 4.5.
HazMat tracking and reporting has typically been a function that required an additional application to work in conjunction with the 3PL's logistics solution. ...

Provia Software, a Viastore Company, delivers The Power of Delivery(TM) for customers like, Menlo Worldwide, Total Logistic Control and Conestoga Cold Storage, Gillette, Graybar Electric, Spencer Gifts, Lanier Worldwide, and Owens Corning. Provia's Supply Chain Execution solutions include RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products seamlessly integrated together with web-based visibility tools to create a real-time, end-to-end supply chain execution solution.

RFID Cold Chain: Sensitech expands in Europe with Check-It buy

From In Pharma, France ... Sensitech is active in developing radiofrequency identification (RFID)-based technologies for cold chain management. It recently ...

RFID in the Cold Chain: RFID gets temperature sensitive

From Computerworld Australia, Australia ... Enterprises that deal will perishable goods distribution and handling can now use RFID to track assets and any change in temperature with the government-backed ...

Cold Chain Validation Project: This project will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and web enabled software to track temperature sensitive goods such as pharmaceutical (vaccines and blood) and animal health products through the supply chain. The benefits of this approach to any goods requiring stable temperature are shorter turn around times and greater quality assurance compliance, leading to efficiency gains for supply chain participants. As shipments move through the supply chain, RFID tags attached to each consignment will be scanned upon receipt. The scanned information is then made available online in near real time. The application and trials will be based on EAN.UCC global standards.

RFID - how cool is that?

Dallas Morning News, TX ... Rather, he's a pioneer of radio frequency identification technology, or RFID, and the founder of FreshLoc Technologies Inc., a scrappy little Dallas company ...

FreshLoc is a sensory network system providing cold chain quality control throughout the food supply chain. It monitors mission critical equipment and assets for safety and operational savings. The patented system is based upon tiny wireless sensors that transmit continuously. It automatically and continually collects data such as temperature, humidity and other measures via a secure Internet connection.

HEB, the largest retail grocer in Texas, is expanding the use of FreshLoc. Its Perishable Distribution Center (PDC) will increase the existing FreshLoc installation and will add FreshLoc to a new warehouse being constructed for use beginning in 2003. FreshLoc has been in service with the HEB PDC, Meat Plant and Floral warehouse.

As meat travels through a batch process, temperatures must be verified at every step. In the past, Booker Packing stopped their line to take core and surface readings every half hour. Now new Batch Process monitoring from FreshLoc Technologies allows Booker to set time and temperature parameters, then launch the batch and monitor it online. Stopping to take manual readings is a thing of the past. FreshLoc’s system stores the data locally before passing it to web-based servers. This redundancy guarantees accessibility; it also insures the integrity of HACCP records.

Walmart RFID Compliance: Provia's WMS Chosen to Power Sun's RFID Test Center

Texas-Based RFID Test Center to Help Suppliers Meet RFID Compliance Requirements from Wal-Mart

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Provia Software, a leading provider of supply chain execution software solutions, announced today that the company's ViaWare warehouse management system (WMS) is the supply chain execution system being currently utilized at Sun Microsystems' new, state-of-the-art RFID Test Center in Dallas, Texas. Sun's facility brings together a complete end-to-end RFID solution designed to help quell the fears of companies looking to initiate an RFID compliance program and quickly help them achieve compliance status.

Sun's RFID Test Center, a 17,000-square-foot warehouse facility, is slated to open May 5, 2004 with a large open house celebration. The center is fully equipped to meet the EPC standards and RFID compliance requirements for tagging and testing of products at the pallet and case level.

"The idea of RFID implementation can seem insurmountable. Provia and Sun are here to demonstrate the actual tangible process to companies, and help them build a map to RFID compliance," said Paul Crist, vice president of sales and marketing for Provia. "This is truly the first RFID test center of its kind -- a working warehouse where companies can test how the entire system works before they invest in RFID technology. Companies can use the test center to evaluate how they can incorporate RFID into their manufacturing, warehouse and distribution environments, develop production of a full scale product tagging plan and come away with an end-to-end architecture for the implementation at their site."

Corporations and government agencies around the world recognize RFID's potential to cut supply chain costs, increase operational efficiencies, speed delivery time, and minimize theft and waste.

"We are excited to have Provia as an integrated partner into our Test Center offering. Together we will provide suppliers to Wal-Mart and others with a facility and the technical expertise to get their RFID implementations achieved correctly the first time," said Julie Sarbacker, director of the Auto-ID Business Unit at Sun Microsystems. "Suppliers should contact us today to get started."

In addition to showcasing a state-of-the-art warehouse environment equipped with RFID readers installed at dock doors and warehouse forklift portals, the test center contains material handling pallet conveyers and high speed conveyor station products for advanced tagging and testing of RFID tagged products. Integration with Provia's warehouse management system (WMS)
will allow for automated processing of Advance Ship Notifications (ASNs). The initial use for the test center will be for pallet acceptance into the center via dock doors, but will quickly be expanded to the tracking of products to various test stations such as pallet conveyors, high speed tracks and pallet racks.

Executives from Sun, Provia and other companies will participate in the event. The grand opening of the Test Center would be of interest to consumer product companies, manufacturers and suppliers, who are required to comply with RFID mandates from Wal-Mart, Target, Albertsons, HDMA or the US Department of Defense. To register to attend, please visit http://www.avim.com/sun/index.html . Inquiries about the Grand Opening should be sent to
rfid-testcenter@sun.com . About Provia Software - Provia Software, a viastore Company, delivers The Power of Delivery(TM) for customers like Gillette, Menlo Worldwide, Graybar Electric, US Freightways, Spencer Gifts, Lanier Worldwide, and Owens Corning and third-party logistics (3PL) customers like, Menlo Worldwide, Total Logistic Control and Conestoga Cold Storage. Provia's Supply Chain Execution solutions include RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products seamlessly integrated together with web-based visibility tools to create a real-time, end-to-end supply chain execution solution. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo and The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the US and other countries.