RFID Adaptive Supply Chain Networks

SAP upgrades its transportation management functionality, as part of the mySAP Supply Chain Management (mySAP SCM) modules to support adapting business processes to optimize revenue across global trade operations. The upgraded software will support ocean shipping management and transportation planning through increased visibility and control of shipments globally. Transportation management costs will be reduced by making the business process more flexible and dynamic using real world aware practices, such as RFID technology. RFID technology integration into the adaptive supply chain will occur through SAP's NetWeaver platform. SAP reports that its existing transportation management software is used by more than 2,200 companies worldwide. This upgrade positions SAP as a strong competitor in the supply chain logistics software market. ...

... "Powered by the SAP NetWeaver platform and leveraging emerging technologies and real world aware practices - using technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, smart cards and sensors - mySAP SCM transforms traditional, linear supply chains into adaptive supply chain networks to meet the challenges of rapidly changing market dynamics. These adaptive supply chain networks allow all participants, including suppliers and logistics providers, to sense changes in demand and supply conditions as they occur and to share the critical knowledge needed to respond intelligently. The result is an adaptive supply chain network that is not only demand-driven but can also leverage its assets to influence demand where appropriate. mySAP SCM offers a dynamic synchronization of demand-driven planning, logistics and network execution based on real-time information that provides the capability to synchronize supply with demand by balancing push and pull network planning processes and to replenish and produce based on actual demand; sense and respond with an adaptive supply chain network in which distribution, transportation and logistics are driven and integrated into real-time planning processes; and enable network wide visibility, collaboration and analytics across the extended supply chain. " ...

Via SAP: SAP Helps Companies Meet the Challenges and Reduce the Costs of Global Trade ...

DOD RFID Dept of Defense Implementation Enablers

ODIN Technologies shares some of the key ingredients (Accuracy and Implementation Speed) to enabling their successful implementation of RFID technology in the DOD supply chain. The Dept of Defense has strict read rate accuracy requirements that ODIN had to meet with limited technology capabilities at that time. In addition, ODIN perfected an implementation methodology for the DOD that improved the speed of delivery while sustaining performance quality. ...

... "DoD is modernizing its logistics system to better support the warfighter. Passive RFID is at the center of that transformation. It is a core element of the DoD's force transformation initiative designed to create a more agile military. However, if the tags and readers do not communicate reliably, the benefits will not materialize. After years of planning, the DLA needed a highly accurate RFID network established rapidly.

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Accuracy: DoD expected its RFID system to be an order of magnitude more sophisticated than what was currently being deployed. Boundaries relative to read-rates and performance were strict, unlike many retailers who have toyed with trial-and-error methods. Rather than just attempt to read a single pallet tag, the DoD demanded 20 Gen 1.0 and Gen 2.0 RFID tags be affixed to cases and read as they come through a dock door - 100% accurately. This required scientific precision when designing and configuring the RFID network. Each portal was tested 10 times for that performance criteria. The DoD has shown RFID will reduce costs, increase supply visibility and streamline its entire supply chain, from the factory-to-the-foxhole. However, it can only do this if the RFID system is accurate and reliable.

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Implementation Methods and Speed: Eighteen facilities spanning the continental U.S. (CONUS) were evaluated, solutions designed, installed and tested to 100% accuracy in under 130 days. " ...

Via ODIN Technologies: DOD Case Study (PDF) ...

RFID Oracle EdgeServer Success ...

Noel SA, South American CPG company, successfully uses Oracle RFID edge services to understand the application of RFID to logistics business processes. ...

... "Noel SA used RFID-enabled Oracle Warehouse Management (WMS), part of the Oracle E-Business Suite, as the logistics platform for the pilot, which included tagging 2,000 pallets of Ducales cookies that were sent to the distribution center in Medell? Colombia. Noel SA used Oracle Sensor Edge Server, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, to connect and manage all the devices on the RFID system, including tag printers and readers. Data captured from the system was processed by Oracle WMS and synchronized with the Oracle enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications. Each pallet received a passive RFID tag, which included important order information such as the lot number and product expiration date.



The RFID-tagged pallets were read throughout the supply chain from the production floor to the final distribution center to ensure proper delivery of orders. Once the pallet arrived at the distribution center of Medell? it was read again to reconcile the sales order and fulfillment information held in the Oracle order management system. At the conclusion of the pilot, Noel SA uncovered that the bar code process prior to the RFID pilot was being executed incorrectly, rendering inventory and shipment data inaccurate. Noel SA gained valuable visibility into its operations such as inventory management and order fulfillment using RFID. The company plans to begin the roll out of a full-scale RFID system in the future. " ...

Via Oracle: Noel SA Successfully Completes RFID Pilot Based on Oracle Solutions

RFID: Sun SAP Collaborate ...

Sun and SAP collaborate to enable seamless RFID solutions ...

... "Sun Microsystems, Inc. expanded its relationship with SAP AG to integrate and standardize RFID technology based on the SAP(R) Auto-ID Infrastructure component of SAP NetWeaver(R) and the Sun Java System RFID Software. This collaboration will enable RFID data network communication between Sun and SAP RFID technology (part of the mySAP Business Suite solutions), allowing for seamless data flow from any RFID-enabled device to the mySAP Business Suite. The technology integration has been tested and certified by SAP. Customers in a broad range of industries, including retail and manufacturing, are looking to RFID technology to help them gain insight into multiple facets of the logistics process, including maintaining inventories, interacting with suppliers, improving customer service and tracking orders. The collaboration between SAP and Sun will help speed time to deployment for customers looking to integrate RFID data into their back-end systems. The Sun Java System RFID Software provides centralized monitoring and management capabilities for large numbers of distributed RFID devices and delivers Jini technology-based dynamic networking capabilities, which help ensure that RFID data can continue to be transmitted to the SAP applications under demanding production environments. " ...

RFID: Sun SAP Collaborate: Via Sun: Sun and SAP Collaborate to Simplify Deployment of RFID Solutions on SAP NetWeaver ...

Additional references on SAP and RFID ...

Via SAP - Components & Tools of SAP NetWeaver: SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure: "SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure, the key component of SAP NetWeaver that provides RFID capabilities, provides SAP applications with a gateway into RFID data. "

Via SAP: SAP RFID Rollout Signals Major Savings for Midsize Flag-Maker: "SAP NetWeaver provides companies with a powerful platform to manage, integrate and leverage RFID data within their SAP and non-SAP business applications. By integrating a combination of SAP NetWeaver components with core business applications, such as enterprise resource planning or supply chain management, customers can RFID-enable their business processes. The implementation of SAP RFID technology was facilitated by Annin's implementation partner CIBER Novasoft. The integration of SAP RFID technology and the pre-existing SAP IT infrastructure means information captured from the RFID tags for the more than 500,000 master cartons shipped annually can be accessed directly in the enterprise SAP system. Retailers can track and report on the movement of Annin's inventory tagged with RFID through warehouses and stores. By creating this real-world aware network, Annin has laid the groundwork for shipping items using RFID and developing an integrated and scalable approach to the technology, providing benefits beyond merely meeting the Wal-Mart requirement. "

Via SAP: SAP Forges Next Generation of RFID-Enabled Business Solutions with Kimberly-Clark: "SAP and Kimberly-Clark will continue to leverage EPCglobal efforts to promote standards based solutions to the marketplace. SAP is bringing to bear the state-of-the-art Auto-ID, analytical and event-driven technologies provided by the SAP NetWeaver platform to collect, analyze and act on EPC (electronic product code) data shared among Kimberly-Clark and its trading partners. Kimberly-Clark has already deployed SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure as the system of record of enterprise-wide EPC information and as the interface that controls all EPC information flowing into mySAP ERP. "

Via SAP: SAP Enables Fraport AG to Reduce Maintenance Costs and Increase Safety at Frankfurt Airport with Mobile Asset Management: "Before the mobile deployment, service engineers had to fill out lengthy forms during equipment checks, then enter the data manually into the central ERP software. Service technicians now use PDAs to access daily maintenance plans and carry out work orders. The PDAs read maintenance-relevant information from the RFID tags installed on ventilation shutters and act as clients to the ERP software for reporting and archiving. Because the PDAs can read tags only at a distance of three centimeters or less, the mobile scenario confirms that service technicians duly checked each vent on their work orders. In addition to safeguarding maintenance processes and generating reports in compliance with federal regulations, the solution helps the company maintain a complete view across the entire asset life cycle and more quickly locate reoccurring faults. "

RFID Job Growth ...

RFID job growth in Asia ...

... "LS Cable will employ about 200 (including experienced people), a similar figure to last year, and LS Industrial Systems Co. will hire 150 in fields such as R&D, planning and marketing, centering on the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag business. " ...

RFID Job Growth: Via Donga: Major Companies To Hire 10,000 in 2006 ...

RFID Visibility Solution for Supply Chain

TNT Express will implement Xterprise’s TraX Visibility, a real-time supply chain execution solution. The system will track high value electronics movement in the supply chain from China to Europe. The solution was piloted in 2004 and will now be expanded. ...

... "Phase II involves deployment of an enhanced TraX Release 2.0 application with multi-stakeholder enterprise system integration, including SAP. In addition, the solution will enable streamlining and higher accuracy sorting at the TNT facilities in Europe and enable Item-level shipment visibility for supply network partners. TraX 2.0 is expected to improve TNT customer service through a higher fidelity Track and Trace features which allows for better inventory planning and management and more accurate shipping performance, resulting in a value-added service offerings to TNT’s customer base. Xterprise technology partners in the project included Alien, Zebra Technologies and Apriso. The introduction of the latest RFID tag antenna designs and new multi-static European RFID readers both from Alien increased the read reliability dramatically. Tests have shown up to 100% read performance of a full pallet of notebooks as they are unloaded through the Xterprise XPort™ RFID reader portals in multiple locations throughout Europe. Xterprise’s TraX RFID enhanced visibility application, built on Apriso’s Flexnet SOA platform, enables customers, suppliers and logistics service providers to view real-time status of shipments around the globe. " ...

RFID Visibility Solution for Supply Chain: Via Xterprise: TNT Express Deploys Xterprise TraX Real-Time RFID Visibility Solution for China-Europe Supply Chain ...

Pharma RFID Dispensing Authentication ...

Aegate is commercializing RFID-enabled authentication solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, which focuses on controls at the point of drug dispensing. ...

Pharma RFID Dispensing Authentication: Via Aegate: Aegate Moves Forward into Commercialisation Phase and Appoints Gary Noon as CEO ...

... "Aegate, a wholly owned subsidiary and specialist venture company for PA Consulting Group, has developed a commercially viable solution to combat one of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest and growing patient safety issues -- the trade in counterfeit and fake drugs. Authentication at the point of dispensing enables investment in mass serialisation security technologies such as bar code and RFID to be effectively leveraged as a brand protection mechanism. Sales of counterfeit prescription medicines are forecast to reach $75 billion by the end of the decade, nearly doubling current levels and outgrowing the annual growth rate of legitimate pharmaceutical sales. Following the outstanding success of Aegate's pilot programme in the UK, the company is now in the planning phase for commercial launch and roll-out in the USA, UK and Belgium during 2006. " ...

RFID Tivo PVR ...

RFID meets Tivo PVR. ...

Via PVRblog: TiVo Plans RFID-Aware PVR ...

... "TiVo is planning a RFID-aware addition to TiVo boxes, in order to let owners have multiple profiles. " ...

RFID Reader EPC Hardware Certification: Samsys ...

RFID Reader EPC Hardware Certification: Samsys: Via SAMSys: SAMSys’ Market-Leading UHF RFID Reader Module Receives EPCglobal Hardware Certification for Gen 2 Compliance ...

... "SAMSys Technologies Inc. (SMY: TSX), an international provider of Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) reader solutions, announced that its MP9311 UHF RFID reader module has received EPCglobal Hardware Certification ensuring conformance with the EPCglobal Gen 2 standard for RFID products. The MP9311 is the leading module in its class, with adoption by major printer manufacturers including Datamax, Paxar, Sato and others for use in their respective RFID smart label printer/encoders. The EPCglobal certification verifies that the MP9311 module complies with the EPCglobal UHF Generation 2 Air Interface Protocol Standard. The EPCglobal Hardware Certification Program was designed to enable end users and OEMs to quickly identify EPC-compliant RFID hardware that will work predictably, thereby eliminating the need for IT staff to spend time evaluating hardware components when planning RFID pilots or implementations. " ...

RFID Intelligent Networking Foundation ...

RFID Intelligent Networking Foundation: Via Cisco: Cisco Delivers an Intelligent Networking Foundation for RFID Solutions to Help Enterprises Optimize Business Application Performance

Cisco launches the RFID Intelligent Networking Foundation ...

... "Cisco announced an Intelligent Foundation for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to help enterprises introduce RF technologies into the supply chain to increase visibility into product information and optimize business flow for lower operating costs. The most agile, scalable and highly secure RFID solution portfolio offered in the industry, the Cisco RFID Solution delivers integrated RFID capabilities and the support that enterprises need to optimize available network capacity and simplify RFID infrastructure deployment. " ...

The Cisco AON for RFID Solution has a U.S. list price of $16,250 and is scheduled to ship in October 2005 in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in the second half of FY06 in Asia, Japan and emerging markets. Cisco services for RFID are available now worldwide. Cisco Wireless LAN Location Solution Planning and Design Services are currently available in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Cisco 2700 Wireless Location Appliance has a U.S. list price of $14,995 and has been shipping worldwide since June 2005.

Campus RFID RTLS Market Growing

Campus RFID RTLS Market Growing: Yankee Group Determines Global Campus-Based Real-Time Location Systems Market Is Poised for Mainstream Enterprise Adoption: Rapid market expansion expected to exceed $1.6 billion by 2010 fueled by growing enterprise investments ...

Early indications are that On-campus real time located services and RFID technology are growing segments of the market ...

... "Yankee Group today revealed that the campus-based real-time location systems (RTLS) market, while still formative, is experiencing a surge in market growth and will play an influential role in shaping the strategic WLAN landscape. According to the recent Yankee Group DecisionNote(SM), Global RTLS Market Growth Fueled by Investments in Operational Efficiency, the rising enterprise Wi-Fi deployments and improving active RFID technology are driving the once niche solution to reach higher market status. " ...

At Yankee Group, we help our clients succeed by providing the knowledge, tools and support they need to make winning decisions when business opportunities intersect with technology solutions. In business more than 35 years, Yankee Group knows the importance of listening to and understanding the needs of our clients. We deliver value through authoritative, innovative and flexible research products and consulting services. Whether challenges are rooted in planning, executing or optimizing the use of technology, Yankee Group's world renowned analysts transform market intelligence and practical, real world experience into valuable decision support. Headquartered in Boston, Yankee Group research and sales staffs are located around the world, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

Tag: RFID

SAP Retail RFID Growth

SAP Retail RFID Growth: Via SAP: SAP Racks up Retail Customers in Asia Pacific: SAP Asia Sees Threefold Revenue Growth for SAP for Retail Industry Solution ...

... "Demonstrating leadership and vision for the retail industry in the Asia-Pacific region (APA1) and continued evidence of its global leadership in providing retail solutions, SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced that revenue from customers in APA using SAP for Retail solutions has more than tripled over the past two years. These retail customers have selected SAP to improve their business processes and create a strong and adaptive environment for business growth and profitability. The announcement was made at the SAP Global Leadership meeting being held this week in Shanghai, China. " ...

Built on the open architecture of the SAP NetWeaver platform, SAP for Retail includes core capabilities for financial management, human resources, supplier relationship management and customer relationship management, as well as support for industry-specific merchandise management and planning, store and channel management, demand forecasting, replenishment, sophisticated allocation, workforce management, POS data management and RFID.

Tag: RFID

RFID Service Parts Management

RFID Service Parts Management: MCA Solutions and SeeControl Partner to Deliver World-Class Service Supply Chains: Alliance Links Strategy and Execution to Optimize Uptime and Reduce Costs ...

MCA and SeeControl collaborate to deliver RFID-enabled service parts management across the value chain ...

... "By combining MCA Solutions’ offering for optimizing service parts planning with SeeControl’s real-time visibility into field inventory levels, manufacturers can ensure that the right parts are in the right place at the right time to meet their customers’ needs, without incurring the risk of holding excess inventory, just in case. In addition, the combined solution can leverage emerging RFID technology to better control and plan service parts across the extended supply chain. " ...

SeeControl is the leading provider of B2B inventory visibility, control and asset management solutions. Global 3000 Automotive, Computer Systems, Industrial Automation, Medical Equipment, Semiconductor and Telecommunications leaders utilize SeeControl’s integrated solution to extend the enterprise to disparate business units, customer sites, and supply chain partners. With the world's first turnkey inventory tracking and management system, SeeControl clients enjoy differentiated cost structures and new revenue opportunities that put them ahead of the competition.

MCA Solutions, and its Service Planning and Optimization suite of solutions, helps companies in industries ranging from aerospace and defense and semiconductors to industrial and medical equipment, set new standards for asset utilization and customer support. SPO is a web-based suite of advanced inventory planning, forecasting and execution solutions that give companies the ability to manage and monitor inventory levels of mission-critical materials. It meets the demanding requirement of the service parts planning process, reduces operating costs and provides global, real-time visibility throughout the extended service supply chain. The first commercial software to optimize assets in a multi-echelon service supply chain network, it supports collaborative planning, forecasting and execution processes by linking with a company's enterprise and customer relationship management systems.

RFID Integration Manufacturing Process ...

RFID Integration in the Manufacturing Process: Via ClearOrbit: ClearOrbit Launches Xtended Quality Control (X.QC) Suite to Add Manufacturing Execution Directly to ERP Systems: Tier One Automotive Supplier ArvinMeritor Selects X.QC to Automate Component Verification for Vehicle Assembly ...

... "RFID integration. Traps RFID tag reads in the assembly process for improved efficiency." ...

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).

Tangible Value RFID Data ...

Tangible Value RFID Data: TrueDemand Launches with six million in funding to develop new class of predictive applications that will drive value from rfid implementations: Investments from Mayfield and Bay Partners Provide Capital to Create Applications that Enable Organizations to Gain Greater Value from RFID Investments ...

... "TrueDemand Software, Inc. announces the launch of the company and its strategy to deliver a suite of radio frequency identification (RFID) applications for manufacturers and retailers that will help organizations derive tangible and rapid value from the data generated by RFID tags. " ...

TrueDemand Software, a pioneer in the development of RFID-enabled enterprise applications, provides a new class of predictive supply chain solutions that help solve supply chain execution and planning problems to reduce out-of-stocks and excess inventory. By combining RFID-based information with TrueDemand’s business solutions, organizations can better manage the live replenishment of RFID-tagged inventory from production through sale across the supply-and-demand network. As a result, customers can better anticipate and proactively remedy supply chain problems before they occur, gaining greater value from their RFID investments. The TrueDemand team includes RFID innovators and proven supply chain experts instrumental in the advancement of RFID technology and the efforts of the Auto-ID Center, now EPC Global. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, the company is backed by leading venture capital firms Mayfield and Bay Partners.

RFID Pilots Evaluations Implementations Increasing ...

RFID Pilots Evaluations Implementations Increasing: AMR Research: AMR Research Survey Finds 69% of Respondents Plan to Evaluate, Pilot, or Implement RFID in 2005

AMR Research takes pulse of the RFID market through report on pilots, evaluations, and implementations ...

... "In the wake of retail and government mandates, AMR Research released a report today assessing the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) market from 2005 - 2007. 69% of respondents surveyed are planning to evaluate, pilot, or implement RFID in 2005 with the average budget for RFID at more than $548K increasing to $771K by 2007. " ...

AMR Research provides world class research and actionable advice for executives tasked with delivering enhanced business process performance and cost savings with the aid of technology. Five thousand leaders in the Global 1000 put their trust in AMR Research’s integrity, depth of industry expertise, and passion for customer service to support their most critical business initiatives, including supply chain transformation, new product introduction, customer profitability, compliance and governance, and IT benefit realization.

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).

Metro RFID Gen2 ETSI Readers

Metro RFID Gen2 ETSI Readers: Intermec and METRO Group Demonstrate Intermec IP4, First Generation 2, ETSI-Compliant Handheld RFID Reader: Multi-protocol capabilities support EPCglobal Gen 2, Gen 1 and ISO-based RFID systems: Available for order worldwide Sept. 1 ...

... "Intermec Technologies Corp. and METRO Group today announced the successful demonstration of the first EPCglobal Generation 2 RFID handheld reader that also meets stringent European requirements for radio frequency and reader communications protocols. The new multi-protocol Intermec IP4 Intellitag® multi-protocol RFID reader reads Gen 2 tags from multiple