Kimberly-Clark RFID Data Enables Demand Forecasting and Lower Out-Of-Stock Conditions On Retail Shelves

TrueDemand Software closes enterprise-wide license deal with Kimberly-Clark that integrates RFID technology into the demand forecasting and replenishment system. ...

... "Kimberly-Clark will leverage the TrueDemand Forecast and Replenishment Manager (FRM) Release 2.1 to improve sales by reducing retail shelf out-of-stocks (OOS) for its global consumer product brands, which include Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups and Kotex. TrueDemand's FRM solution will leverage RFID data to provide Kimberly-Clark with greater insight including: perpetual inventory by retail store and selling floor, a daily forecast by product and store, and OOS root causes and lost sales by product and store and retail DC, with prioritized actions for replenishment analysts, retail partners and field operations teams. As a result, Kimberly-Clark will be able to more accurately predict product availability, inventory, execution and out-of-stock problems at the aggregate level across all stores, as well as at the detailed product-store level, and take the appropriate preventive action. TrueDemand’s unique predictive software will recommend specific replenishment, forecasting and store operations actions that Kimberly-Clark can take to help improve sales and market share. It provides out-of-stock root cause analysis and recommendations for continuous improvement for regular replenishment." ...

Via Kimberly-Clark: Kimberly-Clark to Power Shelf-Back Supply Chain (PDF) ...

Honda RFID Assemply Line: Critical Component Traceability

Honda Italia partners with IBM to implement RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology and infrastructure in production processes at its plant located in Atessa, Italy. The solution will enable Honda Italy to increase efficiency and accuracy in managing its motorcycle production in Italy. ...

... "IBM Global Business Services will support Honda Italia in the design and development of the RFID implementation, which will enable the real time, automatic identification of each vehicle along the entire production chain. The RFID tags will also be used on micro-lots of critical components, such as engines. IBM business and technology consultants have been collaborating for a long time with Honda Italia engineers in the design of the new processes and in the identification of the best solution. The RFID technology will be then completely integrated with Honda's existing IT systems through an open standards-based, Linux and Java (J2EE) application built on the IBM WebSphere Application Server to track inventory and to monitor ways to improve efficiency.



The first phase of the project, completed earlier this year, simultaneously with the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Honda Italia, calls for the transformation of Honda's large-displacement bikes (Hornet 600, CBF1000/600/500) assembly line. The RFID tags were used to monitor the traceability of critical components, WIP (Work In Progress) management and inventory replenishment. In the future, RFID tags will also be applied to Honda's scooter production line, starting with the European best seller SH150i/125i and the bigger SH300i. " ...

Via IBM: Honda Italia and IBM Revolutionize Motorbike Production With RFID: Innovation Project at Honda's Plant in Italy Expected to Improve Efficiency and Accuracy ...

RFID Real-Time Demand Insight

Blue Agave partners to provide RFID-enabled real-time insight into product demand. ...

... "Blue Agave Software, Inc., a provider of software solutions for improving replenishment, demand management and fulfillment execution, and VeriSign, the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks announced a strategic relationship to promote the benefits of integrating real-time RFID product movement data and Point-of-Sale (POS) data from VeriSign's Intelligent Supply Chain Services platform into Blue Agave's Retail Channel Execution applications. The combined solution can provide consumer goods manufacturers with real-time insight into actual consumer demand down to the most granular levels of store and product (SKU) sales, along with the predictive execution capabilities necessary to respond effectively to variability in consumer demand. In the $800 billion retail marketplace, consumer goods manufacturers are continuously seeking to improve visibility and collaboration around critical sales and operational processes. Advancements in technology are driving new levels of information availability to both consumer goods companies and their retail partners, including product movement data from RFID and POS data. Retail Channel Execution applications make this data actionable, enabling decision-makers to respond rapidly to changes in consumer demand in order to preempt revenue-impacting issues like out of stock, excess inventories, forecast variances, promotion variances, and store-level anomalies. " ...

Via Blue Agave Software: Blue Agave Software and Retail Solutions Team Up ...

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

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-Ready Business Processes

One Network Delivers Multi-Echelon Replenishment for Retail, High Tech and Service Supply Networks | One Network Enterprises

... "One Network eliminates supply chain latency with many-to-many network connectivity, visibility and real-time decision support. Processes for orders, inventory and transportation management are integrated as flexible, networked services shared by all partners on One Network including manufacturers, retailers, and transportation providers. This enables RFID-ready business processes and next-generation vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs." ...

One Network created and hosts internet-based supply networks with many-to-many connectivity, built on next-generation technology delivered in a flexible on-demand model. Rather than simply accelerating point-to-point data exchange along a traditional linear supply chain, the One Network is a highly distributed supply network where any participant can see and react to what is happening at any point in the network. Beyond visibility, the solution integrates transaction management with execution and real-time planning. Network participants create and share multi-company business processes, and can quickly adapt them in response to changing conditions. Incremental decision support allows partners to resolve issues as they arise in real-time, and automatically guides operations towards business objectives.

Building RFID Support for Warehouse Management Software ...

RFID Support for Warehouse Management Software: Logility Announces General Availability of RFID-enabled Warehouse ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... Built-in RFID functionality can reduce labor costs in distribution centers, improve order accuracy and streamline tracking and tracing shipments ATLANTA, Jan. ...

... Logility, Inc. (Nasdaq: LGTY), a leading supplier of collaborative solutions to optimize the supply chain, today announced general availability of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capabilities in Logility Voyager WarehousePRO(R). The latest release of Voyager WarehousePRO includes built-in support of RFID technology at the carton, pallet, container and item level, and does not require the purchase of additional Logility add-on hardware or software. Logility's built-in approach enables customers to implement or upgrade quickly, limits custom integration, delivers immediate benefits and lays the foundation for future expansion of RFID to supply chain planning applications. RFID support is included in the standard WarehousePRO product, and is available at no additional cost to active Logility customers on maintenance programs. ...

With more than 1,100 customers worldwide, Logility is the leading provider of collaborative supply chain planning solutions that help small, medium, large and Fortune 1000 companies realize substantial bottom-line results in record time. Logility Voyager Solutions feature performance monitoring capabilities in a single Internet-based framework and provide supply chain visibility; demand, inventory and replenishment planning; supply and global sourcing optimization; transportation planning and execution; and warehouse management. Logility customers include Bissell, Huhtamaki UK, Katun Corporation, McCain Foods, Mill's Pride, Pernod Ricard, Rand McNally, Sigma Aldrich, and VF Corporation. Logility is a majority owned subsidiary of American Software (Nasdaq: AMSWA).

Additional resources on RFID support for warehouse management software ...

Oracle Adds RFID Support To Its Software: Oracle Adds RFID Support To Its Software Jan. ... identification technology and electronic-product-code capabilities into Oracle Warehouse Management software. ...

Third Party Logistics Software: Solutions for 3PL Third Party Logistics Software. ... WMS Provia’s ViaWare WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) is ... application with full RFID Support for Warehouse ...

Can SAP win RFID race?: its annual AppsWorld conference in San Diego, where the company announced it would build RFID support into its Warehouse Management System Software, which is ...

RFID-Enabled Warehouse Management Systems: Enabling Warehouse Management System (WMS) solutions to work with RFID will not be ... and the changes required in logistics software to support RFID initiatives ...

Peoplesoft RFID Processor: PeopleSoft Announces PeopleSoft Demand Flow Manufacturing and ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... PeopleSoft(R) EnterpriseOne RFID Processor enables companies to track RFID-tagged shipments throughout the entire supply chain - from inbound to outbound. ...

Peoplesoft has sustained its investments in RFID supply chain capabilities to the EnterpriseOne ERP system ...

... Today at the 2004 APICS International Conference and Exposition, PeopleSoft Inc. (Nasdaq:PSFT) announced two new manufacturing solutions. PeopleSoft(R) EnterpriseOne Demand Flow(R) Manufacturing leverages patented approaches for designing production lines, managing material replenishment, and staffing manufacturing operations based on workforce skill levels and daily product volume. PeopleSoft(R) EnterpriseOne RFID Processor enables companies to track RFID-tagged shipments throughout the entire supply chain - from inbound to outbound. PeopleSoft Demand Flow(R) Manufacturing and PeopleSoft RFID Processor are modules within the EnterpriseOne 8.11 product family ...

PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT) is the world's second largest provider of enterprise application software with 12,400 customers in more than 25 industries and 150 countries.

RFID UCC Software: New product roundup

From Frontline Today ... Cactus Commerce's Cactus GDS Accelerator for Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004 allows companies to quickly connect to UCCnet trade with retail and supplier partners and integrate accurate real-time data into existing management systems. Cactus global data synchronization software uses Internet technologies making it affordable scalable and easy to implement.

Cactus Commerce Inc. is a software and services provider dedicated to helping organizations of all sizes bring more efficiency to their complex business processes. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Cactus works closely with Microsoft to develop and deliver rapidly deployed, cost-effective and extensible trading partner integration (TPI) solutions that address the three critical components of e-commerce – to connect, to trade and to settle. Cactus complements its packaged software offerings with an array of professional services and unique industry expertise, enabling companies to take full advantage of their existing and future technology investments.

Item Synchronization presents manufacturers with a unique opportunity to gain rapid, direct, quantifiable results and is the first step toward maximizing their investments on technologies such as RFID and CPFR (Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment). Working closely with Microsoft, Cactus has developed the Cactus GDS Accelerator for BizTalk - Supplier Edition to help CPG manufacturers take full advantage of the power of the UCCnet GLOBALregistry. Utilizing the robust integration capabilities of BizTalk Server, the Accelerator for BizTalk provides a cost-effective way to quickly connect to the UCCnet registry, manage communications with UCCnet trading partners, and integrates real-time data into existing product management systems. Through consistent, timely updates (instep with UCCnet's regular update schedule) the Accelerator for BizTalk provides you with the most cost-effective way of keeping your platform up to date.

RFID Logistics: Logility to Emphasize Integrated Transportation and Warehouse ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... improve customer service, enhance order visibility, streamline maintenance and accelerate deployment of Voyager WarehousePRO; and RFID Support within the ...

Logility helps customers stay ahead of the technology curve with advances such as support for RFID compliance, Collaborative Planning Forecasting & Replenishment (CPFR) and Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM), across our supply chain planning, warehouse and logistics products.

WarehousePRO monitors goods real-time as they're received, stored and shipped. Radio frequency technology helps produce near-perfect inventory accuracy, while built-in performance analysis tools keep you on top of key performance indicators. The product effectively manages all of your warehouse activities—receiving, putaway, cross-docking, wave/batch/zone picking, verification, transfers, replenishments, pick/pack/ship and container tracking—just to name a few.

Logility's mission is to help companies in distribution-intensive industries use collaborative solutions to optimize their supply chains. Using insights gained from hundreds of customer implementations, our award-winning supply chain solutions are designed to provide innovative demand management, optimized supply chain planning, synchronized production, streamlined warehouse and improved transportation management.

Supply Chain RFID: SAP Launches RFID-Enabled Software

SAP Launches Latest Version of mySAP™ Supply Chain Management

New Responsive Replenishment Functionality and RFID-Enabled Supply Chain Execution Processes to Enable Companies to Build More Adaptive Supply Chains

ATLANTA, Ga. - April 19, 2004 - SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced the launch of its latest version of mySAP™ Supply Chain Management (mySAP SCM). With its latest SCM solution, SAP introduces a new responsive replenishment scenario and RFID-enabled (radio frequency identification) supply chain execution processes, which will help enterprises gain better visibility into real-time customer demand and enable them to build more adaptive supply chains. The announcement was made before 6,000 attendees at the 2004 ASUG Annual Conference & Vendor Fair, being held this week in Atlanta, Georgia.

The new responsive replenishment process will enable companies to respond to real-time customer demand, including promotion-driven demand, coupled with the ability for retailers and consumer goods companies to support a fully automated replenishment process on a daily or sub-daily level. This functionality will allow companies to manage their replenishment processes much more efficiently, resulting in reduced inventory levels, shortened order cycle times and improved customer satisfaction. This will also enable them to meet the increasing replenishment requirements created by a growing global market and help them build customer and demand-driven supply networks that can span both SAP and non-SAP IT environments.

Leveraging the SAP® Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII), a component of the SAP NetWeaver™ application and integration platform, SAP’s newest SCM solution will support RFID-enabled execution scenarios within warehouse and logistics processes. These scenarios will allow companies to meet RFID mandates from government agencies as well as major retailers such as Wal-Mart, METRO and Target.

“Our goal at Procter & Gamble has been to build a demand-driven supply chain that delivers the product at the right time, the right place and for the right price,” said Keith Harrison, global product supply officer, Procter & Gamble. “SAP has been instrumental in our efforts to deliver such a demand-driven supply network. It has been a key partner, helping us to establish a global business backbone at P&G over the last decade.”

The latest release of mySAP SCM will also offer enhancements to SAP® Advanced Planning & Optimization (SAP APO) for cross-industry implementation as well as new and enhanced industry-specific functionality. Benefits will include a fully automatic approach for adaptive forecasting and life-cycle planning within the demand-planning functionality. Customers will also be able to use adaptive forecasting to select optimal methods and parameters for each planning object. In the area of supply network planning, planning of subcontracting relationships has been enhanced to support business requirements for increased outsourcing of production capabilities. SAP APO will also offer companies enhanced transportation planning, vehicle scheduling and production planning and detailed scheduling functionality to support requirements for increased adaptive network planning...

About SAP
SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software solutions. SAP® solutions are designed to meet the demands of companies of all sizes -- from small and midsize businesses to global enterprises. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver™ open integration and application platform to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership and empower business change and innovation, mySAP™ Business Suite solutions are helping enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. The unique core processes of various industries, from aerospace to utilities, are supported by more than 25 industry-specific SAP solution portfolios. Today, more than 21,600 customers in over 120 countries run more than 69,700 installations of SAP® software. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol “SAP.” (Additional information at http://www.sap.com)

RFID Shipping Warehousing and Transportation: T-Fal Keeps Its Supply Chain Cooking with Provia's ViaWare

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

... T-Fal began using ViaWare six years ago, when it realized that it needed a full powered WMS to manage the warehouse operations of the rapidly expanding company. The task management, scheduling priorities and auto-replenishment capabilities of ViaWare were essential in streamlining the company's supply chain. "Through our use of ViaWare, we have been able to achieve 99.9 percent inventory accuracy," said Manny Cortez, vice president of information systems, Group SEB USA. "With better control of our inventory and resources, we are able to go from mass distribution to high-end distribution within the same distribution center, while holding a high level of inventory, since our products are manufactured outside of the United States." ...