Webinar

Improve Returnable Container Tracking with RFID

Thursday April 20^th 1:00-1:45pm Central

PRESENTED BY:

Christopher Vassilos – Senior Solutions Architect, Barcodes Group

Michael Daily – Senior Solutions Engineer, Impinj

RFID-Based Container Tracking

Upon delivery, it’s common for reusable containers to not be returned to the sender, with annual shrinkage rates often exceeding 10%. Keeping track of your Returnable Transport Items (RTIs) can be challenging, especially when logging their location depends on manual processes like scanning.

In this webinar, discover the benefits of RFID-based container tracking:

• Reduce the number of misplaced pallets, kegs, and boxes. Less new delivery assets need to be purchased, and shipments are not interrupted due to lack of totes.
• Track each asset as it leaves and returns to the warehouse, allowing you to determine its exact location immediately and whether they have yet to return.
• Calculate the flow of returnable assets to fully understand your shipping capacity for the present and future.
• Improve utilization of workers since it takes way less time to scan RFID tags than barcodes, due to its fully automatable reading without line-of-sight requirements.

Watch the Full RFID Webinar Recording

Returnable Transfer Items (RTIs), or returnable containers are critical assets for almost all manufacturing and logistics organizations. RTIs transport stock and commodities from one site to another. However, keeping track of your RTIs is a different story. Well-known manufacturers and logistics expert still often rely on manual methods, such as traditional scanning, spreadsheet, or pen and paper.

This leads to a major issue: inventory shrinkage.

Mismanagement of returnable containers owing to theft, unrecorded damage, or simply the inability of consumers to return empty pallets, kegs, and boxes costs a fortune.

How are Your Returnable Transfer Items Being Tracked Currently?

Barcode labels used to tag the cargo of a container during shipment are often non-permanent. Traditional barcode scanners and labels identify the contents of the container, but seldom provide reverse logistics tracking for the containers themselves.

Using permanent barcode labels as the foundation for a container monitoring system is not feasible. I know that might be strange to hear from a company called Barcodes, Inc. But scanning labels at various stages of the supply chain sometimes necessitates extra human effort, which is even more difficult when empty containers pile up.

One solution is to establish a tracking system utilizing modern asset tracking technology.

Reducing Yearly Inventory Shrinkage with RFID

“15% of all pallets in circulation vanish” or “20% of all packaging/equipment is lost owing to consumers retaining them for their own use or third parties removing them for their own use.”

SLS RFID 2016 Study

Inventory shrinkage is a major issue in the management of returnable transfer items (RTIs), which include all types of shipping containers, packaging, pallets, kegs, and boxes.

Shrinkage due to theft, unreported damage, or just consumers failing to return empty containers is a serious concern in this field.

Estimated annual shrinkage rates are anywhere from 3 to 9%. If you’re constantly replacing lost or stolen RTIs, the impact on profitability is a huge problem.

For organizations to decrease RTI shrinkage, RFID is appealing due to completely automated scanning without line-of-sight, as well as mass tag reading. The key advantage of RFID-based container monitoring systems is an improvement in container return rates. New containers are purchased in smaller batches and less frequently.

What Data Can Be Tracked with RFID Tags?

Integrating the RFiD Discovery system with your ERP system enables company-wide visibility of your RTIs, ensuring that essential assets are accessible at the relevant locations to fulfill any transportation request.

Exactly what the RFID ultimately tracks depends on your unique tracking requirements. Here are some examples of the depth of data you can store in a small RFID tag:

• Container Name
• Size
• Location
• Weight
• Item Quantity
• Container Properties

User memory on tags stores data. The serial number field can be pre-programmed or user-assigned.

The air-interface protocol standards for passive HF and UHF tags, such as UHF EPC Gen 2, define basic functions like read-write and which memory banks or blocks can be written to. Reader manufacturers include these low-level commands with higher-level subroutines in their software development kits for application developers.

How to Use RFID to Tag RTIs

RFID labels are long-lasting and more durable than traditional labels. RFID tags attach exceptionally well to returnable cargo and resist machine washing operations as well as harsh elements for much longer.

Any RTI equipped with an RFID tag can be detected by a small number of strategically located readers. The location data is delivered back to the central RFID Discovery database, where it may be evaluated.

This database allows you to discover how many RTIs have been sent to a specific supplier or customer, so you know which trade partner to approach when requesting a return.

When shipping containers are in range of an RFID reader, the information on the tags can be automatically acquired using a wide variety of methods:

• Fixed reader installed at a warehouse entrance or loading dock
• A mobile reader installed on a forklift
• Handheld reader brought inside a business partner’s facility for rapid inventory

What are the Main Advantages of Using RFID for Returnable Asset Tracking?

There are several advantages of using RFID to track returnable assets.

1. Recoup Billions of Dollars in RTI-Related Losses

Reusable assets are returned to the sender after delivery, usually full of new goods and not empty. Entire industries are dedicated to capitalizing on reverse logistics and maximizing the value of containers.

So why do we pay far less attention to reusable assets compared to sold commodities and container space? In order to get a bird’s eye view of costly shrinkage areas, your immediate shipping capacity, and overall supply chain health, it’s critical to assess the flow of returnable assets as well.

If RTIs arrive in the incorrect place or are lost, the transfer of products becomes difficult or impossible, thereby causing delivery delays. And massive container replacement costs.

These misplaced assets represent billions of dollars in losses, since new delivery assets must be acquired. We will say again: RFID saves billions of dollars.

2. Track Every Asset Location With a Detailed Evidence Trail

While we like to imagine most people are honest and good by nature, the reality is that customers and suppliers are not going to eager to assist when the subject of locating your missing valuables is brought up. Tough luck.

Instead of playing the blame game, utilizing an RFID system to track each asset as it leaves and returns to the warehouse allows you to instantly establish its specific location, and whether it has yet to return.

This goes for both goods sold as well as the RTIs carrying them. Put another way, your returnables are much more likely to return.

3. Increase Visibility of Container Locations, Available Stock, and Overall Condition

Though shipping should be a precise science, we know that’s not always the case.

Businesses depend on RTIs everyday, but lack visibility over the availability, location, and quality of their RTIs.

When organizations incorporate careful pallet monitoring, tote box tracking, and stillage tracking, it’s much easier to manage a large pool of RTIs without bleeding money. Additionally, there is no longer a need to keep just-in-case containers on the sidelines, because of increased visibility into the “who, what, where, and how many?” questions.

4. Improve Labor Utilization at Every Level of the Supply Chain

Scanning RFID tags takes substantially less time than scanning barcodes. Similarly, RFID is a more appealing identifying solution for reusable assets since users do not need to manufacture new barcodes or print new labels.

Logistics and operational leaders can simply re-encode the same RFID tags again and again without increasing headcount or allocating redundant processes to busy workers.

Lastly, RTLS on RFID can significantly reduce the amount of time workers spend searching for specific inventory. In a field such as healthcare, nurses estimate they spend at least an hour per shift finding equipment. That really adds up when looking at overall labor utilization.

Evaluating and Deploying an Effective RTI Tracking System

Tracking RTIs with RFID helps prevent your assets getting lost or stolen, reduces disputes between trading partners, enables rapid inventory cycle counting, and quickly identifies shortages. Your organization could be saving billions of dollars.

Barcodes, Inc. is your trusted RFID partner and integrator. Contact us when you are ready to elevate your RTI management and discover the magic of RFID tracking. It’s easier to deploy with a partner you can trust.

AssetCloud, a cloud-based asset management solution from Wasp, delivers full lifecycle asset management for everything from your tools to your laptops and other valuable equipment.

Not only that, but Wasp is one of the only asset tracking solution providers to include all the necessary software, hardware, and asset tags needed to implement a complete asset management system.

This makes AssetCloud not only the most feature-rich asset tracking software in the industry, but also makes it the most complete solution available from one provider.

Wasp AssetCloud makes asset management easier than ever:

• Automate check-in/check-out
• Create reports for accountability and insight
• Set custom trigger notifications for critical intelligence
• Easy-to-use interface

Contact us to discuss technology from Wasp, asset tracking capabilities, and how your organization can start being more productive. Today.

Webinar:

Device Management at Your Fingertips

Thursday, October 21st, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET

Presented By:

Don Mech – Director, Platform Product Management, Barcodes Group

Companies of all sizes struggle to maintain visibility over their mobile and other devices. Insights are lacking in the location of assets, their condition and contract status.

Decisions on the right number, type, and utilization of necessary devices are often difficult to make.

The Barcodes TrueView portal puts essential information on assets, tickets, and contracts at your fingertips. Watch the TrueView webinar in full.

During this webinar’s demonstration, we cover the following:

• How the TrueView portal provides visibility into your full asset base that Excel cannot
• How to easily keep an overview of the devices in repair and their status
• How to maintain repair and support history and utilize asset attributes to improve device management

Contact us to schedule your personalized demo of TrueView and learn more about the Barcodes, Inc. approach to asset management.

We are pleased to announce that OCR Canada, a subsidiary of Barcodes Group, has been named the WaspLink Top Reseller of the Quarter for Q4-2020 for their achievements and commitment to providing solutions for Wasp Barcode Technologies.

The WaspLink Top Reseller of the Quarter is a quarterly award presented to a WaspLink Partner Program reseller who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to customer success and satisfaction. OCR Canada has a proven track record of selling Wasp asset and inventory tracking, printing, and barcoding data collection solutions to their long list of customers. 

Wasp is a leading provider of cloud-based asset tracking and inventory management software that enables partners like Barcodes, Inc. and OCR Canada to assist customers with their operational management and workflow solutions.

Barcodes, Inc. is ready to assist you on your next asset tracking or inventory management solution. Contact us today for a free consultation.

In case you missed our webinar today, click on the video below and learn how Barcodes, Inc. and Wasp can help increase your ROI with asset tracking solutions tailored to your business. You can also review this guide on the ROI of asset tracking (PDF).

Key Takeaways Include:

• Reduce the amount of manual labor involved in asset management, unnecessary expenses on duplicate assets, and track maintenance and depreciation of your assets
• Get the most from your fixed asset purchases with a centralized management solution
• Asset management solutions are affordable and suitable for all types of companies and its ROI can be easily measured right after implementation

If you have any questions about asset tracking, please contact Raul Cepeda, VP of Product Management and Strategic Alliances, at [email protected] or (312) 765-6881.

Feb. 26, 2020 11:00 AM (Central Time U.S and Canada)

Join Barcodes, Inc. and Wasp to learn how investing in an automated and reliable asset management solution can help increase your company’s ROI. Wasp creates complete fixed asset tracking solutions tailored to your business. Their easy-to-use asset tracking software will automate you organization’s fixed asset tracking for improved check-in/check-out processes, faster auditing and error-free reporting.

Key Takeaways Include:

• Reduce the amount of manual labor involved in asset management, unnecessary expenses on duplicated assets and track maintenance and depreciation of your assets.
• Get the most from your fixed asset purcahse with a centralized asset management solution.
• Asset management solutions are affordable and suitable for all types of companies and its ROI can be easily measured right after its implementation.

Presented By:

Randy McAfee – Sales Manager at Wasp Barcode

Raul Cepeda – VP Product Management & Strategic Alliances at Barcodes, Inc.

By registering, you submit your information to Barcodes, Inc., who will use it to communicate with you regarding this event and other services.

What is Mobile Device Management?

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is software that allows IT administrators to deploy, secure, monitor, integrate and manage a variety of devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and IoT devices in the workplace from a central admin console. MDM enables IT administrators to quickly address the challenges associated with mobility by providing a simplified and efficient way to view, manage and secure all company and employee owned devices across the enterprise.

How does it work?

The software works by installing an agent on each of the devices that need to be managed. Once the agent is installed on the end devices, it allows the centralized server to manage and communicate with the endpoints remotely. Once configured, this centralized server allows the administrator to enforce the corporate security policies, push out updates, and push new applications to enable more user productivity across all the managed devices.

How do I know if I need to implement a mobile device management solution?

With mobile security threats on the rise and with the increased compliance requirements from the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), every business should have a strategy in place to protect the integrity of the company network and the data that it contains. If your company depends on mobile apps to operate, you should look into a mobile device management solution to better protect your assets and manage your devices.

There are many benefits of Mobile Device Management, click and read this whitepaper to learn more about how you can deploy, securely manage mobile devices, and eliminate downtime in your operations. Barcodes and Zebra can help you easily secure and manage your devices. Whether you are thinking about implementing an MDM solution or simply want to improve your current operations, you can count on Barcodes to be a solution and service provider that you can trust.

In case you missed our webinar today, click on the video and watch Barcodes, Smart Label Solutions, and Impinj discuss key market factors and technologies impacting the landscape of the connected supply chain.

Key takeaways include:

1. Retailers are increasing pressure on manufacturers and distributors to develop smarter supply chains
2. Manufacturers and distributors need to provide better visibility of goods and assets in transition
3. Efficiency gains enabled by even modest investments in process automation and supply chain transparency drive significant return on investment

If you have any questions, please contact our Marketing Coordinator, Maraya Sandoval, at [email protected] or at 312-765-8860.

When it comes to warehouse management, mobile technologies gives great accessibility to support items as it makes its way through the warehouse. Studies have shown that operations are greatly enhanced by mobile technology, where hand-held devices allow employees to include additional data and instructions greatly improving productivity and accuracy in the warehouse. From receiving, picking, locating, to shipping, it gives visibility as inventory and products can be tracked as it makes its way through the warehouse. Increase productivity and efficiency with the Honeywell ScanPal EDA51 and EDA60K mobile computer. Built on the Android platform, it offers the perfect combination for data input and increase productivity for inventory management and logistics workflows.

Features:

• Powerful future-ready platform Android 7.1 (Nougat) operating system
• Powerful scan engine to scan both 1D and 2D barcodes
• Sleek, modern and rugged design with IP64 seal against dust and water spray
• Dual- band Wi-fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity
• 4 Inch touchscreen and 30- key numeric keypad for data input
• Preloaded Honeywell Enterprise Client pack (Honeywell Enterprise Terminal Emulator, Browser, and Launcher) Choose from pre-licensed SKU or 60 day trial.

From the warehouse to retail and service businesses, increase productivity and fulfill omni-channel demands with the Honeywell ScanPal EDA51. Enable mobile workforce with technology that will help get more done in less time and offer better customer experience that helps your business get the edge you need to compete. Ideal for applications that supports retail, direct store delivery, pickup, and field service. Engineered for easy data capture with integrated scanner and 5 inch display where it allows plenty of information for your interaction. Workers can scan packages, document workflows, capture signatures upon delivery in one single device.

Features:

• Lightweight and pocketable design that is still rugged for tough service environments.
• Android 8.1 (Oreo) operating system
• Superior imager that can scan 1D and 2D barcodes
• Powerful 13-megapixel color camera to take pictures for proof of delivery
• Removable ion battery that can lasts 12 hours built for all day use
• IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, and WWAN Radio connectivity
• Optional scan handle and battery charger accessories to keep your devices running

Automate tasks, increase data collection accuracy, and visibility with
Honeywell EDA60K and EDA51 mobile computers. Contact Barcodes and find out how Honeywell mobile technologies can help you run an effective warehouse and boost productivity and communication on the go.