Using an RFID-enabled inventory- and retail-management system provided by Nedap Retail, Dutch shoe retailer De Wolky Shop has significantly reduced its incidence of inventory errors. During the first two weeks of using the system, the company says that its stock accuracy jumped from 84 percent to 98 percent. Those accuracy gains, the company reports, led to fewer stock-outs and an increase in sales.
London's Kingston University is employing TrackerPoint's TrackCAB solution to automate its after-hours return process, as well as to conduct inventory counts of 2,000 pieces of media equipment, such as cameras, laptops and computers, that it loans out to students and faculty.
Dutch truck tire and retreading company Roline is embedding radio frequency identification tags in the tires that it retreads, not only to better manage its own production processes and warehousing, but also to enable its customers to track the tires they install on their fleets of trucks, buses or cars.
RWI, an asset-based 3PL specializing in temperature-controlled transportation, recently conducted a survey of shippers with cold supply chains to better understand their needs and challenges. Chris Taylor, director of sales and marketing, discusses the results.
AFN, a 3PL based in Chicago, uses business intelligence to improve its internal decision making and to support supply chain decisions of its clients. Eric Malcolm, director of sales strategy, explains the company's approach.
When the molds used to manufacture aluminum engine blocks are built, visibility into the entire assembly process can help ensure that any defects are caught before the finished block is shipped to a customer. With that in mind, automotive components manufacturer Nemak has automated its work-in-process (WIP) tracking, with a radio frequency identification system supplied by Balluff Inc. that writes sensor data from automation equipment to ensure that any defects in the mold are caught before molten aluminum is poured into it.
One well-known and highly respected high-end fashion retailer provides a good example of an end-to-end RFID implementation. They have more than 50 stores across Europe and North America, offering a wide assortment of high-end men's and women's fashion clothing.
Real-time monitoring already happens in intensive care healthcare settings, where patients' vital signs are constantly monitored. Now, use of the technology is being extended to less intensive settings, like remote at-home monitoring of the elderly or patients with chronic conditions.
