TNT Uses RFID To Track Temperatures of Sensitive Goods

Stine says the trial taught TNT valuable lessons that will prove important for its new service. For example, the firm discovered that if it stores the tag and chemical in the same cooler prior to packing them together in insulated shipping, the tag's first reading will reflect the actual temperature. In comparison, if the tag is stored at room temperature while the chemical is kept in a cooler before shipping, the tag's first reading might not be accurate.

"The research teams also discovered some extraordinary information about different packaging materials pertaining to quality issues, as well as some very interesting possibilities for improving the length of time the temperature integrity of products can be maintained," Stine says. Testing single-layer and double-layer insulated boxes, as well as different types of frozen gel in various quantities in a real-world environment, provided TNT the insight needed to gain a competitive advantage in assuring quality control for customers.

Now that the trials are complete, Stine says TNT is sharing the results with prospective customers. It is also working with those customers to identify ways the RFID cold-chain solution could be tailored to meet their specific needs.

"We believe the RFID cold-chain solution addresses a very real business issue for our customers in the life-science arena," says Stine, "to whom the integrity of their products is key to successful operations."

The company offers logistics services in 36 countries and is now planning to roll out its RFID cold-chain solution to other regions in which it currently provides services. TNT is also planning to leverage the investment it has made in RFID to track and monitor heart pacemakers and other medical devices as they move through the supply chain. The RFID tracking will provide TNT's customers real-time information about the medical devices' location in the supply chain. That's important, TNT explains, because medical devices are often needed in life-or-death situations, and more granular detail about the devices' whereabouts in the supply chain can help health-care companies plan their stock and inventory more accurately.