Growers and Grocers Get Into Plastic Pallet Pool

Most of the iGPS pallets used by Martori Farms come from iGPS pallet pool site in Phoenix. When Martori ships its products, it carries the loaded pallets through an Alien 9800 RFID portal at its dock doors, provided by iGPS. The interrogator sends data to an edge server at the warehouse and linked to its LAN, using iGPS software known as iSUM. This makes the data available at the iGPS data center in Grand Rapids, Mich., via the Internet. Martori and iGPS can then access that data to confirm the shipment or receipt of the pallets at a specific location.

The RFID system provides iGPS with data regarding where the pallets are located, how long a customer has them and specific information about return dates that allows iGPS to bill for the exact number of days the pallets were in the user's possession. Its customers can also access that data.

Texan retailer HEB began using the iGPS system at its San Antonio warehouse about six months ago, Sparn says, and currently utilizes thousands of pallets per month. HEB initially used the pallets to ship such heavy items as dog food and beverages to test the plastic pallet.

When HEB receives the pallets from iGPS, it drives them past the Alien readers, where the tag ID numbers are captured and sent to the iGPS data center (using the iSUM system) via the Internet. When a product is packed on the pallets to be shipped to a retail location, the pallet tags are again read as they are loaded onto trucks. Once the pallets are emptied at the store, they are returned to one of the iGPS depots, where their tags, like Martori Farms' pallets, are interrogated. At that point, iGPS knows they have been returned.

"It appears the marketplace is extremely excited about the pallets," Sparn says, based on the numbers of requests he receives for more information. Still, he adds, the plastic, reusable and hygienic nature of the pallets is currently the greatest draw.