More RFID Journal Sites: RFID Journal Espanol RFID Journal Brasil RFID Journal Events RFID Journal Awards
Retail NEWS
Text size:
T
T
T
Singapore's Biggest Grocery Retailer Completes RFID Trial
HP provided technical project management, solutions architecture and software development skills. "We defined and executed all the tests for the hardware trials," Wilkinson says, "and then implemented the selected hardware in the DC."
The three participating product suppliers were Kimberly-Clark of the United States, and F&N Coca Cola and Yeo Hiap Seng, two local beverage suppliers. Both Singapore suppliers affixed EPC Gen 2 UHF (920 MHz) passive tags to cases and pallets in a slap-and-ship solution. In Singapore, RFID interrogators can operate at 866 to 869 MHz and 920 to 925 MHz. Kimberly Clark, which is already applying 915 MHz EPC Gen 2 tags to cases and pallets shipped to large RFID enabled retailers in the United States, directed some of its RFID-tagged cases to the Cold Storage site. Although these tags operate at 915 MHz, interrogators deployed at the Cold Storage DC are still able to read them.
Cold Storage also attached EPC Gen 2 920 MHz tags to its metal cages. Each tagged cage was loaded with cases of items destined for a specific store, and that data can be recorded in Cold Storage's back-end system. Cold Storage interrogated the tags of cages as they left the DC, reading them again when they returned empty. The company did not use interrogators in its delivery trucks or stores.
The RFID system was integrated with Cold Storage's data management system so that all data regarding RFID reads was routed directly to the company via a Web-based connection. Wilkinson declines to name the integration and software vendor chosen for this pilot. HP also tested numerous tags and readers, choosing the best combination of the two. Again, however, Wilkinson says he can not name the specific models chosen. The trial involved a number of technology partners, including Intel, Cisco Systems, OATSystems, Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Business division (formerly Symbol Technologies), Alien Technologies, Tyco Sensormatic, UPM Raflatac and Printronix.
The next step, according to Wilkinson, will be to consider a larger-scale deployment. "This will not be a mandate," says Wilkinson, such as Wal-Mart's directive for all vendors to begin tagging shipments. Instead, Cold Storage is leaning toward bringing more of its product suppliers into the RFID system on a voluntary basis, though how soon that will begin has not yet been decided.
more Retail articles
The three participating product suppliers were Kimberly-Clark of the United States, and F&N Coca Cola and Yeo Hiap Seng, two local beverage suppliers. Both Singapore suppliers affixed EPC Gen 2 UHF (920 MHz) passive tags to cases and pallets in a slap-and-ship solution. In Singapore, RFID interrogators can operate at 866 to 869 MHz and 920 to 925 MHz. Kimberly Clark, which is already applying 915 MHz EPC Gen 2 tags to cases and pallets shipped to large RFID enabled retailers in the United States, directed some of its RFID-tagged cases to the Cold Storage site. Although these tags operate at 915 MHz, interrogators deployed at the Cold Storage DC are still able to read them.
Cold Storage also attached EPC Gen 2 920 MHz tags to its metal cages. Each tagged cage was loaded with cases of items destined for a specific store, and that data can be recorded in Cold Storage's back-end system. Cold Storage interrogated the tags of cages as they left the DC, reading them again when they returned empty. The company did not use interrogators in its delivery trucks or stores.
The RFID system was integrated with Cold Storage's data management system so that all data regarding RFID reads was routed directly to the company via a Web-based connection. Wilkinson declines to name the integration and software vendor chosen for this pilot. HP also tested numerous tags and readers, choosing the best combination of the two. Again, however, Wilkinson says he can not name the specific models chosen. The trial involved a number of technology partners, including Intel, Cisco Systems, OATSystems, Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Business division (formerly Symbol Technologies), Alien Technologies, Tyco Sensormatic, UPM Raflatac and Printronix.
The next step, according to Wilkinson, will be to consider a larger-scale deployment. "This will not be a mandate," says Wilkinson, such as Wal-Mart's directive for all vendors to begin tagging shipments. Instead, Cold Storage is leaning toward bringing more of its product suppliers into the RFID system on a voluntary basis, though how soon that will begin has not yet been decided.
