RFID Applications in Supply Chain Management

There are as many RFID applications as there are businesses. Some RFID applications have been around for decades, others are just starting to emerge. RFID, itself, is not a new technology; however, it is being used in many new and different ways.

The roots of RFID technology can be traced back to World War II when radio waves were used to identify friendly aircrafts, in the 1970s New York Port Authority introduced an RFID device used for toll collection. While RFID applications used earlier are still around today, many more RFID applications have emerged since then.

Today, the largest RFID application aids companies and governments in supply chain management. RFID is being used to manage products through production, distribution and retail. Manufacturers can especially benefit from implementing RFID applications in supply chains because they can decrease costs associated with product tracking and inventory management and increase the accuracy and timeliness of inventory data. Experts say that early adaptors of RFID applications in supply chains have seen a significant increase in revenue.

RFID Applications in the Distribution Chain

码管理的RFID解决方案sRFID Applications can be used to monitor and manage the movement of the finished products throughout a supply chain. RFDI tags can be attached directly to the items and materials or they can be attached to the containers that carry them. Pallets, trailers, totes, carts, cargo containers, and reusable transport items can all be tagged. Readers placed throughout a facility can monitor movement and location of inventory, thus providing real time data. This can be within a warehouse, a freight yard or within a retail location.

RFID applications in the supply chain enable more frequent and accurate inventory counts RFID applications in the supply chain can also decrease costs associated with inventory counting

In addition, RFID applications in fleet management have demonstrated significant ROI. RFID applications in fleet management enable a more cost-effective long-range tracking solution, global tracking of containers and cargo, reliable tracking of capital and inventory assets during transportation and increased security. By placing RFID tags on long range vehicles, trailers or other mobile assets, companies can gain visibility into their business’ assets’ utilization.