TNT Express has announced the second phase of its Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)programme, becoming the only integrator to use RFID to track shipments on a global scale.
Following successful trials of phase one and with ongoing upgrades, the RFID equipment is nowready to fully integrate with its existing systems, TNT said in a statement. RFID provides moretracking information than barcode scanners and since it can operate remotely and without humanintervention, it allows greater control over shipments. Furthermore, RFID readers are positioned atcrucial points in TNT’s transit locations to monitor movements, thus enabling tighter security andprocess control.
For the second phase of the programme, TNT has formed a partnership with one of the world’slargest manufacturers of medical diagnostic products and will design and deliver an RFID solutionto monitor the temperature integrity of life-critical chemical re-agents. They will be transportedfrom the TNT-managed Regional Distribution Centre in Singapore, to two strategic distributionpoints in Bangkok and Shanghai, using TNT’s newly launched Asia Road Network.
Onno Boots, Director, Global Account Management, TNT Express, said: “TNT has had to respond tothe changing requirements in the life-science and high tech markets. Combined with the increase insupply chain complexity, this creates the demand for a system which offers more accurate andreliable tracking of shipments. By adopting more sophisticated RFID technology, TNT has been ableto satisfy this demand and further enhance its position as an innovative leader in thesemarkets.”
With the rate at which RFID is advancing, TNT has also been able to fully equip a supply chainfor one of its global customers – one of the largest computer manufacturers in the market – fromChina, end-to end, to German customers.
Sybren Tuinstra, TNT Express’ Project Leader for RFID, said: “Combined effort has resulted inthe first RFID enabled global traffic lane. It provides the project partners involved with aplatform for further intensified RFID development in a high-tech, high volume supply chainenvironment and continues to generate a wealth of knowledge to further improve the effectiveness oftheir logistics.”
