As RFID Goes Commercial, DCL Follows
News
Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bill Jacobson 510-651-5100 x208
FREMONT, CA. - Five years ago, Wal-Mart declared a mandate on RFID technology in its stores and top major suppliers. At the time RFID technology was in its infancy, and the correct infrastructure and price point were not present, leading to the slump in the new technology’s implementation. However, as the technology matured and became cheaper to purchase, the true potential of RFID was slowly being revealed. RFID Technology, although not fully enacted by the entire supply chain industry, has many benefits that, if mandated throughout the industry, could revolutionize supply chain companies. Companies like Texas Instrument and Target, along with DCL, have successfully implemented this technology following the more recent push from retailers such as Wal-Mart and Sam’s club to require it as the future standard.
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID, is a device that replaces the old barcode method. It’s comprised of a tag and a reader. The tags are small sticker like labels that are put on pallets or cases. Inside the tag is an antenna with a tiny embedded chip that stores the information of the product. Then by using a magnetic field the antenna of the tag transmits the pallet information into the reader and scans that information into a computer. Information can contain such things as product code and numbers or quantity of merchandise. This method is incredibly faster and more efficient than the use of barcodes where you would have to individually scan each one, carefully apply them on boxes and worry about the placement of the boxes on the pallet.
DCL has been RFID enabled for the past 6 months and is currently using the technology. RFID allows DCL to have a better eye on the location of the customer’s products. An example is DCL’s RFID-enabled distribution center in Ontario, California. DCL’s scanners are able to make merchandise visible throughout every step of the supply chain process, at a quick efficient pace. This gives complete transparency of the inventory so that no product is lost in transition from the factory to the shelves of the store. When the pallets arrive at DCL’s facility, they arrive at a verification station in which the tiny RFID chip is scanned through a computer, verifying the order. Distribution manager Rudy Flores says that RFID technology “Saves about double to triple the time” compared to the traditional barcode methodology.
This technology provides DCL with incredible tracking of the inventory and location of customer product in every step of the supply chain process. This visibility on products prevents items from being lost or misplaced. It eliminates manual counting of pallets, or mistakes in order numbers or placement of products, and would save the supply chain industry millions if it became mandated. The implementation of RFID has assisted DCL in providing top of the line service with low costs and incredible accuracy to its customers.
About DCL:
DCL, www.dclcorp.com,
is a leading provider of outsourced manufacturing and logistics services for technology
industries. Its customers include electronics, software and healthcare companies.
DCL's business-to-business services include order processing, project management,
packaging and assembly, fulfillment and distribution, inventory management and
warehousing and returns management. DCL is ISO 9001-2000 certified, EDI, RFID
and MRP/ERP enabled for on-line, 24/7 visibility to production, inventory and
shipping information.
For More information on RFID, see our Case Study on RFID and Supply Chain Management
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