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Koland Technologies and Navesink have aligned as business partners to provide customized solutions for the logistics and supply chain industry
Explains Thomas McKenna, President of Navesink Logistics, "We started working together in 2003 building the Navesink Logistics and Logjobs websites, and Navesink “Share It” a collaborative on line file sharing system that streamlines the process of managing Navesink’s projects. While developing Logjobs’ functionality, which is similar to large commercial sites like Hotjobs and Monster’s board, as well as Navesink’s web site, we found that Koland technical expertise and Navesink’s knowledge of the logistics industry is a powerful combination and that together, we can solve the most complex problems facing this industry".
Navesink brings the resources of a Big 5 Consulting firm at a fraction of the cost and Koland has highly skilled, very affordable technical resources in place in India, and soon a new location in the USA. Navesink’s virtual network is already in place and Koland can quickly expand its current group of 5 programmers to 15 or 20 within one to two weeks notice.
Koland Technologies
Koland Technologies is an emerging information technology (IT) services and solution provider based in India with a presence in Randolph, NJ and planning to open an office in mid 2004 in Southern Massachusetts. Koland’s expertise spans the Supply Chain and Logistics, Insurance, Healthcare, Entertainment & Music and Retail Industries. Our clients are from North America (USA and Canada), Europe (England, Italy and France) and South Asia.
Services offered are in the following technologies:
1. Web Services
2. Client-Server
3. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
4. Database Services
5. Application Development and Maintenance
6. Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing
7. Business Process Management (BPM)
8. System Integration
Locations
Koland’s programmers are based in the technology driven south Indian city of Chennai (Madras). This location taps into the largest, educated and skilled human resource pool.
While the core services are provided from head quarters in India, support and additional services are provided from the US offices.
Why Koland?
Koland is that partner of choice whose focus is in providing quality IT solutions and services since 2002 and has helped small and medium sized companies operating in North America, Europe and Asia meet some of the newer challenges in IT, under the ever changing global economic scenarios and demands.
www.KolandTech.com
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Dave Walker is a motivated and a seasoned veteran with extensive experience in the field of Supply Chain management. He possesses strong project leadership, process and solution development, client relations, training and technical skills that are balanced with equally strong communication skills to achieve and exceed desired management results. He provides a full spectrum of expertise from a strategy and implementation perspective in the areas of warehouse management, transportation, and process improvements. His expertise has been essential to several successful ERP, TMS, & WMS implementations while focusing on end state solutions.
His experience runs the gamut of such prestigious companies as Optum, Industri-Matematik America (IMI), Genus, Inc., Varian Extrion, and C.R. Bard. He brings particular expertise in order management, procurement, DC design, traffic management, business solutions design and testing, import/export processes, product licensing and duty management, international tax policies and IATA/DOT HazMat distribution.
Dave began working with Navesink early this year lending his project management expertise to PureBueaty as they embarked on a warehouse closure and conversion to a 3PL provider. His expertise and leadership was instrumental in guiding this highly successful undertaking.
We are proud to present Dave as our featured consultant. He is a valuable asset to Navesink and an integral part of our virtual network model.
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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is not new. It was developed in World War II for identifying friendly aircraft. RFID is in wide use today to identify objects such as pets, automobiles and people. Current supply chain applications include: identifying work in process in manufacturing, identifying animals in research facilities, and identifying people for security purposes.
The Electronic Product Code (EPC) comes directly out of the work done by the Auto-ID Centers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge University, University of St. Gallen, Adelaide University and Keo University. Retailers, manufacturers, technology suppliers and packaging suppliers sponsored this work. The focus of the work was to develop low cost RFID tags; agile, low-cost readers, and an internet-like network for sharing information related to the tags. The EPC is an emerging, global standard that will use RFID technology to supplement existing product identification standards such as UPCs to uniquely identify each pallet, case and consumer unit of consumer goods. This RFID technology is supplemented by the EPC network of ONS and PML servers to store, access, and share information related to the TPC. The EPCGlobal organization is leading the development of industry-driven standards for the revolutionary Electronic Product Code (EPC) Network to support the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) in today’s fast-moving, information rich trading networks.
EPC differs from traditional RFID by promising a global interoperability across geographical boundaries, among technology suppliers and between trading partner environments. The chip in each label has written to it an electronic product code (EPC). This divided into numbers that identify the manufacturer, product version and serial number. The EPC is very much like the sequences of numbers on a bar code, except that the EPC can also uniquely identify every single item that is produced, vital for tracking individual products in the supply chain. This approach will require for more RFID tags and readers than ever before produced. It will also require a high level of information integration across trading partners.
Full implementation of the EPC could deliver value to all segments of the supply chain, including manufacturers, retailers and consumers. For manufacturers and retailers, the potential value includes increased sales though reduced out-of-stocks, increased productivity, improved inventory management, reduced shrink, better track and trace capability, and higher levels of product safety. For the consumer, the potential benefits include improved product availability, easy access to product information, higher levels of product safety and, eventually, the ability for products to interact with smart appliances.
Several issues must be addressed before the EPC system can be successfully implemented. First, the package must save more than it costs. Even at $0.05 per chip, the cost of the tag after application to the product is closer to $0.30. For some products, this is a significant impact on cost of goods. In order to achieve a cost low enough for most consumer goods products, it will be necessary to integrate tag placement into the packaging manufacturing process. The cost of installed readers in a hardened industrial environment is also prohibitive. The installed cost is typically five to ten times the cost of the reader. These costs will have to be reduced by developing low-cost, network adaptable readers, possibly wireless. Widespread adoption will also depend on sharing of costs and benefits across suppliers, manufacturers and retailers.
While progress has been made on RFID technology, there are still issues that must be addressed. The first is to prove the interoperability of EPC tags and readers from different technology suppliers. This leads to the next key issue: the interoperability of the technology between trading partner environments. Most existing RFID applications operate in environments that are controlled by one entity. It will be challenging to make this technology operate when manufacturers will control some environments and retailers control others. Interoperability across the globe is also an issue. There is no single frequency band and allowable power limits that are allowed in all markets. Reliability is also an issue. Tag evaluation and testing will be necessary to optimize performance. Understanding how the RFID tags are affected by placement, application and product is key. Successful implementation will require a near 100% readability.
Another issue that will have to be addressed is the willingness of trade partners to collaborate. Successful implementation of EPC will require far more trading partner collaboration than any previous initiative. This will include developing strategies for data sharing, and possibility tight integration between supplier, manufacturer and retailer systems. Making sure manufacturers, logistics providers, and retailers communicate on a global level can facilitate supply chain effectiveness and create consumer value. To make long term changes, the whole business model must be addressed-including the concerns of one company, but the problems faced by every company in the supply chain.
Real Benefits of Smart Packaging
Intelligent packaging could incorporate both responsive devices (RFID, laminate electronics, thermo chromic inks, chemicals, SSC polymers, and/or susceptor technology) and indicators (electronic theft detection devices, radio tagging and or other electronics features that monitor environmental factors such as Time Temperature Integrators-TTIs). The combination of these devices could result in providing all of the devices needed for error prevention, quality control, authentication/anti-counterfeiting, track and trace, provide consumer intelligence/trust, and to guard against both theft and tampering.
This technology could also help in the medical field, helping to reduce patient non-compliance. Right now, 98,000 lives are lost per year due to non-compliance and errors in hospitals alone. This does not even take into account nursing home or private home non-compliance or errors. Those numbers are even more staggering. Consider that 50% of patients admit to not following their doctor’s orders. Compliance is even lower in patients diagnosed and “treated” for acute asthma, high blood pressure, or depression.
Quality control can be monitored by smart packaging, too. When used in food packaging, consumers could be alerted to toxins or expired products. Packaging could have the ability to monitor and document temperature, vibrations, and humidity. It can convey product freshness or expiration. The packages can also monitor tampering or alterations of the package, which provides product authentication and anti-counterfeiting from the point of origin to the retail shelf.
Real time track and trace can improve material flows, and lower shrinkage. Inventory costs can be dramatically lowered when you can respond quickly and precisely to such things as out-of-stock alerts or transport/shipping errors.
All of these benefits combined could solve another important issue: consumer trust and confidence. A smart package will provide all of the intelligence a consumer needs to be assured they are purchasing viable, authentic product; alert them to any problems with quality and help them achieve complete compliance (if necessary).
Case Study-Marks & Spenser
Marks & Spenser (a leading UK retailer who sells only their own label products) rolled out the largest supply chain application of RFID tagging in the world, and successfully trialed item level RFID labels on clothing.
The trial, which went live on October 13, 2003, lasted one month. A selection of men’s suit, shirts and ties in the retailers store were tagged with disposable paper labels, supplied by UK integrator Intellident. Each paper label contains an RFID chip and antenna. By tagging garments with these “Intelligent Labels’, M&S was seeking to achieve 100% stock availability and give customers assurance that their chosen size, color, and style will be in the store when they next shop there. The labels can also be used to track and trace garments in the supply chain to isolate incidences of product diversion.
Their tags were passive and work on 868 UHF. The intelligent label was attached to the garment alongside the separate price tag. It could be cut off and thrown away once the customer bought the item. Warehouse scanners and mobile scanners used in the stores read 2000 tags/minute, located inventory gaps and streamlined the distribution of inventory.
The trial had proven successes in efficiency, inventory replenishment and other improvements. Their next trial (centered on the supply chain of food in their stores) is in rollout phases now.
Projected Industry Phases of Implementation
2004-2006 Pallets and Cases
2004-2006 Item level trials
2007-2008 Significant Item Level
Seven Reasons to Start Now:
1. Installing RFID is a black art (only the few are making practical applications of RFID to their supply chain now)
2. Lack of skilled RFID Technicians (the later you start, the more backlogged these professionals will be; hence, the longer it will take to get your business up to speed)
3. Existing IT infrastructures need to be upgraded
4. Integrating RFID with back end systems will take months
5. RFID systems may require changes to non-RFID friendly assets
6. Business processes need to be changed
7. Sooner you deploy, sooner you benefit - Why delay the inevitable?
Take advantage now.
RFID is only part of the means needed to achieve increased global asset visibility (the open sharing of information about the manufacture, warehousing, movement and sale of items throughout all participants in the supply chain). It is important not to see such tags as the answer-all solution to each problem in the supply chain. Finally, effective pilots will be necessary in order to prove this business case.
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Introduction
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