Labelling Solutions
Why RFID labelling for inventory management is a gateway to sales growth
By Norberto Bermudez,product management team manager at Sato.
R
adio frequency identification (RFID) technology has evolved significantly in the last decade. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, RFID was often seen as a technology for those in logistics, manufacturing and transport. It was the star of the show in the modern-day warehouse, where it played a vital role in tracking items through the supply chain, providing real-time data to companies on its location and state. However, RFID technology has seen a major upswing in adoption rates by retailers of late.
For instance, data from Accenture states that only 34% of US retailers had adopted RFID in 2014, compared to 93% in 2020. European retailers, while lower than their US counterparts, were still open to using RFID at the time of the survey in 2021, with 77% considering or using the technology. The pandemic has undoubtedly increased RFID usage, with 46% of the survey’s respondents saying they were increasingly looking to implement RFID solutions due to the benefits the technology can offer. In fact, around 80% of retailers – according to the study – now say the benefits of RFID cannot be replicated by another technology.
MARKET PULL
Due to its excellent capabilities to increase speed to market, those without RFID technology at the heart of their supply chain are missing opportunities for sales growth. With the global smart labels market valued at approximately $9.5 billion in 2022 and a 11.2% CAGR for a project $24.8 billion by 2030, it’s no surprise that there is a distinct market pull when it comes to RFID technology.
Beyond using RFID to improve stock accuracy to instantly check shipments, apparel retailers are now using the technology by placing RFID tags on the back of its hang tags to show a customer exactly where a product is – either in the shop room or in the back warehouse – and help them locate it. While in agriculture, a Belgian fresh fruit and vegetable grower is using QR codes on cartons of fruit combined with passive UHF RFID tagged pallets to automatically capture data on the product as it moves through the supply chain.
In healthcare, hospitals around the world are now using RFID tags to track equipment and monitor patients. For instance, in Pennsylvania, they are using RFID tags encoded with beyond-use-
dating to track Covid-19 vaccines once they were transported from the hospital’s freezer. Not only did it increase inventory tracking, but it also reduced vaccine waste from doses that were stored for too long or at too high a temperature. Elsewhere, in Japan, the University of Fukui Hospital developed a hand hygiene monitoring system, where real- time locators were installed overhead in hospital rooms and RFID tags were attached to disinfection sprays. This meant that any time the staff moved throughout the hospital, the system could detect whether the spray had been used and how frequently it had been used from one location to another. As such, hand hygiene increased by more than 300% as a result of the data visualisation.
SMARTER DECISIONS
Data driven technology solutions like RFID are an excellent way to understand where and how your operations can improve. They act as a gateway to increased sales growth, leading to smarter purchase decisions at management level, due to the end- to-end visibility they can provide within the supply chain. If inventory accuracy is key to lower shrinkage, is it also the key to improved profits? As auto-ID and labelling solutions experts, Sato combines the advantages of RFID technology with powerful labelling and intelligent printing solutions, to help businesses make smarter decisions. We know time is of the essence for operators, particularly when leaner inventories are required. It is why we have a range of intelligent solutions that not only save operators time, but also help to reduce costs in healthcare, retail, manufacturing and more. Of course, not all businesses operate in the same way. By using our ‘powered on site’ approach, we obtain an understanding of your business model and the challenges faced, so that we can provide you with a solution that solves – rather than causes – vulnerabilities in your supply chain. For instance, our CL4NX and CL6NX Plus series of printers come with excellent RFID functionality. Featuring best-in-class ribbon core and increased precision for micro label applications, this intelligent solution was used to replace a steel plate manufacturer’s traditional barcode scanning system. Here, RFID tags were placed on pallets and linked to their existing warehouse management system to automatically track and trace its products
throughout the supply chain in real-time. This resulted in a fully automated system that not only saved the company time but improved its delivery accuracy to customers. With increased efficiency, the steel plate manufacturer increased its sales potential, driving future profits.
Another great RFID-enabled printer is our CT4-LX. This compact 4-inch printer comes with Sato RF Analyse, which enables operators to easily move the antenna to measure and set RFID label configuration settings. This means users can re-measure configuration settings quickly according to each specific production batch that requires a different or unique RFID label. Previously, users would need to send the printer away to be inspected, but with SRA, they can significantly reduce downtime and increase productivity.
DRIVING WORLDWIDE RFID ADOPTION For SATO, it is not just about keeping the supply chain moving, it is about driving worldwide adoption of RFID technology. In 2020, Sato joined the RAIN RFID Alliance as part of its collaborative aims to advance IoT technologies with a focus on accelerating the adoption of UHF RFID systems throughout global supply chains. The Alliance, which includes more than 160 members, promotes awareness and increases the adoption of RAIN RFID in business and consumer applications. For Sato, this includes working with other members to design high performance RFID tags, smart readers and next generation RFID antennas tailored for specific applications in retail, healthcare and the supply chain.
Without this collaboration from key industry players, RFID technology would not be as advanced as it is today. Organisations like the RAIN RFID Alliance enable technical innovation to thrive, to go beyond the technology spectrum of what businesses require today.
RFID labelling may have been the gateway to sales growth, but it can do so much more. Fortunately, the next generation of RFID technology is already in motion – aided by our ceaseless creativity.
Xwww.satoeurope.com
28
April 2022
www.convertermag.com
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