The RFID specialist, EPCglobal, which is a subsidiary of the GS1 standards group, has completed the second phase of a transportation and logistics pilot examining the use of EPC IS (EPC Information Services) middleware, increasing the prospect of improved data visibility between trading partners exchanging RFID-sourced data.
The pilot took place between the Far East and the US, and showed real-time cargo visibility of the flow of goods between trading partners and logistics providers between the Chinese and US mainlands.
The pilot, which was supported by the Japanese Ministry of Trade and Economics (METI) and members of the Transportation and Logistics Industry Action Group, involved two shipments of three containers, each carrying 40 pallets. The project, one of the first of its kind, involved the shipment of parts such as tyres and finished goods, including laptops, from source locations in China to distribution centres in the US, with the goods flowing through two ports: Shanghai and Los Angeles.
What does the pilot prove? According to EPCglobal president Chris Adcock, it demonstrates that the use of EPCIS, coupled with other EPCglobal standards, can enable visibility across multiple business layers for stakeholders across global supply chains. Adcock says the pilot means "Companies can improve supply chain execution and cut costs through real-time asset management, while some retailers can increase revenue by reducing out-of-stocks."
According to Tom Escott, president of Schneder Logistics, the pilot has helped define "the art of the possible from a transportation and logistics business value perspective."
The trial is now moving into Phase 3, and will involve more parts and finished products as well as additional trading partners from different regions.
The companies involved in the pilot were: Alien Technology, Allumis, Confidex, DHL, GlobeRanger, iControl, Motorola, NEC, NTT, NTT Comware, NYK Logistics, Oracle, Sato, Savi, Schneider National, Sense Technology, Toppan Forms and Printing, and UPM Raflatec.
There is some background on EPCIS here, and some FAQs about EPCIS here