Wal-Mart has mandated that by January 2005, its top 100 suppliers must apply passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags based on EPCglobal standards to cases and pallets headed toward three specific Distribution Centers (DCs) in Texas. Virtually all manufacturers and distributors of consumer goods will eventually be impacted by this because Wal-Mart?s moves in RFID are being copied by other retailers.

ARC Research talked to 24 companies that were actively investing in EPC (Electronic Product Code) RFID. Unfortunately, this study shows that for manufacturers and distributors selling to large retailers, RFID has a much lower ROI (Return on Investment) for them than for their retail customers. The situation is made more difficult because the technology is immature and current suppliers of tags are unreliably supplying a poor quality product.

APICS announces the development of the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation to specifically address the educational needs in supply chain management.

At January 1, 2005, APICS did adopt a new name, tag line, and logo:

APICS The Association for Operations Management Advancing Productivity, Innovation, and Competitive Success

APICS The Association for Operations Management better defines the leadership position that APICS holds in the market, differentiates us from the competition, and provides room for market expansion.

Wal-Mart Stores will roll out its RFID program to 600 stores and 12 distribution centers by December 2005, its Chief Information Officer Linda Dillman said at the RFID World conference and exhibition earlier this month. The RFID program requires suppliers to mark their pallets and cases with radio frequency identification (RFIDS) tags. The program will grow from 100 to 200 suppliers by years end, Dillman added. When she spoke on March 2, Dillman said that the giant retailer had received 23,753 tagged pallets at its three Texas distribution centers, which are pioneering its deployment of RFID.

The most interesting place to locate a RDC in Europe will be within the blue banana, a strip of land between Hamburg and Le Havre.

[hr]Om financieel-economische redenen is het altijd aantrekkelijk om opslag en VAL activiteiten dicht bij de Europese aanvoerhavens te leggen. Dus vanaf Hamburg tot Le Havre is een waardevolle strook land. De distributiepunten liggen daarachter tot een straal van zeker 1000-1500 km in een banaanvormige boog vanaf Oost-engeland via de BeNeLux, de Alpen landen naar Zuid frankrijk en Noord Spanje. Binnen deze blue banana zullen de grote DC’s blijven bestaan.

A ship of 335 meters long, 61 meters height and 43 meters width, and is able to carry 8.450 20 ft containers (TUE). These are the dimensions of probable the world largest container ship, the PO Nedlloyd Mondriaan[hr]

Een schip van 335 meter lang (drie voetbalvelden achter elkaar), 61 meter hoog en 43 meter breed dat 8.450 containers van 20 voet kan vervoeren. Het zijn de afmetingen van de PO Nedlloyd Mondriaan.

Het 8.450 TEU (1 TEU is ? container van 20 voet) metende schip is officieus het grootste containerschip ter wereld. Ingenieurs van PO Nedlloyd vermoeden dat de Deense concurrent Maersk, de grootste containerrederij ter wereld, nog grotere schepen heeft rondvaren. Maersk doet uit concurrentieoverwegingen erg geheimzinnig over zijn nieuwste megaschepen, maar door de breedte als uitgangspunt te nemen, heeft PO Nedlloyd uitgerekend dat de Maersk-schepen dicht tegen de 10.000 TEU aan zitten.

De Britse kapitein Alan Brown van de Mondriaan denkt dat de schepen zo langzamerhand de grens bereiken wat betreft diepgang en motorvermogen. De Mondriaan heeft een Sulzer-motor die 84.000 paardenkracht kan leveren en het schip een snelheid geeft van bijna 25 zeemijl per uur (45 kilometer per uur). Rien Hoogerbrugge, hoofd van de afdeling nieuwbouw van PO Nedlloyd, denkt dat de grens ligt bij 12.000 TEU en 350 meter lengte. Daarboven zou volgens hem de stabiliteit van het schip in gevaar komen.

The 2005 Market report on RFID is now available at AME Research.

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Delivery drivers can use mobile devices to store electronic consignment notices and have recipients electronically sign each delivery notice to ensure proof of delivery.

This information can then be uploaded from a handheld device to the organisation’s database, eliminating the need to re-enter data or electronically scan each document.

Mobile devices can also be used by drivers to send and receive delivery updates in real time, allowing for the tracking of deliveries and accurate records of what has been delivered and when.

The automation of the pick and pack process can yield many benefits such as reducing the elapsed time between receiving an order and fulfilment. It reduces paperwork and repetitive data entry.

The pick and pack process can also be used in conjunction with barcodes and portable readers to ensure that the correct products are loaded for each order, helping to reduce packing and shipping errors.

Advanced ship notices can also be generated, with the goods receiver providing advanced information about incoming merchandise.

Track and trace is a web-based service that allows a company and its customers to identify the location of a shipment at any time of the day or night. Deliveries can be traced by entering information, such as consignment numbers, customer numbers, or delivery dates.

Environmental Consignment Monitoring (ECM) uses RFID tags to record, store and deliver temperature data remotely to a local computer or to a handheld reader, enabling the receiver of goods to monitor the condition of goods during every stage of the transportation process.

ECM is gaining prominence within the agricultural industry. Primary producers and buyers can measure and monitor the temperature of fresh produce as it is transported from the farm gate to the marketplace, and if temperatures fluctuate outside a predetermined range, immediate action can be taken to save a shipment.