Tracking Returnable Transport Items (RTIs)

Automatically track your RTIs including stillages, tote boxes, roll cages, pallets and trays through the supply chain

Maximise the use of RTIs and prevent assets getting lost or stolen with RFID tracking

Keeping track of your RTIs can be challenging, especially when logging their location depends on manual processes like scanning. If RTIs land in the wrong location or cannot be found, the movement of goods becomes difficult or impossible which can cause delivery delays.

With typical annual shrinkage rates of 3 to 9%, having to continually replace your lost or stolen RTIs can have a serious impact on profitability. Better visibility right through the supply chain enables better utilisation of RTIs which means you can reduce pool stock levels as there is no need to maintain the just-in-case items.

Les containers bénéficient de la traçabilité par la RFID

Benefits:

• Maximises the use of your available RTIs

• Helps prevent your assets getting lost or stolen

• Reduces disputes between trading partners about assets' locations

• Enables inventories to be performed in minutes rather than days

• Identifies shortages or oversized stock for better management

How we track RTIs

To track RTIs we use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to help improve the management of assets. Our specially designed RFiD Discovery system identifies individual pieces of equipment and tracks them across different sites to ensure they are in the place where they are needed.

Each RTI is fitted with an RFID tag. The unique identification numbers of RTIs fitted with a tag are then detected by a small number of strategically placed readers. Advances in technology mean that it is no longer necessary to install readers at each doorway or choke point

Location information is sent back to the central RFiD Discovery database where it can be analysed. This database allows you to determine how many RTIs have been despatched to a particular supplier or customer so you know which trading partner to contact for their return

Integrating the RFiD Discovery system with your ERP system provides company-wide visibility of your RTIs ensuring that required assets are available at the appropriate locations to fulfil any transportation request

Potential savings you can achieve

RFID tracking of asset pool operations is a proven solution to deliver a quick return on investment (ROI). Tagging assets allows for automation of paper work associated with despatch and receipt, so you can optimise transport for the collection of your assets and improve your service levels. Reducing the levels of lost reusable transport packaging can allow you to invest in higher quality RTIs which provide longer life cycles.

Saving example

A major supermarket chain has a pool of 250,000 roll cages, each worth approximately £120. With better pool management using RFID tracking they identified that they could remove 10% of roll cages from stock which are currently kept as a reserve pool. This over time frees up a total of £3m in capital. In addition, better tracking of RTIs reduces their typical current annual shrinkage of 7% (17,500) roll cages by 10%, a further saving of £210K per annum.