R.F.I.D. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT / INVENTORY TRACKING:

(RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION OF INVENTORY)

Canadian Linen & Uniform Service

75 Norfinch Drive

Toronto,

This month's strategic interest group meeting was held at Canadian Linen and Uniform Service, the topic of discussion was RFID: supply chain management/inventory tracking. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Anthony Coulter - GM Canadian Linen and Uniform Service, Bonnie Burton and Orazio Dorata for helping to organize this fantastic event. I would also like to thank Anthony Coulter for making arrangements to bring in RFID specialist Bob Moroz- President (rfid canada) to speak about Radio Frequency Identification of Inventory. This session focused on how Canadian Linen and Uniform Service successfully implemented a RFID strategy to control, track and analyze inventory. Canadian Linen and Uniform Service along with Bob Moroz provided an in-depth presentation on how RFID has been successful in the control of inventory within their organization as well as other ways your organization can use RFID technology. Please read below for highlights from their presentation.  At the end of the presentation Bonnie and Orazio provided a plant tour for those in attendance.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Anthony, Bonnie and Orazio on the state of their plant. Canadian Linen and Uniform Service is one of the cleanest plants I have ever seen... their shop floor goes beyond clean and Borders on the edge of being surgically clean. Everyone that took the shop floor to was amazed at how clean it was. Congratulations to you and your team.

Excerpts from the presentation

1. What is RFID
2. RFID Applications
3. Questions?

RFID is

"World's oldest new technology"

RFID is an information technology

Why RFID?

•         RFID is one of the fastest growing technology which, in just three to five years from now, will be touching everyone in some way

•         RFID will also be a key element of all business and consumer based software and systems being developed

•         RFID is replacing technologies such as Barcoding, Mag-Stripe and contact Smart Card.

RFID Is…

•         An automatic way to collect information or data on People, Products, Places, Times or Transactions

•         A memory chip with a radio

Identification performed in milliseconds:

•          No line of sight required

•          Contactless

•          Works in a harsh environment

•          No human error involved

ID "Tags" that can:

•          Store unique ID information

•          Read and write data to the tag

•          Perform Encryption and Authentication

•          Multiple tags can be read simultaneously

ACTIVE vs PASSIVE

Active Technology:

·         Battery powered

·         Long reading distance (100m +)

·         Shorter life time (approx. 5yrs)

·         Large devices

·         Sensitive to high/low temperatures

·         Higher Cost

Passive Technology:

·         No Internal Power

·         Shorter reading distance (1 - 5m)

·         Lasts forever

·         Small devices

·         Easily inserted or embedded

·         Withstands harsh conditions

·         Inexpensive

Some of the uses for RFID technology;

·         manufacturing

·         supply chain

·         document control

·         asset tracking

·         payment tracking

·         security

·         agriculture

This was a very educational and informative session on the uses of RFID in the manufacturing environment. I would like to take this opportunity to again thank Anthony, Bonnie and Orazio for providing a very informative and educational session. If you are interested in taking a plant tour of Canadian Linen and Uniform Services to see just how clean a plant can look please do not hesitate to contact me... I would be more than happy to help make arrangements for you to get a plant tour of this impeccable facility.