|
|
|
- - - Wal-Mart RFID Mandate Compliance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
|
The RFID Mandate
|
In its original form, Wal-Mart was to require its top 100 suppliers to afix RFID tags on all
pallets and cases. This would be followed by the next 200 suppliers by January 1, 2006 and
all suppliers some time after that.
The RFID tag will contain an Electronic Product Code (EPC), which is a type of electronic
barcode. The data contains information about the manufacturer of the product, its category,
and individual item itself. In late 2005, Wal-Mart and Target announced a pilot program
to share their EPC data with a select number of large manufactures. This program was seen
as a major step in using EPC data throughout the entire supply chain.
Wal-Mart is seen as the major driving force of RFID technology adaption in the retail
space. Several distribution centers are already equipped with RFID technology along with
over 1000 stores. In addition, Procter & Gamble, one of Wal-Mart's top 100 suppliers, has
seen the benefits of RFID not only in supplying Wal-Mart, but in their own manufacturing
and inventory processes. (From ComputerWorld article Feb 26, 2007.)
|
|
Sam's Club Directive
|
In January of 2008, RFID Journal reported that all suppliers of Sam's Club were notified
of a requirement to begin attaching RFID tags to pallets by January 31, 2008. Suppliers
failing to do so will be charged a service fee for each untagged pallet. This latest move
by Sam's Club is aggressive and may leave many of the smaller suppliers struggling to
comply.
|
|
How Stark Solutions Can Help
|
Stark Solutions has real-world experience in providing customized RFID solutions and the
ability to not only get a customer in compliance with retailer mandates but also reduce
cost of an operation by increasing loading productivity, increasing inventory accuracy,
and eliminating shipping errors. Stark's solutions range from simply attaching inlays to
a customer's existing labels to a fully featured customer ERP integrated inventory
tracking system featuring Stark's proprietary software solution HackTrac FG.
Stark Solutions will work with clients to find the most cost-effective solution to meet
Wal-Mart's aggressive RFID mandates.
|
|
|
|
