Next Generation of Data Exchange tested in Unilever, RedPrairie EPICS Trial

11:39 am - November 28th, 2006

Data Sharing Partnership: Unilever Partners With RedPrairie In EPCIS Data Sharing Trial
11/20/2006
RedPrairie Corporation announced a partnernership with Unilever in the companyâ€™s trial of EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Service) to collect and access information from within the companyâ€™s logistics environment and from trading partners in the supply chain. Highlighting more effective data exchange and simplified interoperability, Unilever anticipates enhanced value in the areas of promotion management, supply chain visibility and metrics and RFID readability through RFID enablement and its integration with EPCIS.

RedPrairie provides Unilever with information on RFID tags using the EPCIS specification, a standard interface for accessing EPC-related information. Current data includes:

Commissioning Tags â€“ during picking, the RedPrairie warehouse management solution, DLxÂ® Warehouse, will commission the RFID tags that are required for each item on the order. DLx Warehouse will generate the EPC numbers for each case and pallet in the correct format and will relate them to a bar-coded license plate number, if necessary. These RFID-enabled labels will be applied to the appropriate cartons on the pallet. Similarly, an RFID-enabled pallet label will be generated.

Tag Aggregation â€“ RedPrairie solutions aggregate case-level tag information for each case on a pallet and associate it with the pallet-level tag. This helps to reduce the amount of data that needs to be read at the reader portals. By reading the pallet tag and a definable number of case tags, the user can get a positive confirmation when moving pallets in the warehouse. This aggregation of tag list data is also passed in standard EPCIS format to the database that is shared with the retailer for data analysis. This analysis capability benefits both Unilever and the retailers.

Shipping Verification – At shipping, DLx Warehouse will physically read the tags that move through the reader portal at the shipping dock. The GLN (Global Location Number) will be assigned to the pallet depicting the pallet’s site location. This is the final step in capturing the tag list data and ensuring that the order was identified correctly.

“By replacing manually intensive data exchange tasks with automated processes, more time is available for analysis and value creation,” said Simon Ellis, Supply Chain Director at Unilever. “As RFID begins to proliferate, EPCIS will serve as the foundation for manufacturers like Unilever to gain valuable insight, predict needs and problems before they occur, and improve our business operations and responsiveness to each of our partners within the supply chain.”

Comments Tom Kozenski, RedPrairie Vice President, “Manufacturers and Retailers can share vast amounts of item data by accurately tracking RIFD tagged products. RedPrairieâ€™s RFID capabilities help Unilever sift through the raw data and analyze store level promotional success within their EPCIS business analytics.”

Source: Red Prarie