The logistics sector is positioned to be one of the primary beneficiaries of the adoption of RFID technology into the supply chain. It is important to recognize that the RFID compliance mandates generated by Wal-Mart, the Department of Defense and others address the receipt of merchandise and assets into these large enterprises.
For the logistics industry, with its position between suppliers and customers, RFID tagging and the underpinning mandates represents a great opportunity to expand the portfolio of offered services. Logistics opportunities include:
- Work with shipping customers to provide RFID compliance services that solve the compliance challenge
- Expand service and revenue base to suppliers and customers by using the RFID tags to define new information-based services as a source of competitive differentiation
- Talk to receiving customers who have issued a compliance mandate; explore the question: could the logistics carrier use the RFID-tagged merchandise to provide innovative services to the receiving company?
- Look at using EPC in cross-docking operations to increase efficiency
- Faster delivery turnaround
- Faster custom clearance
- Theft prevention
