InteliTap Launches Upgraded RFID Maintenance Module To Visibility Supply Chain Solution For Brewers
InteliTap launches upgraded container maintenance & repair modules to automate manual processes, reduce costs, minimise spend on new fleets, increase customer satisfaction and protect brand equity.
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, October15th, 2010 – Intelitap's Supply Chain Solutions division today announced the launch of an upgraded, automated RFID container maintenance solution to completely track and manage all aspects of keg and cask repairs and servicing.
This technological and process support advancement drives further efficiencies and cost savings from the VisibiliTy supply chain solution for container fleet owners such as brewers, which has delivered game changing benefits to their existing customer base over the past five years. The new module has, this week, been installed at one of the world's leading brewers.
Designed to provide container owners with accurate and actionable data to enable stakeholders to make decisions, VisibiliTy ensures brewers and other container owners avoid unnecessary cost and promote bottom line profitability through their supply chain. Losses, maintenance costs, customer complaints and spend on new containers is reduced, resources used for manual tracking is redeployed, supply chain efficiency is improved, and product quality is enhanced.
The maintenance module focuses on a ‘fit to fill' optimisation which eliminates persistently faulty containers from a fleet and minimises failures in trade - it prevents instances of these potential problems happening. Rogue containers can impact the beer industry on various levels, from consumer brand confidence to the cost of repetitively repairing or maintaining rogue kegs that should definitely be removed from the supply chain.
The short term benefits are immediate, particularly in terms of human accuracy, time and performance standards, and the medium to long term benefits enable clients to very quickly identify ‘rogue' containers by tracking long term maintenance history, in addition to other predictable patterns such as preventative maintenance measures relating to average component lifespan, based on fills and useage.
The launch comes the week before the team showcase their solution with full functioning UHF RFID Asset Tracking Bulk Scanning at the International Brewing Conferencein Manchester next week.
On a technical level, the maintenance and repair module uses existing RFID tags but replaces the current hand held devices used by maintenance and repair operators with a leading edge touch screen solution that is blended with modified business processes, resulting in the capture of more point of activity data with a lower impact on operational business processes. In addition, all new or existing kegs and casks without an RFID tag (usually due to brand or company acquisition) can be originated automatically as part of the solution if required.
There are multiple and diverse processes that normally occur during keg and cask repair or service, and the VisibiliTy solution captures them all, specifically to each individual container. Extractor maintenance in particular is automatically tracked which ensures accurate tracking to the manufacturer's warranty, thus saving thousands of pounds in both UK supply chains and export operations. New technologies and innovations can be evaluated with a greater degree of accuracy, and any fraudulent activity relating to the return of containers can be minimised.
A comprehensive reporting suite accompanies the development in data capture which provides clients the information required to execute key business decisions based on accurate information to reduce overall costs associated with maintaining the fleet along with improving product quality, protecting the brand and reducing instances of component failure in trade.
Jon Quinn, InteliTap's Chief Commercial Officer says: "The upgraded maintenance module is just one element of the visibiliTy solution – albeit an important, if not critical, one to brewers. The solution itself continues to enhance and grow on an ongoing basis as we proactively develop visibiliTy to achieve the goals of our currently served and target industries. Each and every enhancement is driven by an ROI decision made together with our clients. Many providers deliver technology solutions, I am delighted that once again our team have delivered a real ROI driven business solution, supported by unique applications of technology. Economic conditions are more dynamic than ever, in brewing and many of our other focus industries, and we continually strive to assist clients to make decisions that avoid unnecessary cost and promote bottom line profitability."
This solution maximises fleet performance in an automated environment. It reduces and effectively removes ‘repeat offenders' and is also bespoke so that criteria can be continuously modified based on patterns. Any asset owner can benefit, and there are many synergies with our other clients in Healthcare, the Gas Bottle Industry, Chemical and Pharmaceutical and Automotive.
SOURCE: InteliTap