Case Study: Exel Deploys RFID Technology To Drive Down Yard Management Costs And Transportation Delays, Improve Product Security

When it comes to emerging technologies, Exel continuously experiments, pilots and adopts new applications that benefit its customers by driving supply chain innovation and flexibility. One such example is at a multi-customer trans-load facility in Southern California. The 300-space facility serves primarily as a deconsolidation center, unloading sea containers and shipping materials for points across North America for a variety of retail customers. Exel applied its technology expertise to the practical challenge of streamlining yard management and ensuring full visibility to the exact location of trailers and containers at the site.

To improve yard management visibility and efficiency at this particular facility, Exel began investigating technology solutions. The company had been experimenting with and piloting radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions with various consumer-industry customers since the late 1990s, yet it was still considered an emerging technology at the time. Exel decided to collaborate with industry partners and integrate several technologies, with the ultimate goal of significantly improving efficiencies.