The non-profit EPCglobal Network system combines radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, existing communications network infrastructure and the Electronic Product Code (EPC), anumber for uniquely identifying an item.
The system is being built to help companies realise the value of data synchronization through the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN).
Jack Grasso, a spokesperson for EPCGlobal US, told FoodProductionDaily.com that the syncronised system puts together already existing databases in place across North America, Europe and Asia andsets up a standard for accessing the information.
"Billions of dollars are trapped in the supply chain due to bad data," he said.
A unified data system, would allow changes in information about product sizes, weight, name, price, classification, transport requirements and volumes to be immediately transmitted along the supplychain. For example it would allow shippers to immediately know if the amount of product stacked on a pallet had changed, or give a retailer time to adjust display space.
"The end result helps organisations be more efficient, flexible, and responsive to customer," he said. "Data syncronisation is clean information. It contains all theattributes needed to describe a product. It is a data pool that originates from the manufacturer."
He said it would prevent the insertion of human logging mistakes when products are changed. It would also save the time needed to manually contact by telephone or e-mail suppliers, transportoperators and retailers when changes are made.
The aim is to create a single connected global network operating on the same standard. Currently, many of the regional databases in existence do not connect due to differing standards.
"We want to make all this standard information available to all the traditional partners," he said. "Accuracy and availability is the key."
About 4,000 companies worldwide have already signed on to develop the global system. Grasso hopes to sign up hundreds of thousands to the network. A company would first enter their products intothe global registry and chose a data pool it would be classified under.
Any manifest changes would be input by the company, notifying all parts of the supply chain. It would be up to the individual company to maintain the data. The data would be available to shippers,receivers, marketers, warehouses and retailers.
The system will also help companies to be more effective and to deliver business and consumer benefits such as safer drugs, fresher produce and eliminate theft and counterfeiting in the supplychain, Grasso said.
Nestle, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Hormel Foods, Kraft, Unilever, Sara Lee, Wal-Mart, Wegmans Food Markets, Colgate Palmolive, E J Gallo, Gillette, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, Lowe's,Office Depot, Paramount, Pep Boys, Procter & Gamble and Staples are among the companies that have signed up to the network.
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