Managing Automation - May 2008 - (Page 41) [MAY 2008] Transformation Integration TechWatch Industries [ INDUSTRIES ] Driving RFID Like its corporate parent, Wal-Mart, retail heavyweight Sam’s Club has implemented an RFID program that requires its suppliers to tag goods or face fines. BY CHRIS CHIAPPINELLI ooner or later, most consumer goods companies will encounter a downstream customer — think Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, or Target — that asks for product to be delivered with RFID tags and tracking. The prospect of ramping up an RFID infrastructure from scratch can be daunting, but progressive companies are already looking down that road. For Sam’s Club’s current suppliers and prospective partners, the road is already underfoot. Sam’s Club’s RFID project began in earnest in Januar y, making suppliers that send product through the retailer’s DeSoto, TX, distribution center responsible for adding RFID tags to the pallets they send. Manufacturers that fail to tag will incur a $2 per pallet charge, according to Sam’s Club, increasing to $3 per tag as of January 2009. Currently limited to the DeSoto distribution center and confined to pallet-level tagging, the program will expand markedly by 2010. Four additional Sam’s Club distribution centers will require RFID tagging come fall 2008, with the remaining 17 coming on board next January. For now, suppliers need only apply RFID tags to the pallets they ship, but Sam’s Club has more auspicious — and costlier — plans. On a progressive rollout schedule, the company will ask Photo courtesy: Wal-Mart 41 May 2008
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - May 2008 Managing Automation - May 2008 Contents Take 1 Award-Winning Shoe-Maker Otabo Alters Course, Shifts Production to China IBM Partners with Universities for Cloud Computing Getting Noise in Production Under Control Incuity Embarks on a Vertical Market Strategy Foundation Intensifies OPC Standard Testing Mailbox Notes PM Roundtable Cover Story: The Business of Going Green Special Report: Night and Day Delivering on Promises Finding the Right Fit for Wireless Driving RFID Product Scan Advertiser Index Next Managing Automation - May 2008 Managing Automation - May 2008 - Managing Automation - May 2008 (Page Cover1) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Managing Automation - May 2008 (Page Cover2) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Take 1 (Page 6) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Take 1 (Page 7) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Award-Winning Shoe-Maker Otabo Alters Course, Shifts Production to China (Page 8) Managing Automation - May 2008 - IBM Partners with Universities for Cloud Computing (Page 9) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Getting Noise in Production Under Control (Page 10) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Incuity Embarks on a Vertical Market Strategy (Page 11) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Foundation Intensifies OPC Standard Testing (Page 12) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Foundation Intensifies OPC Standard Testing (Page 13) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Mailbox (Page 14) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Mailbox (Page 15) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Notes (Page 16) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Notes (Page 17) Managing Automation - May 2008 - PM Roundtable (Page 18) Managing Automation - May 2008 - PM Roundtable (Page 19) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 20) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 21) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 22) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 23) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 24) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 25) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 26) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Cover Story: The Business of Going Green (Page 27) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 28) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 29) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 30) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 31) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 32) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Special Report: Night and Day (Page 33) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Delivering on Promises (Page 34) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Delivering on Promises (Page 35) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Delivering on Promises (Page 36) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Delivering on Promises (Page 37) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Finding the Right Fit for Wireless (Page 38) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Finding the Right Fit for Wireless (Page 39) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Finding the Right Fit for Wireless (Page 40) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Driving RFID (Page 41) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Driving RFID (Page 42) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Driving RFID (Page 43) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Product Scan (Page 44) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Product Scan (Page 45) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Product Scan (Page 46) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Product Scan (Page 47) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Advertiser Index (Page 48) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Advertiser Index (Page 49) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Next (Page 50) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Next (Page Cover3) Managing Automation - May 2008 - Next (Page Cover4)
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