Canadian RFID Centre hosts produce industry representatives
Canadian RFID Centre hosts produce industry representatives
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association's Industry Technology Advisory Council hosted "produce days," an open house of the new Canadian RFID Centre, on Nov. 21-22.
Representatives from major Canadian retailers, produce industry suppliers and GS1 Canada -- the group that is globally responsible for supply chain standards -- toured the CRC to see first-hand the benefits that RFID provides.
The CRC, which is hosted in an IBM facility in Markham, ON, just outside Toronto, will initially focus on the retail, produce and consumer packaged goods industries. It will demonstrate how RFID can enable a more accurate and cost- effective way of implementing food traceability of frozen, fresh and dry goods, and is geared for Generation 2, the newest technology in RFID, said Jane Proctor, director of industry technology and standardization for the CPMA.
"It is the only lab of its kind in North America focusing on Generation 2 technology," Ms. Proctor said. "As compared to Generation 1 tags and readers, Generation 2 offers a lot more flexibility and allows for interoperability, so we are pleased that it is being utilized in the center."
Ms. Proctor said that she believed the CRC to be the only lab that is a collaboration between multiple sectors such as retail, consumer product manufacturers, produce, meat and GS1 and technology providers, such as IBM. She added that the CRC gives visitors a hands-on simulation of the whole supply chain, a set-up that is unique in North America for the produce sector.
"Participants can see produce moving through the supply chain from supplier packingsheds through to the retail store back door," she said. "The lab shows how information is captured and stored, giving the whole experience of RFID in the supply chain."
The CRC, which was in the planning stages for over a year, opened Sept. 21 and has been led by the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, Ms. Proctor said. In addition to the CCGD and the CPMA, the other organizations involved in the development of the center are Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, EPCglobal Canada (GS1 Canada), Food & Consumer Products of Canada, IBM Canada Ltd., Intermec Technologies Corp. and Symbol Technologies Inc.
With the recent mandates on the traceability of meat from Quebec's provincial government, Ms. Proctor said that it was only a matter of time before produce was included in this and potentially other provincial mandates. Since the ability to utilize bar codes for traceability at the case level is often seen as resource-intensive, she said that many see RFID as the solution of choice.
"The focus for the first year of the CRC is on traceability enabled via RFID," she said. "The CPMA looks at the lab as an opportunity to augment what other groups, such as the PMA, are doing with RFID. We want to enhance learning as well as making sure we are not duplicating efforts. The lab gives industry one more resource to use collaboratively to provide guidance on RFID."
For more information on the CRC, call 800/426-7777, ext. RFID or e-mail [email protected].
Representatives from major Canadian retailers, produce industry suppliers and GS1 Canada -- the group that is globally responsible for supply chain standards -- toured the CRC to see first-hand the benefits that RFID provides.
The CRC, which is hosted in an IBM facility in Markham, ON, just outside Toronto, will initially focus on the retail, produce and consumer packaged goods industries. It will demonstrate how RFID can enable a more accurate and cost- effective way of implementing food traceability of frozen, fresh and dry goods, and is geared for Generation 2, the newest technology in RFID, said Jane Proctor, director of industry technology and standardization for the CPMA.
"It is the only lab of its kind in North America focusing on Generation 2 technology," Ms. Proctor said. "As compared to Generation 1 tags and readers, Generation 2 offers a lot more flexibility and allows for interoperability, so we are pleased that it is being utilized in the center."
Ms. Proctor said that she believed the CRC to be the only lab that is a collaboration between multiple sectors such as retail, consumer product manufacturers, produce, meat and GS1 and technology providers, such as IBM. She added that the CRC gives visitors a hands-on simulation of the whole supply chain, a set-up that is unique in North America for the produce sector.
"Participants can see produce moving through the supply chain from supplier packingsheds through to the retail store back door," she said. "The lab shows how information is captured and stored, giving the whole experience of RFID in the supply chain."
The CRC, which was in the planning stages for over a year, opened Sept. 21 and has been led by the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, Ms. Proctor said. In addition to the CCGD and the CPMA, the other organizations involved in the development of the center are Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, EPCglobal Canada (GS1 Canada), Food & Consumer Products of Canada, IBM Canada Ltd., Intermec Technologies Corp. and Symbol Technologies Inc.
With the recent mandates on the traceability of meat from Quebec's provincial government, Ms. Proctor said that it was only a matter of time before produce was included in this and potentially other provincial mandates. Since the ability to utilize bar codes for traceability at the case level is often seen as resource-intensive, she said that many see RFID as the solution of choice.
"The focus for the first year of the CRC is on traceability enabled via RFID," she said. "The CPMA looks at the lab as an opportunity to augment what other groups, such as the PMA, are doing with RFID. We want to enhance learning as well as making sure we are not duplicating efforts. The lab gives industry one more resource to use collaboratively to provide guidance on RFID."
For more information on the CRC, call 800/426-7777, ext. RFID or e-mail [email protected].
