Warmkraft Boosts Order-Fulfillment Efficiency With RFID

Warmkraft, a Mississippi company that applies finishes to military uniforms, has reduced its manual shipping labor costs by 50 percent, while lowering its shipping–error rate down to 0.2 percent from 5 percent, by RFID-tagging its products at the item level after those goods are treated, and by then reading the tags prior to shipment. The system, provided by RFID technology firm SimplyRFID , enables the finishing company to ensure that the correct products are packed in cartons and shipped to the military per each order, and also to send advance shipping notices and receive payment two weeks earlier than was possible without RFID.

Warmkraft began tagging its products destined for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in November 2009, as required by the military agency, and has now expanded the system to its two Mississippi facilities at which uniforms are treated prior to being shipped to the Air Force—as well as, now, the U.S. Marine Corps. The USAF's item-level RFID deployment was intended to help the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency track the receipt and issuance of uniforms at Lackland Air Force Base's recruit training center (see USAF Boot Camp Tracks Boots). Over the next year, says Ron Lack, Warmkraft's general manager, the company also plans to begin tagging uniforms destined for the U.S. Army.

Full RFID Journal Article Warmkraft Boosts Order-Fulfillment Efficiency With RFID