Annual Report 2009-2010 - GS1

GS1 Brazil
EPC/RFID at work for the Brazilian army supply chain
Item-level visibility
Establishing online and electronic logistics are a key
strategy for the Brazilian Army. As part of this strategic
programme, the Brazilian Army’s Class II Products Supply
Division worked with GS1 Brazil to implement a new
traceability and control capability through the use of
EPC/RFID-based automated identification technology.
The products concerned include equipment (e.g. helmets,
backpacks), kitchen utensils, lodging equipment
(e.g. bunk beds, mattresses), and uniforms.
The new process involves having suppliers apply a passive
serialised GS1 EPC/RFID tag to each item and logistic unit,
and equipping Army warehouses with RFID portals that
can “see” all the tagged products as they enter and leave.
The process is also supported by electronic messaging.
This combination of GS1 standards provides the
Brazilian Army with item-level visibility across its various
warehouses.
Standards are mandatory
The obligatory use of GS1 standards is specified in the
bidding requirements sent to all suppliers. To support
the supplier community as well as the military, GS1 Brazil
created a service to verify the tag data prior to shipment
of goods, ensuring all involved that the Serialised-GTIN
(S-GTIN) created for each item conforms to the GS1
EPCglobal Tag Data Standard. The serialised form of
the GS1 Global Trade Item Number identifies a specific
instance of a trade item: each individual item has its own
unique identity.
The entire initiative is being lead by the Brazilian Army
with the support of GS1 Brazil and local EPCglobal
Solution Providers. GS1 Brazil also provides support
to end user companies and service providers in their
implementation of GS1 and GS1 EPCglobal standards.
“This transformation of the supply
chain has delivered significant
operational improvements in
inventory, shipping and receiving
processes, and provides item-level
visibility across warehouses.”
Significant operational improvements
This transformation of the Army’s supply chain has
delivered significant operational improvements in
inventory, shipping and receiving processes. Additional
benefits are expected from significant improvements in
accuracy, as the Army will be quickly and easily able to
verify that any logistics unit being received contains the
items purchased.
GS1 MOs in Action
The positive results of the Army programme have
attracted the attention of the logistics teams of other
branches of Brazilian armed forces, including the Navy and
the Air Force. GS1 Brazil will continue to work closely with
all the units in the Brazilian Defence community, as well
as the entire supplier community, to deliver the benefits
of GS1 standards to every aspect of Brazilian Defence
logistics.
For more information about GS1 Brazil, visit
www.gs1br.org
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