Barcode and RFID tracking across a distributor's warehouses

Challenge

Stock was recorded on paper at the dock and keyed in later, so system figures and physical stock diverged through the month. Locating an item meant walking the aisles, dispatches went out short, and a full physical count meant shutting the warehouse.

Solution

Every bin, pallet and SKU given a scannable identity, with barcode labelling at inward and UHF RFID at pallet level where bulk reading paid off. Android handhelds for putaway, picking and packing verification, label printers at each dock, and warehouse management software synchronised with the existing ERP.

Outcome

Stock movements captured as they happen and attributable to a transaction and a person, location-directed picking in place of searching, packing verification that catches short dispatches, and cycle counting that replaces the annual shutdown.