German Drugstore dm-drogerie markt Trades Estimating for Accuracy
The drugstore uses RAIN RFID readers — featuring Impinj reader chips — at dock doors to cut costs by precisely tracking the dwell time of rented pallets.
The German drugstore chain dm-drogerie markt uses loading aids (or transport containers) with integrated RFID tags to transport goods from its distribution center to its stores. In the May 2022 issue of ident magazine, the drugstore reported on RFID loading at the Wustermark site where, in addition to plastic pallets, GS1 SMART-boxes are used throughout the company for the delivery of small articles.
All loading aids are provided by a pooling service provider and invoiced to dm according to the time they are rented. dm allocates the rental costs to the suppliers of goods and passes those costs on. Until now, only the new additions of loading aids were clearly documented; everything else was passed on by means of estimates and assumptions.
As new technology became available, an idea between dm and the pooling service provider took shape: move away from approximation to concrete counting. The solution needed to be as simple and scalable as possible in order to equip all locations with it regardless of the technical characteristics and local conditions.
The cost of the hardware used and its maintainability, especially with regard to IT security, were always kept in mind. After various rounds of discussion, the idea was born to implement a cloud solution where the reader sends its collected data directly, without an additional PC. The data would then be collected and processed by Sydesoft, provider of the cloud solution “WS-RFID Tracking Solution,” and made available to the pooling service provider. This provided the basis for a more accurate load.
In its search for suitable hardware for the project, dm landed on Impinj partner Kathrein Solutions GmbH. In addition to the pure hardware, such as RAIN RFID readers (featuring Impinj RAIN RFID reader chips) and antennas, Kathrein already offered a software solution called CrossTalk for the management and administration of remote Kathrein readers. The whole project was rounded off by direct and uncomplicated communication, as well as support for questions regarding the Kathrein products used.
In the meantime, seven of these counting stations were established at four different dm locations. The stations differ only in their specific design according to the loading equipment to be recorded and the structural conditions. The solution is so flexible that it can also be used for other pooling service customers with little effort and places minimal demand on the conditions onsite.
With the solution from Kathrein and Impinj, estimating the dwell time of rented loading equipment can be a thing of the past.
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Thursday, February 15, 2024
ABOUT THE CUSTOMER
dm-drogerie markt
dm-drogerie markt is a chain of retail stores headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, offering cosmetics, healthcare items, household products, and health food and drinks.
ABOUT THE PARTNER
Kathrein Solutions GmbH
Kathrein Solutions and its integration partners provide IoT technologies including hardware, software, services and support.
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