The transformative impact of RFID technology in apparel packaging within factories is undeniable. With over 30 years of industry leadership, r-pac has pioneered solutions in item-level RFID tagging and embedded sensors, revolutionising retail operations from source to store as well as manufacturing processes.
Team Apparel Resources had an exclusive conversation with Irshad Sulaiman, Director – Sales and Business Development, r-pac Bangladesh Packaging Co. Ltd. The conversation delves into how r-pac’s innovative RFID solutions enhance traceability, inventory management and anti-theft measures, addressing key challenges faced by apparel factories. Here are some excerpts.
With the prevailing economic impact on consumers in areas of inflation, supply chain disruptions and disposable income spending trends that have affected the apparel market, brands have shifted to real-time, need-based ordering by analysing product movement patterns. |
AR: Can you provide an overview of how r-pac’s RFID technology works within the context of apparel packaging in factories?
Irshad: Firstly, to give a brief introduction to our background: r-pac has been in existence for over 30 years as a recognised global leader, excelling in delivering cutting-edge solutions for branded trims and packaging. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as an industry leader in item-level RFID tagging and embedded sensors, revolutionising the retail landscape from source to store. With a dynamic team of over 4,000 employees across more than 30 countries, r-pac proudly serves and supports customers on a global scale. Our global presence and expertise enable us to understand market dynamics and deliver tailored solutions in each region that drive success and profitability for our clients and partners.
RFID as a product is rapidly being introduced in the retail supply chain and most brands are adopting the technology. It has immensely helped brands improve traceability and inventory management while its features can also be used as anti-theft products to mitigate the increase in shopfloor thefts that are being reported across regions.
Our introduction of the r-pac VSBL Solution helps vendors and manufacturers use RFID for their internal efficiencies and improvements. VSBL not only helps brands receive error-free shipments but also enhances the credibility of the manufacturer and helps eliminate penalties and charges imposed on them due to errors in packing and shipping.
Below is the process flow for ease of reference:
AR: What specific challenges do apparel factories typically face when it comes to packaging and inventory management and how does your RFID solution address these challenges?
Irshad: With the prevailing economic impact on consumers in areas of inflation, supply chain disruptions and disposable income spending trends that have affected the apparel market, brands have shifted to real-time, need-based ordering by analysing product movement patterns. This has resulted in ordering of smaller quantities more frequently, with shorter lead times and quicker turnaround demands. These orders reveal a trend that has led to an increase in the assortment ratio packing on the purchase orders. Since carton packing is a manual, human element of the process, there is a high tendency for packing errors given the assortment and ratios that need to be packed. The r-pac VSBL solution helps eliminate such challenges faced by manufacturers.
AR: Could you explain how your RFID tracker machine facilitates the identification of items within cartons, particularly in terms of size, SKU and potentially colour variations?
Irshad: The devices installed in our hardware read the RFID tags of individual items packed in the carton simultaneously and display the number of each UPC read, decoded from the RFID tag’s EPC to style, colour and size.
AR: How does your RFID solution enhance accuracy and efficiency compared to traditional methods of inventory management and tracking?
Irshad: Our RFID solution significantly increases speed and throughput in the outbound process, reducing the need for additional audits, checks, balances and cycle count time. It also substantially lowers full-time equivalent (FTE) labour costs for inventory and quality control, offering considerable cost savings. By maintaining leaner inventory, our solution reduces holding costs and improves accuracy in packing and shipping. Additionally, it saves time on returns and rectification management.
AR: What measures do you have in place to ensure data security and privacy for the information collected by your RFID technology?
Irshad: No information is collected other than the UPC data, which is stored in a secure cloud system and used exclusively for validation purposes. This data is password protected and can be restricted solely for client use.
AR: Going forward, what developments or advancements do you foresee in RFID technology that could further benefit apparel factories in the future?
Irshad: We see RFID increasingly being embedded into garments during the sewing process and we have already embarked on developing solutions with softer and more production-friendly tag form factors to facilitate this trend.