Container Centralen Pilots EPCIS-compliant RFID Solution using Oracle Technology

Oracle® Sensor Data Manager enables comprehensive visibility of product movements through a distributed network

Los Angeles, CA 18-OCT-2006 Container Centralen, the market leader in managing returnable items in supply chains, is currently piloting a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution that tracks tagged assets using an Electronic Product Code Information Service (EPCIS) -compliant solution built on Oracle® Fusion Middleware. Oracle Sensor Data Manager, available as part of Oracle Sensor Edge Server, provides the data repository and search mechanisms to derive important business information from querying vast amounts of RFID data that are collected at each location the crate travels to along the entire supply chain. It can help answer such questions as: what is the (average) turnover rate of a crate? What are deviations from this average turnover rate? How long on average have crates been at a Distribution Center?

Container Centralen provides crates that are used in the transport of produce to supermarkets all over the Netherlands. Millions of these crates are transported from the supplier through distribution channels to the shops and back again. In the current situation there is insufficient data available about the turnover rate of crates and how long crates were present in the distribution channels and shops. Lack of information made detailed, swift and accurate settlement of accounts between the members of the supply chain very difficult, and affected the already razor-thin profit margins that supermarkets have to live with.

Capgemini developed applications for Container Centralen that run against Discovery Service available as part of Sensor Data Manager.
The solution, hosted by Oracle Certified Partner MCX, a Dutch service provider, will enable Container Centralen to collect data about the movement of their crates through their supply chain in order to derive key business information. The Discovery Service component of the solution is key because it reveals which EPC Information Service, among possibly many thousands, contains the relevant real-time information sought. It will deliver many benefits: firstly, the right data is made available to the right people and companies at the right time; secondly, the necessary stocking of crates can be better planned, avoiding stockouts; and finally, the addition of RFID tags to crates, pallets and roll containers can enable Container Centralen’s customers to improve tracking and tracing in their own logistics flows to improve their supply chains.

“A world of data gives up its secrets with the addition of the EPCIS and Discovery Service,” said Charles Willemsen, Area Manager Benelux for Container Centralen. “This functionality provides the basis for being able to trace the movements of RFID tags, which makes life much easier for us and our customers. Our customers can all expect to be able to settle their bills more quickly, which helps the cash flow, and hence their profitability, enormously.”

Oracle Sensor Data Manager, a component of the Oracle Sensor Edge Server, helps companies manage all the RFID and sensor data collected at various locations. It includes both Information Services, which is EPCIS compliant and Discovery Services. These components are responsible for, respectively, storing information about a product and enabling this information to be searched. Together they allow the retrieval of the product history of a particular item in a distributed system that has multiple participants. Users can access a web-based application to view this product information.

“RFID provides us massive amounts of raw data that we can now analyze to gain new insight about how products are moving through the supply chain. This data is collected at each location the products move through,” said Peggy Chen, principal product director of Oracle RFID and Sensor-Based Services. “Oracle’s long track record in managing vast amounts of information makes RFID a natural fit for our products. By building a track and trace solution on top of the RFID and EPC compliant features in Oracle Fusion Middleware, we’ve demonstrated the viability of collecting and sharing information across a disparate network.”

About Oracle
Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world’s largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com.

About Container Centralen
Container Centralen is a leading product provider and pool manager of returnable transport items in the retail and flower and plants industry. For more information about Container Centralen, visit our website at http://www.container-centralen.com.

About Capgemini
Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of Consulting, Technology and Outsourcing services, has a unique way of working with its clients, called the Collaborative Business Experience. Backed by over three decades of industry and service experience, the Collaborative Business Experience is designed to help our clients achieve better, faster, more sustainable results through seamless access to our network of world-leading technology partners and collaboration-focused methods and tools. Through commitment to mutual success and the achievement of tangible value, we help businesses implement growth strategies, leverage technology, and thrive through the power of collaboration. Capgemini employs approximately 61.000 people worldwide and reported 2005 global revenues of 6.954 billion euros. More information about our services, offices and research is available at www.nl.capgemini.com

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Steve Walker

Oracle

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