Air Canada Cargo Deploys Piece-Level RFID Tracking

LAKELAND, Fla.--()--CargoAware, a division of Franwell, Inc., the proven leader in radio frequency identification (RFID) track and trace technologies, announced today that Air Canada Cargo is moving forward with implementation of a large-scale RFID implementation that will track cargo and mail shipments across additional stations in its network. Initial implementation and solution validation was agreed to in September of 2015, with Montreal Canada and Frankfurt Germany being the first two stations installed, at that time. Boston is now on-line, with Chicago being installed. Franwell will be partnering with Jamison RFID, View Technologies and other strategic partners to provide the air cargo services provider with a complete, end-to-end RFID RTLS tracking solution.

Air Canada Cargo is Canada's largest provider of air cargo services, and provides direct shipping to more than 150 cities in Canada, the US and around the world. The company will use the RFID solution, developed and implemented by Franwell, to track cargo at the piece level associated to a RFID-tagged ULD. Freight is tracked as it moves through the warehouse and to and from the tarmac using RAIN RFID (passive UHF) labels, providing real-time, hands-free shipment location updates.

"The RFID solution establishes Air Canada Cargo as an industry leader, and sets a new standard for quality. Tracking shipments at the piece level with this solution will provide us with gains in process efficiency and valuable edge data that will generate enhanced metrics and business intelligence. We can use that information to improve our own operations, and also to provide improved service and shipment visibility to our customers," said Lise-Marie Turpin, Vice-President, Air Canada Cargo.

Warehouse staff use RAIN RFID enabled IATA standards based labels to associate piece level cargo with a specific MAWB, HAWB and ULD. When the pallets are built, overhead Echo smart antennas from View Technologies automatically detect the ULD contents. View Technologies systems are integrated into CargoAware for tracking location within warehouses. Door portals from Jamison RFID provide real-time tracking information as the pallets move through key doorways in the facility. The RFID data enables real-time piece and ULD lookup via an online dashboard, along with automated ‘last known location change’ messaging to Air Canada’s operational system.

Franwell’s solution combines best-in-class RAIN RFID technologies, including Jamison RFID’s Mod3 Smart RFID portals used to capture choke-point/pass-through to track cargo movement, long-range Echo smart antennas for real-time piece-level visibility of contents for pallet build automation and validation, and Zebra Technologies RFID printers for a streamlined tagging process. The solution is integrated with existing Air Canada operational software for seamless data messaging, providing real-time data on location changes and ULD build-up and breakdown of pieces to containers.

As a result of the RFID deployment, Air Canada Cargo expects a marked increase in productivity and higher customer satisfaction levels where the system is deployed.

“Air Canada has taken an industry leadership role in driving piece level tracking and ULD association, using RFID technology. They have defined key benefits, ranging from quality, efficiency and best practice modifications to operations, which also yields a significant ROI,” said Mike Nicometo, Director – CargoAware. “The potential for the visibility provided by the CargoAware solution is amazing, and air cargo is not the only industry it is applicable to.”

"Jamison RFID is excited to be a part of this groundbreaking project," said Monte R. Lucas, President of Jamison RFID. "By combining our intelligent RFID portals with Franwell's solutions, Air Canada Cargo has created a system that will generate a long-term ROI and provide new levels of service for their customers, bringing a higher degree of automation to the air cargo and aviation industry."

“View Technologies is pleased to collaborate with this group of experienced solution providers for Air Canada,” said Steve Hudson, president of View Technologies. “By integrating our Echo smart antennas and inView platform with Franwell’s solution, Air Canada can continuously and confidently monitor cargo pieces for complete traceability inside their facilities.”

About CargoAware/Franwell

Franwell, Inc. is a technology company dedicated to the development of leading edge products and services with a focus on supply chain solutions and RFID integration. Our staff provides complete consulting and system integration services to support the effective implementation of RFID solutions in a variety of industries, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cargo. See www.cargoaware.com or www.franwell.com for info.

About Jamison RFID and Jamison Door Company

Since 1906, Jamison Door Company has pioneered the industrial door industry with innovative designs, unsurpassed product quality, and outstanding customer service. Jamison's RFID Industrial Portals™ Division produces the world's largest variety of Radio Frequency Identification - RFID portals, housing structures, mounting components, and custom designed enclosures that help track products using RFID during the manufacturing process and throughout the entire supply chain. Jamison services over 6000 warehouse, retail, and supply chain customers from three North American manufacturing plants; in Maryland, Montana, and Mexico City. For more information, go to www.JamisonRFID.com.

About View Technologies

Formed as a joint venture between Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK) and RF Controls in 2014, View Technologies provides the optimum way for Retailers, Manufacturers, and Logistics providers to confidently and intelligently manage their inventory. With View Technologies, these customers know what items they have, where they are located and when they need them. The firm’s inView platform features patented technology that continuously locates, engages and counts RAIN RFID (Passive UHF) tagged items to deliver real-time data visibility and actionable data to drive business growth, improve efficiency and prevent loss. View Technologies partners with leading system integrators and application platforms in retail and industrial settings to connect these environments to an intelligent IoT ecosystem. View Technologies is available via integrated solution and service partners. For more information, visit www.viewtechnologies.com.

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