• All News
• CeBIT
• Technology
• Business
• Government
• eHealth

IBM Releases New Supply Chain Management Technology

12 Nov 2009

IBM has updated its InfoSphere Traceability Server with a new capability for businesses to extract information from sensors tracking the location and conditions of millions of global shipping containers.

The Returnable Container Management system allows companies to collect massive amounts of sensor data to be gathered in real-time, providing supply chain transparency and reducing inventory costs by up to 40 per cent.

Using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags affixed to each container, the new technology will cut the cost and shipping delays associated with lost containers.

Both standing and mobile devices can then read the tags and capture data such as location, time of manufacture and serial number.

Clients and their trading partners can then use IBM software to track the container online. If the container reaches the wrong location, the system will alert management.

The system is already in use to track valuable items including pharmaceuticals and medical implants. It was also recently modified to help major car manufacturers manage their automobile parts supply chain.

IBM claims that businesses can expect to improve container turnaround time by up to 20 per cent, while container loss is predicted to fall by between 5 and 15 per cent.

Learn more about supply chain technology and RFID at the CeBIT Retail Technology Exhibition.
 

Page Tags

• Supply Chain
• RFID
• retail tech
• retail IT
• IBM

Recent Technology News

• 

  IBM Says New Power Servers Will Outperform Sun, HP

  9 Feb 2010 IBM has launched its next generation Power servers, catering to the intermediary segment between powerful mainframe computers and lower end X86 based servers. IBM's Power7 processors are designed to run demanding applications such as real-time analytics and smart electrical grids. The new Power7 system chip has eight cores that can each run four... read more

• 

  Google Adds Social Features to Gmail

  9 Feb 2010 As part of jump-starting its new web strategy, internet giant Google is preparing to introduce social-networking features into Gmail. Gmail users can already set their status within the email service, but Google will now expand that functionality in to a status update stream similar to Facebook and Twitter. These status updates will eventually include... read more

• 

  Green Grid Develop Data Centre Efficiency Tools

  5 Feb 2010 In an effort to create stronger incentives for data centre operators to increase their facilities’ energy efficiency, the Green Grid Consortium is set release two free energy measurement tools in March. The Green Grid's Power Efficiency Estimator enables data centre operators to compare different possible situations involving power technologies... read more

• 

  Symbian Smartphone OS Goes Open Source

  5 Feb 2010 The Symbian Foundation is set to change its proprietary mobile platform to be completely open source from today onwards. Individual developers and organisations will now be able to modify the OS source code “for any purpose”. The move means that phone manufacturers using the Symbian OS such a Nokia will save on costs, as they will not be... read more

• 

  Microsoft Surface Multi-Touch Computer In Australia Next Week

  4 Feb 2010 Microsoft’s multi-touch computer may have already made its debut down-under at the Australian Open, but it will hit Australian retailers for the first time next week. The Microsoft Surface allows people to interact on a 30-inch screen built into a table top. Users control the device though hand gestures instead of relying on a keyboard and mouse.... read more