Bairstow Lifting Products Co., a provider of custom rigging supplies and fall protection solutions, has implemented an innovative radio frequency identification (RFID) inventory inspection and certification tagging solution designed by UPM Raflatac and Marnlen RFiD, reducing the cost and complexity of offering RFID-tagged goods as a value-added service to its customers.
The solution equips Bairstow with two cost-effective, durable RFID applications for metal and non-metal products that can be integrated into the company’s existing tagging system. Beginning in February 2010, Bairstow will affix HF RFID tags to all the products it manufactures, providing its client base with an efficient, accurate way to conduct inspection and certification processes. The company also intends to offer the custom-designed RFID tags and inlays for sale to its customers.
“Adding RFID tags to our merchandise enables our customers to inspect and certify our rigging and fall protection products easily and accurately, guaranteeing that they will be used in an appropriate manner,” said Carey Hanson, a sales manager with Bairstow.
Hanson noted that Bairstow serves safety-conscious industries, such as construction, power generation and utility operations, industrial manufacturing and fire and rescue services. “Preserving the integrity of our customers’ fiscal operations and protecting employees who engage in hazardous work is of paramount importance to our company,” Hanson said.
The solution leverages UPM Raflatac’s HF MiniTrack RFID tags and two customized, low-profile, small-format tags developed by Marnlen RFiD that affix to existing tags and Bairstow’s metal and non-metal rigging and fall protection solutions.
Since Bairstow’s products experience repeated usage, the RFID tags are designed to withstand physical degradation, shock, UV radiation, temperature variability and moisture. Both tags were designed to provide exceptional rigidity and adhesion, enabling the RFID tag to be mounted to a wide variety of surfaces including polyester, nylon, rope, wire and steel; the metal application uses special materials to preserve the RFID tags’ readability, UPM Raflatac said.
“By designing a value-conscious, high performance solution that works within a company’s existing environment, UPM Raflatac and Marnlen RFiD made the adoption of RFID technology a reality for Bairstow Lifting Products,” said Jan Svoboda, sales and marketing director for the Americas with UPM Raflatac. “Many companies could use this approach, reaping rewards from RFID’s ability to drive cost and waste out of critical processes without having to make drastic changes to existing operations.”
Customers can use handheld RFID readers to scan tags in the field, streamlining the certification process and eliminating the physical paperwork and human error associated with manual processes. They also can integrate data into their backend systems, improving asset tracking and equipment uptime, UPM Raflatac said.
