Avoid Supply Chain Horror Stories: Why RFID Tracking Limitations Offer A Trick, Not Treat

supply chain horror stories, RFID shortcomings, blog banner — Posted by GPX Team on October 29, 2024

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Contributors

Kim Dazey

RFID tracking limitations often create chilling blind spots in supply chain visibility that no business can afford. Where are your assets really located? Why do shipments sometimes vanish into the night, only to reappear at the warehouse dock without notice? And, most importantly, what are the dangers of relying on old technologies like RFID when more powerful, precise tools exist? In the spirit of the season, let’s unravel the chilling truths about what your business might be missing if it hasn’t upgraded from traditional RFID to mesh-networked bluetooth low-energy (BLE) tracking, combined with GPS node relay.

No More Vanishing Acts: RFID Tracking Limitations

RFID technology can only do so much—like the spooky stories told around the campfire, it often gives just a fragment of the full picture. RFID provides visibility only at the scanning point, meaning that once a tagged asset moves out of scanner range, its last known location fades into the void. It’s akin to tracking a specter that leaves only vague hints of its whereabouts.

The solution? Mesh-networked IoT hardware that offers true end-to-end tracking. With a network of BLE tags and GPS relay nodes, every item has the potential to “speak” to nearby assets and continuously report its position. Assets reveal their whereabouts in real time, keeping you constantly in the know about where they are—and more importantly, where they’re headed. No more haunted handoffs or surprise stops; instead, you gain the full story, down to each step of the journey. [1]

How RFID Tracking Limitations Leave Your Supply Chain in the Dark

RFID tags are often passive, waiting to be scanned before they relay data. This is akin to having ghosts in the attic, silent and uncommunicative until someone triggers them. Passive RFID tags don’t have the capacity to proactively communicate critical information.

Mesh-networked GPS + BLE, however, creates a lively dialogue among assets, keeping you informed through continuous updates on location, movement, and even environmental factors like temperature or shock. Unlike RFID’s silence, BLE keeps information flowing, ensuring you get insights without the chills. [2]

The High Stakes of Zombie-Like Stagnancy

RFID systems often require expensive infrastructure investments in physical scanners and complex setups. [3] Once implemented, these systems can be costly and time-intensive to upgrade, leading many companies to maintain them longer than necessary, much like clinging to a dusty relic in a haunted house. As supply chains evolve, sticking with RFID becomes a “zombie-like” stagnation that prevents your business, operations team, and/or supply chain and logistics teams from benefiting from the latest advancements.

In contrast, mesh-networked BLE systems are far easier to implement and scale, allowing companies to upgrade rapidly without being weighed down by heavy legacy investments. The flexible infrastructure allows you to add new assets or locations with ease, moving your supply chain from zombie-mode to agile and alive.

Exorcising Compliance Nightmares: Why RFID Falls Short

With increased regulations surrounding supply chain visibility, companies are haunted by the specter of traceability requirements. Unfortunately, RFID alone may leave you vulnerable to compliance gaps, especially if asset movement or storage doesn’t align with scanning points.

A truly end-to-end IoT solution offers continuous and consistent data that makes compliance with traceability regulations seamless. No more haunted files, missing data, or worrying about non-compliance. Mesh-networked tracking equips your business to face any regulatory audit confidently and avoid the skeletons RFID can leave in your records.

The Phantom Price Tag: Training and Workflow Adjustments for RFID

Implementing RFID technology isn’t just about slapping tags on assets and calling it a day—it requires specialized training and careful process adjustments, both of which can come with a spooky price tag. Like navigating a haunted maze, your team must learn to handle RFID’s quirks, from mastering tagging techniques to troubleshooting ghostly interference issues. And let’s not forget the workflow overhauls: existing processes need to be realigned to support RFID’s scanning and tracking protocols, which can stretch out timelines and add to project costs. Without these adjustments, RFID’s efficiency promises could vanish like a phantom in the night, leaving you with an expensive system that haunts your budget more than it helps. [3]

Once again, welcome: End-to-End IoT with a mesh-networked GPS + BLE solutions. With this approach, each asset in your supply chain can communicate seamlessly, updating locations in real time without relying on scanning points. No need for elaborate training or constant workflow adjustments—these systems are designed to deliver visibility right out of the box, guiding you out of the dark and into a fully illuminated view of your assets’ journey. [1]

supply chain horror stories, rfid shortfall

Supply Chain Horror Stories: Apple's 'Antennagate' During 2010 iPhone 4 Production

In 2010, Apple faced delays with the iPhone 4 launch due to issues in sourcing key components. Later, the infamous antenna problem (dubbed “Antennagate”) further disrupted Apple’s supply chain, as they needed to implement fixes and replacements quickly. Component shortages and production slowdowns followed, delaying product availability. [4]

How GPX’s IoT Solutions Could’ve Helped:
GPS + BLE tracking could have provided Apple with end-to-end visibility over critical components, allowing them to monitor stock movement and track shipment data in real time. Continuous data from mesh-networked IoT tags would have enabled rapid insight within production facilities and warehouses, suppliers, and shipment channels, alerting the need for new sourcing. Apple would have been able to adapt quickly to avoid delays and customer dissatisfaction.

Supply Chain Horror Stories: 2011 Fukushima Disaster & Automotive Industry Impacts

After the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in 2011, many automotive manufacturers globally faced severe supply shortages because key component suppliers in Japan were affected. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda experienced substantial disruptions due to the limited visibility into the availability and location of parts within their intricate, global supply chains. [5]

How GPX’s IoT Solutions Could’ve Helped:
With mesh-networked GPS + BLE, manufacturers could have received real-time alerts about parts’ locations, bulk stock levels, and environmental conditions across impacted regions. The continuous communication between GPS-enabled BLE tags and central systems would provide a detailed, transparent view into which assets were still accessible, in transit, and which had gone offline (likely destroyed in the disaster). This technology could have empowered companies to locate alternative sources more swiftly and avoid bottlenecks, allowing quicker adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Supply Chain Horror Stories: 2021 Suez Canal Blockage

In March 2021, the Ever Given container ship lodged itself sideways in the Suez Canal, blocking one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for almost a week. The blockage delayed billions in trade, affected supply chains worldwide, and underscored the vulnerability of just-in-time logistics. A mesh-networked IoT solution could have assisted shipping companies by monitoring routes in real-time, enabling rerouting and faster responses to congestion issues. [6]

How GPX’s IoT Solutions Could’ve Helped:
Mesh-networked IoT solutions with GPS + BLE could have provided real-time shipment visibility, enabling companies to clearly identify stalled inventory and adapt quickly to unexpected bottlenecks like this one. A mesh-networked solution can monitor cargo in transit continuously with GPS, and affordably scale these insights with BLE device data, relayed through the GPS node. This would have allowed companies to quantify the impact to stakeholders, in order to make the next-best-alternative arrangements.

Furthermore, GPX offers solutions that could have given logistics managers insights into the environmental conditions of affected assets with temperature and humidity sensors, providing even further insight into product viability and downstream supply chain impacts.

supply chain horror stories, rfid shortfall

So, Who’s Afraid of the Supply Chain Dark?

It’s easy to see why businesses might stick with RFID, comfortable with its familiarity even if it means dealing with a few haunted blind spots. But if the thought of untracked assets, inconsistent data, and lost or stolen items keeps you up at night, it may be time to consider a mesh-networked GPS + BLE solution. GPX offers IoT solutions that bring your supply chain movements out of the shadows.

In this season of spookiness, don’t let outdated technology haunt your operations. With solutions offered by GPX Intelligence, your business can gain transparency, security, and peace of mind that eliminates the eerie unknowns and transforms your supply chain into a well-lit path forward.