GS1 Singapore News • 1 GS1 Singapore News Issue 51 Apr – Jun 2008 MICA (P) 108/02/2008 The GS1 Singapore Council is a component of It is the national body that formulates and implements policies relating to EAN Bar Codes. continue on page 10 Enabling Supply Chain Visibility GS1 Singapore continues to promote the adoption of EPCglobal at the 5th EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008 organised by GS1 Singapore, Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation and EPCglobal Singapore. The 5th EPCglobal / RFID Singapore Forum 2008, held on 23 April 2008 was a success on every front. Themed “Enabling Supply Chain Visibility”, the forum gathered 80 prominent global SCM experts, members, business partners and guests in attendance. The event was well supported by IDA, SPRING Singapore, IE Singapore, Information Technology Standards Committee, A*STAR Exploit Technologies, National RFID Centre, ECR Singapore and Spartan System (S) Pte Ltd. Mr Edwin Khew, Chairman of GS1 Singapore and EPCglobal Singapore delivered the welcome and opening address. EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008 A section of the participants at the EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008.
Transcript
GS1 Singapore News • 1
GS1 Singapore News
Issue 51 Apr – Jun 2008 MICA (P) 108/02/2008
The GS1 Singapore Council is a component of
It is the national body that formulates and implements policies relating to EAN Bar Codes.
continue on page 10
Enabling Supply Chain Visibility
GS1 Singapore continues to promote the adoption of EPCglobal at
the 5th EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008 organised by GS1
Singapore, Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation and EPCglobal
Singapore.
The 5th EPCglobal / RFID Singapore Forum 2008, held on 23 April
2008 was a success on every front. Themed “Enabling Supply Chain
Visibility”, the forum gathered 80 prominent global SCM experts,
members, business partners and guests in attendance. The event
was well supported by IDA, SPRING Singapore, IE Singapore,
Information Technology Standards Committee, A*STAR Exploit
Technologies, National RFID Centre, ECR Singapore and Spartan
System (S) Pte Ltd.
Mr Edwin Khew, Chairman of GS1 Singapore and EPCglobal
Singapore delivered the welcome and opening address.
EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008
A section of the participants at the EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008.
During the past months of 2008, Singapore saw the following challenges:
The high costs of crude oil On 29th April 2008, the crude oil hit a high of US$119.93, before easing back to US$110 per barrel on 1st May 2008. Thereafter it rose to US$120.21 per barrel on 5th May 2008 and US$142.26 per barrel on 27th June 2008.
According to the Economic Professor Sam Ouliaris of the National University of Singapore, the high prices of crude oil will continue to rise for some time due to tight supplies, declining US Dollar value, market speculation and global rising consumption of crude oil particularly by emerging economies including India and China.
Mr Arjun Muri, a Goldman Sachs analyst, who three years ago correctly predicted a price “super-spike” above US$100.00 per barrel for crude oil again warned that due to a lack of adequate supply growth, the possibility of a US$150 – US$200 per barrel price for crude oil seemed increasingly likely over the next 6 – 24 months.
This is also voiced in April 2008 by Mr Chakib Khalil, President of Opec who also warned that prices could reach US$200 a barrel and there would be little cartel could do.
The rising infl ationIn Singapore, the Consumer Price Index rose 6.7% in March 2008 compared to same period in 2007. Food prices which comprise 23% of the Index rose 7.6%.
According to a survey conducted by Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE), over a period of March and April 2008, the price of 10kg branded fragrant rice jumped 44% and the branded cooking oil increased by 56%.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) took steps to help fight inflation and announced on 10th April 2008 that it would manage the inflation by allowing an immediate jump in the value of Singapore Dollar by moving the range in which it allowed the Singapore dollar to fluctuate.
The MAS also revised the consumer price inflation to the upper half of its 4.5% to 5.5% range. Inflation will therefore expect to moderate in the later half of 2008, although a strong Singapore dollar cannot mitigate domestic source of inflation such as higher housing costs, wage costs and road usage costs.
The above have translated into higher operation costs in Singapore. GS1 Singapore is committed to help its registered users to increase productivity through automation by wider implementation of bar coding system and radio frequency system in their business processes and also help them to have competitive edges to expand into global markets.
As part of our programs to accelerate industry adoption of these technologies, we have successfully hosted the EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum on 23rd April 2008. At this event, leading manufacturing companies from USA, Japan and Korea such as HP, Sony, NEC, LG Electronics, SATO and BEA shared with representatives from GS1 user companies, case studies on their experiences in the implementations of EPCglobal/RFID solutions and benefits.
Experts from A*Star Cryptography and Security Department, Institute for Infocomm Research, and the National RFID Centre presented RFID Security and RFID Funding Program respectively to help industries. This Forum also informed ISO’s new standard Work Item to develop a new ISO RFID standard on RFID applications for mobile phones.
This will enable companies in Singapore to know in advance the new ISO standard development institutive so that they can start looking into developing such range of new products according to ISO standards currently being developed to meet the market demand for such new products when the ISO standard is finalised and announced in about 18 months’ time.
GS1 Singapore will continue with its efforts to help its registered users to increase productivity through implementation of automatic data capture technology in their business processes to meet challenges from rising costs and be competitive.
The re-location of GS1 Singapore offi ce from 30th June 2008The Enterprise Building at No. 1, Science Centre Road, Singapore 609077 is ear-marked for demolition and redevelopment in the later part of 2008. As a result, GS1 Singapore as a component of SMa will be relocated together with SMa to the SPRING Singapore Building at No. 2 Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 159835 on 30th June 2008. The telephone number : 6826 3000 remain unchanged. We look forward to serving you at our new premises on 30th June 2008.
Editorial
Tan Jin SoonExecutive Director GS1 Singapore
GS1 Singapore News • 3
GS1 Singapore News
Introducing Unilever160 million times a day, someone somewhere chooses a Unilever
product. From feeding your family to keeping your home clean and
fresh, our brands are part of everyday life.
Life PartnerUnilever’s history began in 1890s when William Hesketh Lever,
founder of Lever Bros wrote down his ideas for Sunlight Soap.
Unilever was created in 1930 by the merger of British soap-maker
Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie.
Currently headquartered in London & Amsterdam, Unilever is also
listed in the major stock exchanges of Amsterdam, New York &
London.
With 400 over brands spanning 14 categories of home, personal care
& foods products, no other company touches so many people's lives
in so many different ways. Our brand portfolio has also made us
leaders in every field in which we work. We are the global market
leader in Savory, Dressings, Ice-Cream, Deodorants, Spreads and
Tea, and have very strong positions in Hair, Mass Skin and Laundry
categories.
Unilever also strongly believes that conducting business in a
responsible way has a positive social impact. We create and share
wealth, invest in local economies and develop people's skills –
both inside our organization & in the communities around us.
In May 2007, Unilever became the first company to commit to
sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner, with its tea estates
certified by Rainforest Alliance, an international environmental
NGO.
Today Unilever is fully multinational with operating companies and
factories on every continent coupled with research laboratories
worldwide, all of which strive for improved performance on safety,
efficiency, quality and environmental impacts, working to global
Unilever standards and management systems.
In 2007, our worldwide turnover was over €40 billion. Today
Unilever employs 174,000 people in 150 countries worldwide, and
supports the jobs of many thousands of distributors, contractors
and suppliers.
Unilever Singapore Pte Ltd has been incorporated since 1974 and
is currently located at Somerset Road, Singapore Power Building
whilst the regional office resides at UE Square, supporting the global
operational needs.
GSI Bar Coding SystemUnilever Singapore Pte Ltd adopted the EAN bar coding system since
1987, the system is now the GS1 Bar coding system. The system has
helped Unilever in communicating more efficiently with retailers,
as the GS1 bar code has become a common code that both retailers
and suppliers understand and communicate with.
The GS1 Bar Coding has also aided Unilever in our supply chain
management as the Bar codes can be scanned using Radio Frequency
and real time picking information can be sent to a specific picker.
The tracking that can be done through bar codes also provides more
accurate inventory management. The GS1 Bar Coding system has
definitely provided benefits such as increased efficiency, accuracy
and provided better clarity of our flow of goods.
GS1 Singapore News • 4
1 What is EPCIS?
“EPCIS” refers to Electronic Product Code Information Service. It is a standard that defines interfaces to enable the sharing of data among trading partners. This sharing of data in the supply chain is aimed at enabling participants in EPCglobal Network to gain real-time visibility into the movement, location and disposition of assets, goods and services throughout the world. EPCIS allows for the seamless secure exchange of data at every point in the lifecycle of goods and services.
The EPCIS approach defines a standard interface to enable Electronic Product Code (EPC) related data to be captured and queried using a defined set of service operations and associated EPC-related data standards, all combined with appropriate security mechanisms that satisfy the needs of user companies. In many or most cases, this will involve the use of one or more persistent databases of EPC-related data, though elements of the Services approach could be used for direct application-to-application sharing without persistent databases.
With or without persistent databases, the EPCIS specification
specifies only a standard data sharing interface between applications that capture EPC related data and those that need access to it. It does not specify how the service operations or databases themselves should be implemented. This includes not defining how the EPCIS should acquire and/or compute the data they need, except to the extent the data is captured using the standard EPCIS capture operations. The interfaces are needed for interoperability, while the implementations allow for competition among those providing the technology and EPC Information Service.
EPCIS is therefore a standard that defines the interfaces to enable the sharing of data between trading partners and is not a service. It is a new breakthrough for trading partners to share information as it creates a new dimension in collaboration.
EPCIS is a standard-based approach to securely share product
movement information that will provide visibility and improve businesses processes in an unprecedented manner. It is the foundation for increasing visibility, accuracy, and automation throughout the supply chain and is driven by end user needs to share event related information.
EPCIS is industry and application neutral. It is a cross-industry framework with cross-industry and industry-specific vocabularies
EPCIS and Its Applications
Mr Tan Jin SoonExecutive Director, EPCglobal Singapore CouncilChairman, Automatic Data Capture Technical Committee under IT Standards Committee
Dr Shin-ichii IshiiSenior ConsultantNomura Research Institute Ltd, Japan
and extensions. It is user-extensible. It allows each trading partner to keep their data.
EPCIS enables secure information exchange where each company controls their data and shares it only with those partners they choose to share it with. EPCIS leverages on established security mechanisms. Its unique feature is that it is a supplement to and not a replacement for, existing enterprise information systems. It is complementary to EDI.
2 The EPCIS Standard
Product identification that can be captured by EPCIS may come in any of the following formats:
• Passive RFID Tag - UHF Gen 2, HF • Barcodes - Linear, Data Matrix • Active RFID Tag • Human Readable Number • And more in the future!
The EPCIS specifi cation Version 1.0 is a ratifi ed global standard. It has been widely deployed across industries. Some examples are:
• Retail Supply Chain (RSC) for Promotional Visibility and Electronic Proof of Delivery were successfully implemented in the phase 1 pilot completed in February 2007 from Hong Kong Port to Japan Kobe Port. A total of nine RFID read points in China/Hong Kong and three RFID read points in Japan were deployed with data captured and shared among the trading partners through four EPCIS. For details, please refer to the EPIC pilot described in the second part of this article.
• The second phase of the EPCIS pilot is scheduled for completion in February 2008. It is set to reinforce the EPCIS dimension. Information will be exchanged between potential end users, such as customs administrations for automatic customs clearance. The trade lane to be used in this phase is Shanghai Port to Long Beach Port in California. Both sea and air transportation modes will be used.
• Other areas for deployment of EPCIS are: - Healthcare Life Sciences (HLS) for Product Authentication/
Pedigree; - Transport and Logistics (TLS) in a global pilot; and - Consumer Electronics for product life cycle management
and waste recycle of electrical, electronic equipment (WEEE) management which is mandated in Europe.
GS1 Singapore is an active member in the planning of the above mentioned 2 EPCIS pilots.
- Media and Entertainment use of EPCIS for Value Chain Testing.
This article provides an overview of the Electronic Product Code Information Service (EPCIS)
and an EPCIS pilot trial for the shipment of goods between Hong Kong to Japan. The article is written
in 2 parts: Part 1 describes what is EPCIS, its functions and usage; and Part 2 is a summary of the pilot
trial of EPCIS capturing and exchanging real-time data of the movement of goods from China to Hong
Kong and then to Japan ports.
GS1 Singapore News • 5
GS1 Singapore News
What• EPC number (can leverage master data - GTIN)• Manufacturing Data (lot, batch, expiration date)• Transactional Data (PO, Shipment, Invoice)
Where• Location (can be fixed or moving - leverage master data - GLN)
When• Event Time• Record Time
Why• Business Process Step - e.g. Receiving, Shipping• Product State - e.g. Saleable, Active, In Transit• Current Conditions - e.g. Temperature
An EPCIS Interoperability Event had also been successfully conducted with 12 global participants in July 2006. Samsung was one of the contributing member and participant of this event.
2.1 What is specified in the EPCIS standard?
There are two interfaces and a data model in the EPCIS standard.
The Event Capture interface enables the loading of business
events containing consistent XML data elements into a repository. The business events describe granular product movements in the supply chain e.g. EPC 123 (product) was Received (business step) in Non Sellable condition (disposition) at Distribution Center X (location) yesterday at 2pm EDT (time).
The Query interfaces enable internal and external systems to request business events from the repository using a parameterised interface:
• Poll Queries for an immediate response • Subscription Queries for a triggered response.
The Data Model includes the necessary elements to describe product movements in the supply chain:
• EPC, Event Time, Business Step, Disposition, Read Point, Business Location, and Business Transaction. It is readily possible to extend the data model to include other fields. Some extensions for the pilots to-date include Expiration Date, Batch Number, and Temperature.
• EPCIS specification does not define the implementation of the repository. So it is possible to implement the EPCIS interfaces and data model on a database, XML file system, or potentially other structures.
2.2 What is EPCIS Data?
EPC Events answer four questions - What, Where, When, and Why.
The EPCIS standard enables extending event data in each direction
2.3 Data Exchange Components
The EPC Event Data consists of the following which is the basis for standardised Data Exchange:
• EPC; • Time; • Read Points; • Business Locations; • Business Steps; • Disposition; and • Business Transaction Type.
Read Points • Read Points are the very specific place that an RFID read took
place. Where the RFID instrument (a reader) captured an event. In some instances this may be very similar if not equivalent to a Business Location.
A Read Point answers the question: “Where was the Object seen?”
Business Location • Business Locations depict the logical place a product is
assumed to be following an RFID read event until a new event takes place.
A Business Location answers the question: “Where is the Object assumed to be following the read event?”
Business Step • Business Step - specifies the business context of an event: What
business process step was taking place that caused the event to be captured?
A Business Step answers the question: “What business process is being executed at this read point?”
Example would be “Receiving”.
2.4 How does EPCIS Data Sharing work?
EPCIS instances at each enterprise communicate via the EPCIS Query Interface.
EPCIS Repository
ALE standard
Palletizer Capture App
Filtering & Collection
Reader Protocol Standard
Reader Reader
EPCIS standard
“the association of the following case tags to the following pallet tag was created at palletizer #3, to fulfill order #1234 at a specific time”
“between the time the case crossed the fi rst beam and the second beam at a particular location, the following tag was read”
dozens of individual tag read events from specifi c antenna
What, Where, When, Why
What, Where, When
Enterprise
Edge
Figure 1: Data Capture Example - Palletizer
Figure 2: EPCIS data sharing
Accessing App
Query Interface
Capture Interface
Capture App
Event Rep
Manufacturer
Accessing App
Query Interface
Capture Interface
Capture App
Event Rep
3PL
Accessing App
Query Interface
Capture Interface
Capture App
Event Rep
Customs
Accessing App
Query Interface
Capture Interface
Capture App
Event Rep
Carrier
Accessing App
Query Interface
Capture Interface
Capture App
Event Rep
Importer
• Today, trading partners know each other through pre-arrangement.
• Future: “discovery” services to find partners.
3 EPCIS in Action
3.1 Retail Promotions
EPCIS can help measure and drive promotion in retail promotions. It can:
• Track the timeliness of the product: is promotional packaging reaching consumer in time?
• Monitor the effectiveness of the retail promotion: is promotional item selling better?
• Give unique EPC to each case of promotion - packaged item, on RFID tag.
• Enables the interaction of RFID tags with RFID readers located at loading lock doors, forklift trucks, retail backroom-door and dumpster.
GS1 Singapore News • 6
continue on page 14
3.2 Other Uses of EPC are Currently Underway
To improve business processes, EPC is currently used in the following:
• Electronic Proof of Delivery • Out of Stock • Chain of Custody Traceability/ePedigree • Product Authentication • Returns Management • Operations Management • Diversion/Theft Detection • And more ...
EPCIS supports this variety of use cases because it enables flexible and secure cross-trading partner data sharing.
4 Why is EPCIS valuable?
EPCIS is already in use today in Retail Supply Chain (RSC), Healthcare Life Sciences (HLS) and Transport and Logistics (TLS). It offers various benefits, among which are:
• It provides standard data model, capture, and query interfaces to enable track and trace, product authentication, diversion detection, and other use cases across supply chain partners across multiple industries.
• Security is a core concept - Each trading partner gets to keep their data and partners only move/share data they wish to share on an on-demand basis.
5 The Pilot on Shipments Using EPCIS
The EPCglobal pilots for shipments using EPCIS is funded by the Japanese Government, Ministry of Economy, Trad & Industry (METI) and managed by the pilot Task force team under the EPCglobal Transportation & Logistics Industry Action Group.
GS1 Singapore, GS1 Hong Kong and GS1 Japan are active members of this working group and have actively participated in this pilot together with shippers, importers, logistics providers, forwarders and shipping companies.
The objectives of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Pilots are as follows:
Phase 1 Pilot • Demonstrate how EPC/RFID and EPCIS can be applied in
transportation and logistics from HK to Japan port. • Interoperability among multiple trading partners and service
providers. • Proof of concept using active RFID technologies serving as
foundation for Phase 2 Pilot. • Prepare and investigate shipment info used for import/export
declaration. • Only Ocean Transport.
Phase 2 Pilot • Utilise EPC/RFID and EPCIS technology components and
EPCglobal standards. • Enable visibility at critical events in the supply chain. • Test and develop requirements for Active RFID and integration
with associated technologies. • Identify standards opportunities for transportation and
logistics providers. • Open results and information sharing for the EPCglobal
member community. • Both Air and Ocean transport.
5.1 Report on the Pilot
In May 2006, EPCglobal TLS IAG (Transport and Logistics Service Industry Action Group) formed the Pilot Use Case to evaluate existing EPCglobal GEN 2 standard to investigate and verify EPCIS as it is being developed by a group of user companies.
The Japanese Government, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), proposed to EPCglobal TLS IAG to conduct such a pilot project. The TLS agreed and discussed about how to demonstrate interoperability among multiple trading partners and service providers in a global supply chain:
• Utilise EPC/RFID technology components and EPCglobal standards;
• Enable visibility at critical events in the supply chain; • Test and develop requirements for Active RFID and integration
with associated technologies; • Identify standards opportunities for transportation and
logistics providers; and • Open results and information sharing for the EPCglobal
member community.
The Working Group decided to take a phased approach and divided the project into two phases. The fi rst phase is a pilot shipment from Hong Kong port to port of Tokyo in Japan. The second phase is to use the experiences gained in the fi rst phase to conduct a pilot shipment from Shanghai, China to Los Angeles, USA.
Phase 1 of the pilot, which was extensively supported by the Japanese Government, Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry (METI), assessed the user of both passive and active EPC tags for sea shipment of cartons and containers. The pilot addressed specific business needs of the partners, such as matching tagged products with purchase orders.
EPCIS pilot participants include several hardware and software companies, government bodies, and global supply chain providers including METI, Maersk/Maersk Logistics, Schneider National, Inc, APL, DHL, NYK logistics, GS1 Hong Kong, IBM, BEM Systems, WhereNet, Symbol, Toppan Printing, Toppan Forms, Savi, Allumis, NRI, Oracle, IIJ, NTT COMWARE, Monohakobi Technology Institute, VeriSign and Schenker.
This multi-industry, multi-stakeholder initiative extensively tested EPCglobal standards developed in response to specific user requirements. Through the use of the EPC Information Services (EPCIS) standard in particular, true visibility at critical junctions throughout the global supply chain was achieved.
5.2 Objectives of Phase 1 Pilot
Let us review the objectives again. We demonstrated how EPC/RFID can be applied in transportation and logistics from HK to Japan port.
1) Demonstrate interoperability among multiple trading partners and service providers in a global supply chain using EPC/RFID and EPCIS technology and GS1 standards.
2) Provide the foundation and proof of concept for the larger Global Transportation and Logistics BAG Pilot (Shanghai - Los Angeles) using active RFID technologies.
3) EPC/RFID and shipment info used in transportation and logistics in apparel and footwear.
ManufacturingRetailer’s
DistributionCentre
Mfr’sDistribution
CentreRetail Store
Figure 3: EPCIS in retail promotions
GS1 Singapore News • 7
GS1 Singapore News
In the GS1 Singapore News Jan – Mar 2008 issue, we reported that the GS1 Global Office had announced a global
sunrise date of 1 January 2010 for the implementation of GS1 DataBar. This means that by 1 January 2010, all retailers
and manufacturers worldwide will implement GS1 DataBar in their operations.
The above-mentioned article has generated a great deal of interests from GS1 Singapore registered users. One
company, JMS Singapore Pte Ltd which manufactures medical devices for their customers worldwide has already
started discussions with us on how to implement GS1 DataBar for their medical devices products for export.
In order to help our registered users to have a better understanding on how to implement GS1 DataBar, we publish
below extracts of GS1 General Specifications on GS1 DataBar released by GS1 Global Office on 2 May 2008.
GS1 DataBar (RSS) Getting Ready for 2010 Sunrise
1. Introduction
GS1 DataBar (formerly RSS) is a family of linear symbologies used
within the GS1 System. There are three types of GS1 DataBar
symbols, two of which have a number of versions optimised for
different application requirements.
GS1 DataBar-14 encodes AI (01) in a linear symbol that can
be scanned omnidirectionally by suitably programmed slot
The characteristics of the GS1 DataBar family are:
• Encodable character set:
• GS1 DataBar-14 versions and GS1 DataBar Limited: Digits 0
through 9 (with the restriction of GS1 DataBar Limited to 0
or 1 in the first digit)
• GS1 DataBar Expanded: a subset of Table 1 of the
International Standard ISO/IEC 646, consisting of the
uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, spaces, and 20
selected punctuation characters in addition to the Function
1 Character (FNC1)
• Symbol character structure: Different (n,k) symbol characters
are used for each member of the family, where each symbol
character is n modules in width and is composed of k bars and
k spaces
• Code type: Continuous, linear bar code symbology
• Maximum numeric data capacity (including implied
Application Identifiers (AIs) where appropriate, but not
including any encoded FNC1 characters):
• GS1 DataBar-14 versions and GS1 DataBar Limited: AI (01)
plus a 14-digit numeric item identification
• GS1 DataBar Expanded: 74 numeric or 41 alphabetic
characters
• Error detection:
• GS1 DataBar-14 versions: mod 79 checksum
• GS1 DataBar Limited: mod 89 checksum
• GS1 DataBar Expanded: mod 211 checksum
• Character self-checking
• Bidirectionally decodable
• Quiet Zones: None required
EDITOR’S NOTE
GS1 DataBar (Formerly RSS)
Red apples with GS1 DataBar
GS1 Singapore News • 8
1.2. Additional Features
Additional GS1 DataBar (formerly RSS) features include:
• Data compaction: Each member of the GS1 DataBar family
has data compaction methods optimised for the data
strings that it will encode. GS1 DataBar Expanded (formerly
RSS Expanded) is also optimised for specific sequences of
Application Identifiers (AIs) that are commonly used.
• Component linkage: All GS1 DataBar symbols include a linkage
flag. If the linkage flag is 0, then the GS1 DataBar symbol
stands alone. If the linkage flag is 1, then a 2D Composite
Component and its separator pattern is printed above the
GS1 DataBar symbol with the separator pattern aligned and
contiguous to the GS1 DataBar symbol.
• Edge to similar edge decoding: All GS1 DataBar family data
characters, finder patterns, and Symbol Check Characters can
be decoded using edge-to-edge measurements.
• Large data characters: Unlike EAN/UPC Symbols, an GS1
DataBar symbol’s data characters do not directly correspond
to the encoded data character. The symbol’s data characters
encode thousands of possible combinations to increase the
encoding efficiency. They are then combined mathematically
to form the encoded data string.
• GS1-128 Symbol emulation: Readers set to the GS1-128
Symbol emulation mode transmit the data encoded within the
GS1 DataBar family symbol as if the data were encoded in one
or more GS1-128 Symbols.
2. GS1 DataBar-14 Versions
GS1 DataBar-14 encodes the Element String AI (01). It has
four versions: GS1 DataBar-14, GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated,
GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked, and GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked
Omnidirectional. All four versions encode data in an identical
manner.
Figure 2 shows the structure of GS1 DataBar-14. A GS1 DataBar-
14 Symbol contains four data characters and two finder patterns.
The GS1 DataBar-14 family is capable of being scanned in four
separate segments, each consisting of a data character and
an adjacent finder pattern. The two finder patterns together
encode a modulo 79 check value for data security.
Figure 2 GS1 DataBar-14 Structure
The left and right Guard Bar Patterns consist of a narrow bar and
narrow space. GS1 DataBar-14 does not require a Quiet Zone.
2.1. GS1 DataBar-14
The GS1 DataBar-14 Bar Code Symbol is designed to be read
by an omnidirectional scanner, such as a retail slot scanner. Its
dimensions are 96X wide, starting with a 1X space and ending
with a 1X bar, by 33X high (where X is the width of a module).
For example, an GS1 DataBar-14 Symbol with an X-dimension of
0.25 millimetre (0.010 inch) would be 24 millimetre (0.96 inch)
wide and 8.25 millimetre (0.33 inch) high.
Figure 2.1 GS1 DataBar-14 Bar Code Symbol
(01)20012345678909
2.2. GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated
The GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated Bar Code Symbol is a reduced
height version of the GS1 DataBar-14 Bar Code Symbol that
is designed for small items that will not need to be read by
omnidirectional scanners. Its dimensions are 96X wide by 13X
high (where X is the width of a module). For example, an GS1
DataBar-14 Truncated Symbol with an X-dimension of 0.25
millimetre (0.010 inch) would be 24 millimetres (0.96 inch) wide
by 3.25 millimetres (0.13 inch) high.
Figure 2.2 GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated Bar Code Symbol
(01)00012345678905
2.3. GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked
The GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Bar Code Symbol is a reduced
height two-row version of the GS1 DataBar-14 Bar Code Symbol
that is designed for small items that will not need to be read
by omnidirectional scanners. Its dimensions are 50X wide by
13X high (where X is the width of a module). For example, an
GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Symbol with an X-dimension of 0.25
millimetre (0.010 inch) would be 12.5 millimetres (0.50 inch)
wide by 3.25 millimetres (0.13 inch) high. Its structure includes
a 1X high separator pattern between the two rows.
Figure 2.3 GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Bar Code Symbol
(01)00012345678905
2.4. GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Omnidirectional
The GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Omnidirectional Bar Code Symbol
is a full height, two-row version of the GS1 DataBar-14 Bar
Code Symbol that is designed to be read by an omnidirectional
scanner, such as a retail slot scanner. Its dimensions are 50X
wide by 69X high (where X is the width of a module). For
example, an GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Omnidirectional Symbol
with an X-dimension of 0.25 millimetre (0.010 inch) would be
12.5 millimetres (0.50 inch) wide by 17.25 millimetres (0.69 inch)
high. The height of 69X includes a 3X high separator pattern
between two rows of 33X each.
Figure 2.4 GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Omnidirectional Bar Code Symbol
(01)00034567890125
GS1 Singapore News • 9
GS1 Singapore News
continue on page 12
3. GS1 DataBar Limited
The GS1 DataBar Limited Bar Code Symbol (formerly RSS Limited)
encodes the Element String AI (01). This Element String is based
on the GTIN-12, GTIN-8, GTIN-13, or GTIN-14 Data Structures.
However, when using the GTIN-14 Data Structure, only the
indicator value 1 is allowed. The GS1 DataBar-14 family must be
used for GTIN-14 Data Structures with an Indicator value greater
than 1.
The GS1 DataBar Limited Bar Code Symbol is designed for small
items that will not need to be read by omnidirectional Point-of-
Sale (POS) scanners. Its dimensions are 74X wide, starting with a
1X space and ending with a 1X bar, by 10X high (where X is the
width of a module). For example, an GS1 DataBar Limited Bar
Code Symbol with an X-dimension of 0.25 millimetre (0.010 inch)
would be 18.5 millimetres (0.74 inches) wide by 2.5 millimetres
(0.10 inch) high.
Figure 3 GS1 DataBar Limited Bar Code Symbol
(01)15012345678907
Figure 3 - 1 shows the structure of the GS1 DataBar Limited Bar
Code Symbol. An GS1 DataBar Limited Symbol contains two data
characters and a Symbol Check Character. The Symbol Check
Character encodes a modulo 89 check value for data security.
Figure 3 - 1 GS1 DataBar Limited Bar Code Symbol Structure
The left and right Guard Bar Patterns consist of a narrow bar and
narrow space. The GS1 DataBar Limited Bar Code Symbol does
not require a Quiet Zone.
4. GS1 DataBar Expanded Versions
GS1 DataBar Expanded (formerly RSS Expanded) is a variable
length linear symbology capable of encoding up to 74 numeric or
41 alphabetic characters of AI Element String data. GS1 DataBar
Expanded is designed to encode primary and supplementary
data in items for Point-of-Sale (POS) and other applications. It
has the same capabilities as a GS1-128 Symbol except that it is
also designed to be scanned by omnidirectional slot scanners.
It is designed for variable weight products, perishable products,
traceable retail products, and coupons.
Figure 4 shows the structure of a six-segment GS1 DataBar
Expanded Symbol. GS1 DataBar Expanded Symbols contain a
Symbol Check Character, 3 to 21 data characters and 2 to 11
finder patterns, depending on the symbol length. GS1 DataBar
Expanded is capable of being scanned in separate segments,
each segment consisting of a data character or Symbol Check
Character and the adjacent finder pattern. The Symbol Check
Character encodes a modulo 211 check value for data security.
Figure 4 GS1 DataBar Expanded Structure
The left and right Guard Bar Patterns consist of a narrow bar and
narrow space. GS1 DataBar Expanded does not require a Quiet
Zone.
4.1. GS1 DataBar Expanded
The GS1 DataBar Expanded Bar Code Symbol (formerly RSS
Expanded) has a variable width (from 4 to 22 symbol characters,
or a minimum of 102X wide and a maximum of 534X wide) and
is 34X high (where X is the width of a module). The symbol starts
with a 1X space and ends with either a 1X bar or space. For
example, the GS1 DataBar Expanded Symbol shown in Figure
4.1 with an X-dimension of 0.25 millimetre (0.010 inch) would
be 37.75 millimetres (1.51 inches) wide by 8.5 millimetres (0.34
inch) high.
Figure 4.1 GS1 DataBar Expanded Bar Code Symbol
(01)90614141000015(3202)000150
4.2. GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked
The GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked Bar Code Symbol (formerly
RSS Expanded Stacked) is a multi-row stacked version of
GS1 DataBar Expanded. It can be printed in widths of 2 to 20
segments and can have from 2 to 11 rows. Its structure includes
a 3X high separator pattern between rows. It is designed to be
read by an omnidirectional scanner such as a retail slot scanner.
The GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked Symbol shown in Figure 4.2
- 1 with an X-dimension of 0.25 millimetre (0.010 inch) would
be 25.5 millimetres (1.02 inches) wide by 17.75 millimetres (0.71
inch) high.
The white space at the end of the second row of the symbol
shown in Figure 4.2 is not part of the symbol and can be used
for other purposes, such as text.
Figure 4.2 GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked Bar Code Symbol
(01)90614141000015(3202)000150
GS1 Singapore News • 10
continued from page 1
GS1 Singapore News • 10
In his keynote presentat ion, M r Ian
Robertson, Global Industry Development
Director/Asia Pacific Regional Director
shared with the participants EPCglobal’s
strategic plan for year 2008 in the areas
of EPCglobal standards extension, driving
pilots and implementation and training.
Other presentations include valuable
insights delivered by leading industry
players through pilot cases sharing to
explain the adoption of EPC/RFID in their
business operations. These were shared
EPCglobal/RFID Singapore Forum 2008:
Mr He Wei of Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology
explaining the RFID and EPCIS related technologies and solutions
to Mr Beh Chew Leng of National Library Board.
with the participants to help them to
apply RFID to their business processes. All
presentations delivered were well received
by the participants especially Product
Lifecycle Management using RFID for
Consumer Electronics, RFID Security, EPCIS
Implementations and ISO Standards on
Mobile Phone Application with RFID.
More importantly, details on the RFID
Innovation Platform by National RFID
Centre, a new multi government agency
initiative to support RFID pilot projects in
public and private sectors in Singapore on
a co-funding basis scheme delighted the
participants.
The RFID Innovation Platform aims to
st imulate robust engines of growth
in the industries through the use of
RFID technologies and to encourage
organisations to conceptualise and pilot
RFID-enabled process innovation projects,
which can lead to greater cost efficiency,
higher productivity and better service
standards.
Product Lifecycle Management - Activities of JapanRFID Consortium of Consumer Electronics (JRCCEand EPCglobal Consumer Electronics Industry Action Group (CE IAG)Mr Tatsuya Yoshimura - RFID Standards Promotion Section, Global SCM Planning DepartmentSony Corporation, Japan & EPCglobal CE IAG Co-Chair
EPCglobal – The Sato Experience Mr Colin Phua - Product ManagerSATO International Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
Visualization of Logistic Operation using EPCglobal Network – EPC Information Services (EPCIS)Mr Isao Kimata - Assistant Manager, 2nd System Software Division NEC Corporation, Japan
Media Cart - Enabling Store-of-the-Future Retail ConceptMs Angela Chee - General ManagerMedia Cart Asia Pte Ltd
The EPCIS – The Secured Way To Exchange Data – The Hong Kong ExperienceMr Goh Eng Koon - Business Development Director, APAC (TED)BEA Systems
Mr Edwin Khew, Chairman of GS1 Singapore and EPCglobal Singapore Council
delivering his welcome and opening address at the forum.
Keynote Address: EPCglobal UpdateMr Ian Robertson - Global Industry Development Director / Asia Pacific Regional DirectorEPCglobal Inc.
GS1 Singapore News • 11GS1 Singapore News • 11
Enabling Innovations with RFIDDr Gan Oon Peen - Research Scientist, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing TechnologyTechnology Lead, National RFID Centre
Supporting Organisations:
• IDA
• SPRING Singapore
• IE Singapore
• A*STAR Exploit Technologies
• Information Technology
Standards Committee
• National RFID Centre
• ECR Singapore
• Spartan System (S) Pte Ltd
Enabling Supply Chain Visibility
Participants networking during the coffee break at the exhibition area. FeRmi showcasing their UHF reader at the exhibition booth
The Platform has S$4.5 million to co-fund
newly selected projects from FY 2008 to FY
2012. There will be two rounds of Call For
Proposals in each Financial Year from FY
2008 to FY 2012.
This announcement was certainly good
news for the industry as it will boost
innovations in the RFID arena. This will in
turn lead to expansion in the RFID industry
cluster by growing existing and spawning
new home-grown RFID companies.
Along with the forum, the product display
zone consisting of A*STAR, National RFID
Centre and Spartan System brings industry
peers together for experience sharing,
exchange of views and networking.
Since its conception, the EPCglobal/RFID
Singapore Forum was set to be a one-
stop platform for supply chain leaders and
RFID gurus across industries to assemble
and share experiences. The indispensable
support from the information technology,
manufacturing and commercial sectors has
contributed significantly to the success of
the forum.
EPCglobal Singapore would like to take
this opportunity to express our heartfelt
thanks to the distinguished speakers
and supporting organisations for their
support.
RFID Security : From Unawareness to VigilantnessDr Li Tieyan - Principal InvestigatorCryptography and Security DepartmentInstitute for Infocomm ResearchA*STAR Singapore
ISO Standard Development of Mobile Item Identification and Management under ISO/IEC JTC1/SC31/WG6Mr Tan Jin Soon - Executive Director of GS1 Singapore & Member of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC31/WG6
The HP RFID ExperienceMr Tim Wilkinson - Practice ManagerAsia Pacific RFID & Supply Chain Center of Expertise Hewlett Packard
GS1 Singapore News
GS1 Singapore News • 12
continued from page 9
GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked is used when the symbol area
or print mechanism is not wide enough to accommodate the
full single-row GS1 DataBar Expanded Symbol. It is designed for
(formerly RSS Expanded), or GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked
(formerly RSS Expanded Stacked) should be used. If only an AI
(01) is to be encoded, then GS1 DataBar-14 or GS1 DataBar-14
Stacked Omnidirectional should be used. The selection of one
or the other depends on the aspect ratio of the area available
for the symbol.
If supplementary Application Identifier (AI) Element Strings
are required or the primary identification has an AI other than
AI (01), then GS1 DataBar Expanded or GS1 DataBar Expanded
Stacked must be used. The selection of one or the other
depends on the width of the print head or the area available
for the symbol.
If GS1 DataBar is used on small items that do not need
omnidirectional scanning capability, then GS1 DataBar-14
Stacked, GS1 DataBar Limited, or GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated
should be used. GS1 DataBar Limited cannot be used to
encode a GTIN-14 Data Structure with an Indicator value
greater than 1. Otherwise GS1 DataBar-14 or GS1 DataBar-14
Stacked must be used. GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked is the smallest
symbol; however, as the heights of both rows are very low,
it is harder to scan and cannot be used with wand scanners.
If space is available, GS1 DataBar Limited can be used for
number structures that it can encode. Otherwise GS1 DataBar-
14 Truncated should be used for GTIN-14 Data Structures with
an Indicator value greater than 1.
If the symbol is a GS1 DataBar Composite Symbol, then using a
wider GS1 DataBar Symbol such as GS1 DataBar-14 Truncated
instead of GS1 DataBar Limited may be preferable because the
wider companion 2D Composite Component may result in an
GS1 DataBar Composite Symbol of lower overall height even
though the GS1 DataBar component itself is slightly taller.
If the data capacity in a two-column or three-column CC-B 2D
Composite Component is inadequate to encode the required 2D
component’s data message, then the linear component can be
changed to increase the number of columns of the companion
CC-B component. This will increase the maximum data capacity
of the CC-B component as shown in Figure 10.
continue on page 16
GS1 Singapore News • 14
continued from page 6
READ EVENT DESCRIPTION
R1 <Active Tag>Commission container tagged at empty container pool
R2 <Active Tag>Container arrived at Hong Kong Warehouse (Location A)
R3 <Passive Tag>Commission carton tag at a shipper’s factory in China
R4 <Passive Tag>Cartons arrived at Hong Kong warehouse (Location A)
R5 <Passive Tag>Cartons loaded into the container at Hong Kong warehouse (Location A)
R6 <Active Tag>Cartons aggregated/associated to the container (Location A)
R6A <Active Tag> Container closed (Location A)
R7 <Active Tag>Loaded container departed Hong Kong warehouse (Location A)
R8 <Active Tag>Container arrived at Hong Kong container terminal In Gate Modern Terminal (Location B)
R9 <Active Tag>Container arrived at Japan container terminal Quay Tokyo Container Terminal (Location C)
R10 <Active Tag>Container departed Tokyo container terminal (Location C)
R11 <Active Tag>Container arrived at Japan Brand Owner warehouse in Kawasaki (Location D)
R12 <Active Tag>Container opened at Japan Brand Owner warehouse (Location D)
Table 1: Process flow and read events in the use case of Phase 1 Pilot
Figure 6: Detail Read Point (Hong Kong)
EPC Data Interchange/Event Query
Japan EPCIS The Hong Kong EPCnetwork
Japan De-Consolidator
JapanContainer
Yard
JapanTerminal
Port
HKTerminal
Port
HKContainer
YardHK
ConsolidatorChina
Factory
productShip-OutData
ContainerShipmentData
ContainerShipmentData
ContainerShipmentData Container
ShipmentData
productShip-OutData
ContainerShipmentData
productdeliveryData
ContainerShipmentData
EPC LabelCommission
Legend:
Passive Tagevent
Active Tagevent Figure 4: Japan Global Pilot Phase 1 (Hong Kong to Japan)
Japan De-Consolidator
JapanContainer
Yard
JapanTerminal
Port
HKTerminal
Port
HKContainer
YardHK
ConsolidatorChina
Factory
productShip-OutData
ContainerShipmentData
ContainerShipmentData
ContainerShipmentData Container
ShipmentData
productShip-OutData
ContainerShipmentData
productdeliveryData
ContainerShipmentData
EPC LabelCommission
EPC Data Interchange/Event Query
Japan EPCIS The Hong Kong EPCnetwork
GLN GLN GLN GLN GLN GLN
GRAI GRAI GRAI GRAI GRAI GRAI
SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC SSCC
GLN
GRAI
SSCC
Passive Tagevent
Active Tagevent
Figure 5: GS1 Identification key layers in Phase 1
4) Prepare and investigate shipment info used for import/export declaration.
Under the Phase 1 Pilot with shipments of goods from Hong Kong to Japan, EPC data were exchanged and events were queried.
The graphic set-up of Japan EPCIS and the Hong Kong EPC Network is shown in Figure 4.
The GS1 Identification key layers used in Phase 1 Pilot included Global Location Number (GLN), Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI) and Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC). Details are shown in Figure 5.
5.3 Process Flow
At the time of the implementation of the Phase 1 Pilot, the RFID spectrum for UHF in China was not finalised. (It has since been finalised and announced on 20 April 2007). Due to the lack of UHF frequency availability in China at that time, all the work of initiating and commissioning data on the EPCglobal Gen2 tags need to be done in Hong Kong instead of in China. In the case of empty containers, the active RFID tags were attached at the empty container yard in Hong Kong and the data was read. The consecutive application and reading of active tags at the empty container yard were defined as R1 “Commission Container Tag”. For this project, to evaluate the efficiencies of different active tags; two different brands of active tags were used. One brand of active tags was made in Japan and the other brand of active tags was made in USA. The Japan brand active tag stored serial number, temperature data and vibration data inside the tag and other data such as GRAI, GLN were stored in EPCIS through the middleware. The USA brand active tag stored GRAI and temperature data inside the tag and other data such as GLN inside EPCIS.
The followings are description of process flow and read events in the use case of Phase 1 Pilot, confirming a location of each read event (Table 1).
In this Phase 1 Pilot, there were eight RFID read points in China and Hong Kong (R1 to R8) and four RFID read points in Japan (R9 to R12).
GS1 Singapore News • 15
GS1 Singapore News
Figure 7: Detail Read Point (Japan)
USE OF SSCC• SSCC # is applied on each carton box tagging, it is
translated and store as EPC number format.• World Customs Organization (WCO) has approved the use
of SSCC as the content for WCO’s Unique Consignment Reference Number (UCR) and in this pilot.
level tagging. ISO container # is translated into GRAI 170 format and store as EPC number format.
Figure 10: Use of GRAI
GS1HKEPCIS
EPC Middleware EPC Middleware
Authorisation
Authentication
NTTEPCIS
OracleEPCIS
IUEPCIS
NAPAJGNOK GNOH
Figure 11: Use of EPCglobal Network
Similarly in Japan, there were three RFID read points (R10 to R13).
The unique feature of the Phase 1 Pilot is the successful usage of GS1 Keys - SSCC, GLN and GRAI in the project.
SSCC is Serial Shipping Container Code and it is a candidate as the content of Unique Consignment Reference Number (UCR) proposed by the World Customs Organization’s (WCO).
GLN is Global Location Number and it is used in Phase 1 Pilot to identify the RFID read points.
The GRAI is Global Returnable Asset Identifier and it is used in this pilot to identify the containers.
The key highlight of the Phase 1 Pilot is the successful linkages of the EPCIS in Hong Kong with three separate EPCIS in Japan and the successful exchanged of all vital data among the four EPCIS.
5.3 Phase 2 Pilot
The Phase 2 Pilot is currently being planned and organised. It will involve the shipment of goods by sea and air from Shanghai, China to Los Angeles, USA. EPCIS in China and EPCIS in USA will be interconnected to conduct realtime exchange of data capture by RFID read points.
6 Conclusion
6.1 Benefits of Phase 1 Pilot
The Phase 1 Pilot validated the value of EPC standards and technology. It demonstrated how organisations across a global supply chain can exchange real-time event data and track shipments from point of manufacture through the final point of distribution with EPCIS. Supply chain partners will have real-time access to information about products and shipments as they travel along the supply chain.
Seen from shipper and consignee, most important benefits of the Phase 1 is that EPC/RFID technology and GS1 identification keys enables logistics management by unit of P/O (carton level in the Phase 1). Logistics providers, forwarder, and 3PL provider would obtain this benefit, specifically:
• Improvements in P/O level logistics management (For example,
continue on page 16
GS1 Singapore News • 16
continued from page 15
continued from page 13
Figure 10 Data Capacity of CC-B
Number of CC-B Columns Used with Maximum Numeric Characters Maximum Alpha Characters
2GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked
GS1 DataBar-14 Stacked Omnidirectional95 55
3 GS1 DataBar Limited 219 127
4
GS1 DataBar-14
GS1 DataBar Expanded
GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked
338 196
(Reprinted with permission and thanks to GS1 Global Office)
Figure 12: RFID (Passive/Active) demonstration in Kobe in January 2006
Figure 13: Whole picture of Process Flow in Japan
enables to identify and replenish cargo by carton level to the final consignee);
• Decrease of cargo shrinkage such as lack and stolen during the transport by means of carton level tracking and tracing from the beginning to the end (Actually the shipper have such kind of problem especially from China factories to the destination.);
• Decrease of labour force and lead-time for checking number of cargoes and inspection; and
• Improvements in visibility of consolidation by means of matching P/O (carton SSCC level) with container GRAI level (This expands the possibility of making manifest information for consolidation automatically).
From ocean liner perspective, the benefits in Phase 1 are an improvement in visibility of container transportation, which is already provided by themselves as a service to some extent, and a further clarification of transport responsibility, especially about the timing of handing cargo over to the next entity in the whole supply chain.
In terms of 4 walls (Warehouses and Container Yards) management benefits in phase 1, it appeared that unmatching P/O with actual cargoes would be decreased through improving visibility of P/O level movement. Of course, as described in the above, decrease of labour force and lead-time for checking number of cargoes and inspection are highly expected. Improvements in utilisation of warehouse assets would also be possible as a result of decreasing the number of stocks in the whole supply chain.
6.2 Potential Benefits of EPCIS
The EPC standards and EPC/RFID technology including EPCIS would further expand the improvement of Transport & Logistics Services. Main assumed benefits are as follows:
Trade Procedures Improvement • Automatic custom clearance in co-operation with EPCIS and the
Custom’s EDI system (At the present, forwarder only can start import custom clearance when terminal operator completes cargo acceptance procedures to NACCS in Japan).
Logistics Vendor Management • To be possible to evaluate logistics vendor (For example, truck
company would be evaluated in terms of time gaps between getting the tender and reaching the warehouse and transport quality such as damage and losing cargo).
4 Walls Management • Making CLP (Container Load Plan) safely and automatically
with maximising consolidation.
These benefits are to be verified by the Phase 2 Pilot with
shipments from Shanghai, China to Los Angeles, USA using both air and sea transport.
7 Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Mr Bernie Hogan of EPCglobal for supplying the latest version of EPCIS Standard to facilitate the enhancement of this article.
(This article is reproduced from Synthesis 2007 Journal of IT Standards Committee (ITSC) with permission and thanks to ITSC.)
GS1 Singapore News • 17
GS1 Singapore News
New Registered UsersGS1 Singapore extends a warm welcome to the following new registered users
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GS1 Singapore News • 18
Food supply chains in the land of tulips
Flower action at FloraHolland. Varieties & Trials corner at Naktuinbouw.
The Netherlands, famed for its prize tulips, is the world’s third-largest exporter of agriculture products and a leader in high-tech market gardening, dairy farming, and modern food supply chain management “from farm to fork.” Agricultural sector productivity in the Netherlands has grown enormously in the past few decades, largely due to high-quality training for farmers, first-class research activities in relevant areas, and an effective system to communicate critical information to farmers. The Asian Productivity Organization (APO), as an advocator and supporter of food safety and quality management, dispatched an observational study mission to the Netherlands in collaboration with the Wageningen Expertise Centre for Chain and Network Studies (WCNS) of Wageningen UR.
The five-day mission on Building Reliable, Safe, Green Food Supply Chains, 1−5 April 2008, examined all key aspects of food supply chains in the Netherlands. The 13 participants investigated the Netherlands’ food marketing system, roles and functions of each player in the supply chain, and related technology-intensive systems. The members of the Singapore delegation include Mr Tan Jin Soon of GS1 Singapore, Ms Low Wai Ming of Singapore Polytechnic and Ms Khoo Gek Hoon of Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore.
The mission first visited the Agricultural Economics Research Institute of Wageningen UR (LEI). WCNS Director Dr. Jacques Trienekens and Ruud van Ufflen of LEI explained the horticultural sector, agricultural markets, and food supply chains of the Netherlands. The tour of Naktuinbouw, a nonprofit inspection service organization for horticulture, deepened the participants’ understanding of value-added seed quality control practices.
On the second day, FloraHolland, the Netherland’s foremost cooperative flower auction center, hosted the participants before they traveled to the commercial supplier Haluco to learn about its interwoven network of contractors, clients, and growers, both foreign and domestic. In the afternoon, participants observed the innovative award-winning energy-producing greenhouse at the university research center of Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. They also listened to a presentation on greenhouses as a source of innovation at the Foundation for Innovation in Greenhouse Horticulture (SIGN) presented by Hans Koehorst. Koehorst also introduced Horticulture 2020, a special project to guarantee that Dutch greenhouse horticulture is socially respected and economically successful over the long term by 2020. “The innovation on the greenhouse was outstanding. It not only improves the efficiency of the greenhouse but also proves the concept that a greenhouse can be a source of energy,” commented Executive Director Tan Jin Soon, GS1 Singapore Council-cum-Member of the Singapore Standards Council, SPRING.
On the morning of the third day, participants visited the Product Board for Horticulture, a statutory industrial organization funded by an average levy of 1% on producers, traders, and industries operating within the horticultural sector. Wim Moningka of the Product Board for Horticulture gave an introduction to the work of the board. The second speaker was Auke Heins of Holland Production Promotion, the marketing and communication office for Dutch growers of potatoes, vegetables, and fruit. Heins described various promotion programs including the 2+2 campaign, which has the goal of achieving consumer consumption of the recommended daily intake of two pieces of fruit and 200 grams of vegetables. Peter Ravensbergen of Flowers&Food introduced the Winning
Participants at the opening session.
GS1 Singapore News • 19
GS1 Singapore News
GS1 Singapore News • 19
Value 2008–2012 project, which aims to encourage innovation by all involved in Dutch horticulture. Hessing, a leading vegetable and fruit cutting company, opened its factory to the participants to show the processes involved in supplying consumers with fresh, safe products. The third day’s schedule ended with a presentation by Marcel Stallen of Fresh Studio Innovations Asia (FSIA). FSIA is an international consulting, R&D, and trade company in the fruit and vegetable industry. He explained the value chain approach of FSIA and its projects in Vietnam, the Philippines, and P.R. China.
On the fourth day, participants attended three lectures in Wageningen UR. The session started with a presentation by Associate Professor Dr. Annet Velthuis, Wageningen University Business Economics Group, on the economic and legal aspects of food safety in the EU. The second speaker, Camiel Aalberts of the Advisory Food Safety Capacity Building of Wageningen International, spoke on the governance of food safety. Dr. Olaf van Kooten, Wageningen
Participants and staff of the Product Board for Horticulture.
At the Kom in de Kas festival.
Touring the greenhouse laboratory.
At Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture.
University Horticultural Supply Chains Group, explained his research activities on future horticulture in Western Europe. In the afternoon, participants visited Friesland Foods Western Europe, a multinational company producing and selling dairy products, fruit drinks, and food ingredients. Manager of Food Safety Idwin Bouman provided a company briefing and explained the food safety and quality assurance measures taken by the company before conducting a tour of the fruit juice processing plant.
The mission ended with participants taking part in the annual Kom in de Kas (come in the greenhouse) festival, which celebrates Dutch cultivation under glass. APO participants joined local visitors in learning how growers produce safe, fresh products. Participants were more than satisfied with the study mission. “We saw and studied many wonderful systems, organizations, and process. We may not able to apply everything in our country, but most of our learning will be used someday within our organizations,” commented Senior Manager Nihal Senerath, Jaykay Marketing Services (Pvt.), Sri Lanka.
On behalf of Singapore, GS1 Singapore thanked APO for sponsoring and organising these very important programme for participants from Asia.
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