Mieloo and Alexander
Mieloo and Alexander
  • 14 Nov 2024

How Euro Pool System Improves Tray Tracking and Reduces Losses with RFID and Vision Technology

Discover how Euro Pool System has improved its logistics with Mieloo & Alexander since 2008. Using RFID and vision technology, EPS gains better insight into tray management, reduces losses, and works more efficiently.

Enabling item-level tracking and visibility with vision and RFID solutions

Optimizing Euro Pool System's returnable asset maangement with Mieloo & Alexander's RFID and Vision Technology. Euro Pool System (EPS), Europe’s largest logistics provider of reusable packaging, manages a pool of over 300 million foldable and rigid trays used in the food and supermarket supply chains across Europe. EPS provides logistics and washing services to major European retailers such as Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, Auchan, Kaufland, and Delhaize. Each handover in the transport process – up to 8 to 10 times per cycle – includes a pool fee calculated when the trays return to EPS depots for further processing.

Euro Pool System video

Tackling EPS’s Key Challenges
EPS faced three major challenges in managing its reusable trays:

  • Minimizing losses: EPS was experiencing significant losses of trays each year due to unreturned or missing trays, making cost management crucial.
  • Increasing circulation efficiency: EPS aimed to increase the circulation rate of each tray to enhance operational efficiency and better serve its clients.
  • Addressing stagnation and improving visibility in return flows: A lack of insight into where and why trays were stalling in the return flow posed operational challenges and limited the productivity of internal logistics and industrial washing processes in the depots.

Meeting Long-term Challenges
Mieloo & Alexander’s partnership with EPS extends beyond the initial deployment. They provide ongoing hardware support, maintenance, and remote monitoring, ensuring that EPS’s operations remain uninterrupted and that potential issues are quickly resolved. This long-term support has fostered a strong relationship based on reliability, making Mieloo & Alexander a trusted partner for EPS’s asset management needs.

A Tailored Approach to Implementation
The implementation of Mieloo & Alexander’s solution was phased and tailored to EPS’s specific requirements. Each tray is automatically registered throughout the entire return process and checked for damage or mishandling. Photos are taken upon arrival for visual verification and possible penalties for incorrect handling.

A Comprehensive RFID Solution

Since 2008, Mieloo & Alexander has supported EPS with AutoID solutions, including RFID and vision technology, to provide full tracking and visibility of trays across the European supply chains. Mieloo & Alexander developed an advanced asset management solution for EPS that delivers real-time tracking and control at the item level. The key components are:

  • RFID and Vision Integration with Seamless Data Transfer: Mieloo & Alexander implemented RFID and vision technology in EPS depots across Europe, enabling automatic tray scanning at each handover and seamless data transfer into EPS’s pool management system. This integration provides complete tray flow visibility, detecting any missing or delayed trays.

  • Flexible and Scalable Solution Design: Built to grow with EPS, our solution adapts easily to expansion in depot networks and tray circulation, ensuring long-term sustainability and operational flexibility.

  • Mobile Apps and Automation: Mieloo & Alexander redesigned mobile RTI applications for deployment across 200+ EPS depots and is developing mobile apps for third-party users, enhancing tray movement visibility outside EPS’s depots.

  • Enhanced Productivity and Returns Flow Control: Real-time data capture at depots enables EPS to streamline logistics and washing operations, increase tray availability, and improve customer accountability with visibility into tray conditions upon return

Overcoming Challenges with Results
Mieloo & Alexander’s solution delivered several key benefits for Euro Pool System:

  • Loss Reduction and Prevention: Thanks to RFID and vision technology, EPS can quickly locate missing trays, leading to significant cost savings.
  • Increased Circulations and Productivity: The system enabled EPS to increase the circulation rate per tray, reducing downtime and making trays available for reuse more quickly.
  • Improved Returns Flow Control: The new solution offers full visibility into all return flows, allowing EPS to further streamline processes and significantly improve logistics operations.

Through this long-term collaboration with Mieloo & Alexander, EPS has not only improved productivity but also laid a strong foundation for further digital innovation in its logistics processes.

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