Edson Perin
A little over three months ago, I received an e-mail from an entrepreneur in the apparel sector asking for a suggestion of suppliers of radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions, interested in carrying out implementations in his factory and stores. I told him, as I always do, to look among our sponsors and also in published articles, since the success stories we present in the IoP Journal refer to the projects of these suppliers.
He researched, got in touch with the companies I suggested and returned my email saying that he had found the quotes too expensive and that he would opt for a supplier that had appeared to him on Google during his research. And he asked me if I knew this vendor that “fell from the sky” – or from Google. I told him that I didn’t know and explained that, many times, “the experience of being cheap can be very expensive”.
No sooner said than done. A few weeks ago he sent me another email saying that RFID technology was too complex, that it didn’t work as he expected and that he had lost a lot of money investing in RFID. And I gave him the same recommendation I had given before, repeating that the cheap solution can give this type of problem and that it was not the first time that I had news of a bad situation of this type.
Interestingly, when making the article about Camboriú (learn more at Camboriu reads 300 product units at once), learned that the clothing company from Pernambuco had a challenging experience before hiring iTAG as a radio frequency identification (RFID) solution provider. The first supplier, the cheapest, caused the clothing team to have a lot of rework, according to Edjane Nunes de Araújo, partner-director of the company.
It is worth remembering that the multinational iTAG, born in Brazil, is one of the most recognized RFID integrators in the world, having been awarded inside and outside the country, for its success stories in several sectors.
Camboriú’s successful RFID solution – which allows controlling the entire distribution and inventory at high speed, with 100% accuracy and counting 300 units at once – was fully supplied by iTAG and works integrated to the electronic management (ERP) provided by Webpic, in addition to being based on GS1 international standards.
Camboriú is now betting, with iTAG’s solution, on a leap in sales in the summer, as it is dedicated to the manufacture of beachwear and fitness. “I’m looking forward to an Incredible Summer with RFID”, said Edjane, thanks to the successful implementation work carried out by Orlando Henrique, from the iTAG branch in the northeast.
The clothing company has stood out for prioritizing quality in finishes, modeling and innovative design, in addition to investing in technology and innovation.
I talked to Edjane, on video, for her to tell about her experience with RFID at Camboriú, whose factory is in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe (PE). Clique aqui and watch it on the IoP Journal Channel on Youtube. It is worth knowing this history of challenges that preceded the choice of a really capable RFID supplier.
Here’s the lesson of those who chose a supplier for the lowest implementation price and ended up having to redo the entire project. That is, it is almost always not the best deal to select by price. Choosing a radio frequency identification vendor that knows your business, from what I’ve seen in over 20 years of coverage of this technology, is one of the cornerstones of a successful RFID deployment.
Edson Perin is a journalist specialized in technologies for business and editor of IoP Journal
