Case Study: NIPPON ACCESS
Uses EPC/RFID to Track Cage
Trolleys

NIPPON ACCESS, INC. (NIPPON ACCESS) is a

Motivation for EPC/RFID Implementation

general food wholesaler with approximately 500

NIPPON ACCESS originally tracked its cage

distribution centers located nationwide acrosstrolleys by barcode. Having to scan the barcode

Japan. Logistics is also one of the core businesses

on each trolley one by one, however, complicatedand services including “3PL operations” where thethe operation and also there were durability

company operates the customer’s distribution

problems; barcode labels often got detached from

center from warehouse management to delivering

trolleys due to rubbing. The company purchased

goods to retail stores. The company also provides

300 new cage trolleys every year to compensate

transportation services as a logistics company

for missing ones. For these reasons, NIPPON

specializing in food.

ACCESS decided to use RFID.

To cope with changes in the environment

At the beginning, RFID tags were read only withsurrounding logistics such as aging workforce,

Handheld RFID Terminals (HHTs). Additional

increases in working hours and declines in salary

workers were engaged to perform this task and it

levels, NIPPON ACCESS has adopted various tools

resulted in reduced productivity.

for improving operational efficiency. Tracking cage

To solve this problem, NIPPON ACCESS adoptedtrolleys using RFID is one such example.

the “Access Gate-through System (AGS)” in 2014,

To track individual trolleys, NIPPON ACCESS uses

developed jointly with KIBUN TRADING, INC. anda GS1 Identification Key, GRAI (Global Returnable

NIPPON FILING CO., Ltd. With this system, theAsset Identifier), which uniquely identifies assets

RFID tag placed at the top of each cage trolley issuch as reusable transport tools and containers.

read by gate-type RFID readers. As a pair of RFID
antennas is installed at each gate (i.e. dockshelter), a truck driver can simply load cagetrolleys onto a truck through a gate. RFID tags on

own cage trolleys even in situations where they

the cage trolleys are read automatically.

get mixed up with other companies’ trolleys on
the premises of the destination retail store.

System Features
NIPPON ACCESS uses passive UHF (Ultra-HighWorkflow Outline

Frequency) RFID tags for AGS since UHF can readThe dispatch workflow is as follows;

multiple tags at the same time and its read range(1) Distribution center personnel set the shipping

is much wider than other frequency bands. At thisdestination for cage trolleys loaded with items

particular distribution center, approximately 1,200

using an HHT.

RFID tags on cage trolleys can be read in 30(2) The transport truck driver enters the shipping

minutes.

destination data into one of the RFID gate

The RFID tags are attached to cage trolleys using

readers at the loading dock using an HHT.

durable and longer life attachment. The(3) Now the driver only needs to carry out theattachment also works to keep tags from being

normal loading operations as dispatch data

directly attached on the metal surface of a cageprocessing and the loading check aretrolley and thereby ensures reading performance.

performed automatically when the cage

(See Fig. 1)

trolleys pass through the gate (See Fig. 3).

Identification keys encoded in the RFID tags are- Each time the tag on a trolley is read, theGRAI. By using this globally unique identification

driver will hear an automated voice stating thekey, NIPPON ACCESS can uniquely identify its

gate number that allows him/her to confirm
the tag was read properly.

Fig. 1 RFID tag attached to the top of a cage trolley- If the driver tries to load incorrect cagetrolleys for the destination or trolleys forwhich the shipping destination has not beenentered, the driver will hear an error soundindicating loading errors.
(4) When cage trolleys are returned from retailstores, this is automatically recorded by simply
passing the trolleys through the gate. Somecage trolleys come in without going throughthe gate due to space limitations. These tags
are read manually with an HHT to eliminate
differences in the received quantity.

Fig. 2 Workflow using AGS

Retailer

Distribution CenterSet destination forloaded cage trolleys

EPC/RFID tags areread automaticallyupon passing throughthe gate

EPC/RFID tags areread automaticallyupon passing throughthe gate2

Dispatched

Cage Trolleys
Returned

Fig. 3 Cage trolleys passing throughthe gate- When a new data set of a cage trolley and itsbarcode scanning at dispatch. (See Fig. 4)

destination is sent to the server, theFig. 4 Operations before and after the adoption of AGS

corresponding trolley is automaticallyprocessed as received. Therefore, once
trolleys return from retail stores, newdestinations can be assigned.

Shipping
BeforeReceipt ofGoods

Picking

Set
Destination toCage Trolley

Shipping
Inspection

After

Receipt ofGoods

Picking

Set
Destination toCage Trolley

Dispatch

Dispatch

Quantity
ReportReceiving

Results of AGS Adoption
Prior to the adoption of AGS, cage trolleys were

BeforeReceipt

AfterReceipt(Through the Gate)

Quantity Count

Quantity
ReportHHT Scan** Only tags on cage trolleys coming in without
passing through a gate.

lost track of one after another during busy
seasons. As there was no way of knowing theirlocations, NIPPON ACCESS would send a request

Next Stepto all the partner retailers to return missing

By using EPC/RFID to track cage trolleys, data istrolleys. After the adoption of AGS, dispatch andconstantly accumulated on how many trolleys arereceipt of cage trolleys to and from the retailat each store and how long they stay there. Forstores are tracked daily. As the location of trolleys

the next step, NIPPON ACCESS is considering

can be identified, NIPPON ACCESS can now

utilizing this accumulated data to better manage

ensure all trolleys dispatched are returned.

cage trolleys by, for example, specifying theMoreover, since 1,000 previously missing cage

optimum number of trolleys at each store at any

trolleys were returned, purchase of additional

given time based on the data.

trolleys is not necessary for some time in theIn the future, NIPPON ACCESS also expects tofuture.

establish visibility of transported items for both

In addition, loading errors, such as cage trolleys

distribution centers and retailers by associating

being left behind or being loaded onto the wrong

the data of a cage trolley with the items loaded ontruck, are prevented by using a dispatch schedule

it and the truck transporting it. In addition, withthat contains data of cage trolleys and their

the visualization of the movement of items,

shipping destinations. AGS also reduced theNIPPON ACCESS hopes to achieve labor saving inworkload of drivers and distribution center

the area of correspondence with retail stores on

workers by eliminating tasks such as manual

the item shipment status.

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