Efficient inventory management and logistics flow are two crucial factors in the day-to-day operations in the warehouse of Øens Murerfirma (a Danish bricklayer company), which supplies materials and tools for the company's projects. A RFID solution from Delfi Technologies creates traceability for sales items and loans, meaning that the operation of the warehouse can be as effective as possible.
At Øens Murerfirma, the craftsmen do everything in masonry-, carpentry-, dirt-, sewer-, concrete- and construction work. The company has projects with both smaller private customers and larger construction cases. Materials and tools for the projects are sourced directly from the company’s own warehouse in the 60,000 m² office on Amager – a Copenhagen island. All material is registered via RFID tags or barcodes, so bricklayer company constantly has an overview of the exact inventory.
With RFID tags, also called invisible barcodes, Øens Murerfirma installs small radio chips on, or in, tools and machines, which can then be wirelessly read with an RFID reader (handheld terminal). In this way, there is no need for the warehouse staff to turn around the units to find a barcode to scan. For Øens Murerfirma, it has the unique advantage that the chip is almost invisible and at the same time robust, so the quality is preserved, whereas an attached barcode label typically is not as durable in length and can be damaged or covered with dust and dirt on one of the many tasks.
- We use barcodes on all the products we sell. We also use RFID to keep track of loans for construction cases, which are typically tools or machines that continuously enter and exit the warehouse. We disassemble most tools and place an RFID tag where it can’t be seen. On larger machines, we mount a plastic tag on a visible spot. Common to both methods is that with RFID tags we can maintain the traceability and the unique ID of the devices, even if a tool or machine should be dirty or damaged during a task, says Preben Boeskov, IT Manager at Øens Murerfirma.
Each incoming and outgoing item is provided with either an RFID tag or a barcode. And every loan is recorded at both time of delivery and point of return, where the units will be scanned at the warehouse. The RFID and barcode solution is developed specifically for Øens Murerfirma by Delfi Technologies. The collaboration started back in 2004, but the solution has grown over the years and the system has been under continuous development as the project has been expanded over time.
- It is an advantage to use RFID in a harsh environment like ours, where tools and machines are exposed to different things. Our warehouse system with RFID and barcodes saves time in the receipt of tools as well delivery of tools. We record everything and this makes it possible to keep complete control of loans and sales items. We can also see where and when tools or machines have been lent to a case. This allows us to create the necessary traceability in the warehouse and it creates great value in day-to-day operations, says Henrik B. Nielsen, Warehouse Manager at Øens Murerfirma.
Øens Murerfirma performs masonry, carpentry, concrete, sewerage, and construction work. In 1991, Øens Murerfirma was established by Jan Elving and as the company grew, Thomas Damm became co-owner in 1997. Both parties are part of the Executive Board today. Øens Murerfirma has a 60,000 m² office at Amager (a Copenhagen island) and employs 42 salaried employees as well as craftsmen consisting of an average of 180 employees distributed to masons, carpenters, building managers, gardeners, sewers, all-round workers and trainees.
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