Atos Origin and GlobeRanger have announced a strategic partnership to offer RFID services, starting with an implementation of a joint technology solution for flower auction company FloraHolland.

     FloraHolland is a co-operation of flower and plant growers worldwide that had a turnover of over €2 billion in 2005. Each day approximately 4,000 buyers (dealers and exporters) from around the world purchase fresh flowers in its international trade centre, using 26 auction clocks online or using FloraHolland''s direct sales force. FloraHolland houses flowers from approximately 7,000 growers worldwide. FloraHolland is a warehouse that is about the size of 100 football fields and one of the largest commercial warehouses in Europe. During the daily auctions, more than 100,000 trolleys of flowers are constantly being moved from one location to another for selling and shipping to the world wide customers. 116.30.145.87 This article is copyright 2006 UsingRFID.com.

Flower trolley data
     Atos Origin''s implementation of GlobeRanger''s iMotion solution for FloraHolland applies RFID technology to capture location data of flowers in moving trolleys, as well as to make this information available instantly for the auction''s IT systems, and employees.

     RFID makes it possible to log all movements of every individual trolley and control the process. The trolleys and tractors have RFID tags and there are RFID loops embedded in the floor. DL Tech is the supplier of RFID readers and tags that allow identification and direction of tractors and trolleys on the complex.

Improving service
     Hans Uithol, CIO of FloraHolland, said: "State of the art RFID enabled information technology means that we can considerably improve the service to our customers. Our RFID-enabled park is growing rapidly, currently using more than 250 devices. It is vital that we have a reliable control infrastructure to manage it. The pilot implementation by Atos Origin of the GlobeRanger solution has already proven to be successful and this phase of the implementation has been finalised in-time and in-budget."

     Erik Cramer, Director Global RFID programme for Atos Origin, added: "For a complex RFID implementation, with many devices and combinations of RFID and barcodes, a scaleable RFID infrastructure is critical to realise a return on investment."

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