WhereNet deploys RFID system at Port of Rotterdam

WhereNet deploys RFID system at Port of Rotterdam    Santa Clara, Calif.-based WhereNet, a provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) and other wireless tracking products, said Wednesday it had deployed what it claims is the world's largest active RFID installation at the Port of Rotterdam's automotive logistics terminal.
   The WhereNet wireless tracking system locates any one of 40,000 vehicles parked in the 750,000-square-foot facility at a given time. WhereNet is partnering with Mieloo & Alexander, a European consulting firm specializing in optimizing business processes.
   The Broekman Group, which operates the terminal, has used time-intensive manual data collection processes to handle more than 250,000 new vehicles each year.
   Under the RFID system, when new vehicles arrive at Broekman’s Rotterdam Car Terminal, each vehicle is assigned an active RFID WhereTag transmitter that is “married” to the vehicle identification number (VIN). The WhereTag remains on the vehicle until it has been processed and is ready to ship to one of several hundred European dealerships.
   The Rotterdam Car Terminal installation also includes 125 WhereLAN locating access points and 400 WherePort devices that trigger each WhereTag to emit a signal when entering or leaving a specific zone. This design enables the system to automatically record such information as arrival, dwell, and departure time, the company said.