MIAMI, Fla. — Ryder System, Inc. has opened a a radio frequency identification (RFID) technology test
lab in its 192,000 square-foot, multi-client facility in Dallas/Fort Worth.

The lab is located in a warehouse/distribution center where products are received, stored, inventoried, picked and shipped to meet the operational requirements of a diverse group of customers. Ryder will utilize the lab to test RFID vendor hardware and software, tag placement
configuration on products, package design and the integration of RFID to Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transportation Management Systems TMS) to determine gained supply chain efficiencies for customers.

“We realize the potential impact RFID will have on supply chain management, and this lab provides the right environment to design, develop, test and implement customer solutions for the emerging RFID marketplace,” said Tony Tegnelia, Executive Vice President of U.S. Supply Chain Solutions for Ryder.

Ryder’s test lab includes equipment used in testing aspects of RFID implementation, including: a conveyor with high-speed racetrack loop conveyer that can reach variable speeds up to 600 feet per minute, a printer write station that electronically writes to an RFID tag and prints a readable number on the tag and can accommodate multiple vendor equipment, a write station – writes to the tag after it is applied to the case, a read Station located in close proximity to the high-speed conveyer, a pallet shrink wrap station – with RFID Read capability, and a label printer for printing of various RFID label sizes and designs.

Ryder is initially collaborating with Symbol Technologies, CMAC, Shipcom Wireless and Zebra to provide RFID testing.