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Wine and brandy safe with RFID

KWV International has called upon radio frequency identification (RFID) middleware specialist SACO Systems to help track more than 100 000 vats of wine and brandy as they mature. As this process takes many years and involves various employees, KWV needed a failsafe, informative method of managing the vats.

With 28 years of experience in tracking technology, SACO Systems was well placed to examine KWV's requirements and propose a suitable solution. The company came up with a simple answer whereby each individual vat was fitted with a passive RFID tag containing information about the vat's history, as well as its contents. Once SACO had manufactured, installed and commissioned the tracking system, employees no longer had to walk around the cool, dark cellars with a clipboard. Now, a handheld terminal is all it takes, and the whole process is documented and monitored. In addition to preventing mistakes from being made, the company now has a traceable system that also furnishes them with a valuable database that can be used to make further improvements if required.

"RFID is such a versatile technology that, if correctly applied, it could add value in fields ranging from agriculture and wine making through to automated manufacturing," enthuses SACO Systems' Des Oliver. "The possible applications are countless. RFID is a flexible technology with a variety of uses and one often finds that if you just apply your mind, it suits just about any application in most fields or industries."

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