Hamifleurs Flowerexport automates logistic data processing of trolleys with RFID

The Dutch flower wholesaler and exporter Hamifleurs invested in an RFID installation with fixed scan points in order to automate the data processing process of its purchased trolleys.

Hamifleurs’ distribution centre is physically connected to the transport hallway of the flower auction Royal FloraHolland (RFH) in Naaldwijk. When the daily auction is finished, the trolleys are transported – through the central distribution hallway, which connects the auction with the distribution halls of various flower exporters – to the buyer concerned.

In Hamifleurs’ distribution centre hundreds of trolleys are processed each day. The supply data comes in electronically (how many / which trolleys, which flowers, etc.). Upon arrival of the flower trolleys at the distribution centre, the barcodes of the trolleys previously needed to be scanned manually. Afterwards, the corresponding distribution tickets were printed for the further distribution of the lots of flowers.

As this was an error-prone and time-consuming process, Hamifleurs decided to automatically detect and identify the incoming trolleys by means of RFID.

The solution

RFH’s STWs are equipped with UHF RFID tags. With its high reading speed and a reading distance of up to 15 metres, this type of tag is the best choice for such logistics applications.

Aucxis installed an RFID gate with three lanes at the entry of Hamifleurs’ distribution centre, which means that three trains with trolleys can be processed at the same time. Each lane is equipped with an RFID antenna to automatically scan the trolleys when passing by. The distribution tickets are printed automatically. The smart Aucxis middleware HERTZ delivers the correct information to Hamifleurs’ ERP package.

Hamifleurs also purchases trolleys from other RFH locations they arrive in a lorry at the loading docks on the other side of the distribution centre. There, the unloaded trolleys are scanned by RFID zone scanners mounted on the ceiling in the loading area. 

This accurate and time-saving RFID solution with fixed scan points is very easy to implement, and can also be used to read Danish trolleys.