Press Report

Supply Chain Execution solution provider inet-logistics and Gehe Pharma have recently completed a joint RFID project. On the basis of this project, a new service has been introduced in the active monitoring of sensitive products during transit by means of RFID and GSM tracking.

(logistik-inside.de 03.2008) At the heart of the project is the active and uninterrupted temperature monitoring and tracking of pharmaceutical products during transportation. Furthermore, UV-sensitive and moisture-sensitive products are monitored by means of special sensors. The logistics-server® software solution from inet takes care of the transmission, visualisation and processing of order data as well as levels of temperature, UV light, ambient moisture and also tracking information.

Temperature-sensitive items are marked as such and fitted with RFID sensor tags. After they have been scanned, the temperature logging begins and they are then loaded for transport. Information is transmitted via a GSM module using mobile phone text messaging (SMS) to the logistics-server® which acts as a central platform. The containers then leave the GEHE branch via its despatch department for delivery to the customer. During the whole journey, the geo-coordinates of the container are recorded via GSM tracking and temperature values are also monitored. If a critical reading is registered, the logistics-server® receives an immediate SMS alert. At the stage when the container is opened at its destination, a message is also sent by the same route to the platform. After the container kits return to the GEHE depot, the temperature data is read off and transmitted to the central IT system where it can be displayed in various report formats by the logistics-server® for subsequent analysis.

"This means that when we despatch temperature-sensitive, UV-sensitive and moisture-sensitive items, we can access up-to-the-minute track-and-trace information at any time we like," explains Thorsten Ryl, Technical Project Manager at GEHE Pharma Handel GmbH.