Software firm tracks RFID tags
Published: 28 Oct 2003 11:05 GMT
Software maker Manugistics has released a new version of its business applications software that's designed to take advantage of the emerging inventory-tracking technology known as radio frequency identification, the company said on Monday.
The company said the updated software, which is intended to help manufacturers coordinate the production of goods, can use the data that radio frequency identification (RFID) systems collect to closely monitor the delivery of merchandise and supplies to factories, warehouses and stores.
RFID is an experimental technology that uses tiny devices to monitor the location of all kinds of objects -- everything from car tires to clothing. Major retailers and consumer goods companies, including Wal-Mart and Gillette, have been testing the technology for the past few years and are just beginning to deploy it more broadly.
RFID is being hailed as a next-generation barcode that promises to reduce labour-intensive manual inventory scanning and tackle perennial business problems such as shoplifting, inventory shortages and logistical errors.
Manugistics -- which competes with i2 Technologies, Oracle, PeopleSoft and SAP -- said the new RFID-ready software is part of its "adaptive planning" programs, which are a set of applications designed to detect and resolve logistical glitches. The company cited recent decisions by Wal-Mart and the US Department of Defense to expand their RFID projects as one of the reasons it is focusing on this emerging area.
Industry experts estimate that demand for RFID-related products and services will create a new $3bn (£1.77bn) to $10bn market in the next five years. Seeing dollar signs, many information technology companies are making RFID a focus of their research and development efforts. IBM announced new RFID consulting services and software products last month. Others hoping to tap the anticipated wave of RFID technology spending include Accenture, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems.
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