Aside from GS1 Germany, Deutsche Post World Net, Karstadt and METRO Group are the shareholders of the European EPC Competence Center in Neuss, Germany.
In its capacity as an international standard for all industries, the electronic product code (EPC) in future constitutes the basis for applying radiofrequency identification technology (RFID) in the merchandize management processes of companies. In order to promote the application of this standard and of the RFID technology in Europe, GS1 Germany as the German representative office of, the standardization organization EPCglobal, together with Deutsche Post World Net, Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH and the METRO Group, founded the European EPC Competence Center (EECC) in Neuss. |
The European EPC Competence Center supports companies that intend to introduce the electronic product code and the RFID technology or are already planning their rollout with reliable tests and a diverse training program. As the first European test laboratory, the EECC was accredited by EPCglobal as a so-called EPCglobal Performance Test Center in September 2005.
Reliable tests ensure reproducible results
Users and RFID service providers from all industries may have the performance of transponders tested on different objects, such as shipping and retail units, pharmaceutical products or vehicle components. At the test center, engineers examine the readability of tagged objects in the complex environment of different materials such as metal or liquids.
Customers have a choice of two different test procedures: so-called static or applied tag performance (ATP) tests or dynamic tests. These tests explore the performance of the transponders used in the respective merchandize management processes and their optimum tag position on the object. ATP tests are conducted under standard conditions in a specially shielded test room – an essential prerequisite to ensure a constantly good performance in real-life application.
The dynamic tests can be conducted on a goods portal at the EECC or on the customer’s premises upon request. The tests ascertain how the combination of transponder/product performs in an environment similar to real-life conditions. This way, customers from the consumer goods industry, for instance, learn how well tags can be read if the tagged products are packed tightly on a pallet. Moreover, they also receive a detailed test report.
Visit – Learn – Apply
From beginners to the advanced or expert level – corporate representatives from all industries can be trained at the EECC under field-like conditions, either in English or German. The attractive training program consists of three follow-up modules – EPC/RFID basics, the success factors for a EPC/RFID rollout, and an expert-level training for RFID in ultra high frequency (UHF) applications. Renowned EPC/RFID experts provide theoretical and practical knowledge so that participants are able to quickly generate good results in their business processes with this innovative technology.
High-profile shareholders
Jörg Pretzel, Managing Director of GS1 Germany GmbH, emphasizes that establishing the EECC represents a milestone in GS1 Germany’s EPC/RFID strategy; "Our objective is to roll-out and implement the EPC standard in Germany. EECC is the ideal platform for that. As a neutral testing and training institute, it supports companies in applying the EPC/RFID technology." Dr. Keith Ulrich, head of technology and innovation management at Deutsche Post World Net, adds "As a leading global logistic company, RFID is firmly on our agenda. In this context, we want to develop standardized solutions in cooperation with our customers."
Since 2006, Karstadt has been actively promoting the implementation of EPC/RFID in the company. Dr. Jörg Rösner, head of Karstadt’s IT organization, attaches great importance to the application of EPC/RFID on selected articles; "This is a way to optimize processes in our retail organization. EPC/RFID is going to help us with an accurate and detailed inventory management in sales, which will ensure a swift inventory update. In case of changing prices, it will be possible to localize articles more quickly at the store level. Moreover, receiving inspections will be more accurate and fast just like merchandize recording at the incoming goods portal of the stores. Our active involvement in the EECC will help us stay up to date at all times."
From the perspective of Dr. Gerd Wolfram, Managing Director of MGI METRO Group Information Technology, the broad support to EECC raises its profile as a platform that helps the consumer goods industry to convert to the RFID technology. "The professional tests and trainings make it possible for companies to quickly achieve good results in their own processes with the aid of this innovative technology", says Wolfram.
GS1 Germany
GS1 Germany is a service and competence center for the inter-company business processes in Germany’s consumer goods industry and related economic sectors. As part of the GS1 international network, GS1 Germany develops globally recognized standards and rationalization recommendations with the aim of optimizing the flow of data and goods as well as business processes between the factory and points of sale. GS1 Germany is the German representative of the international standardization organization EPCglobal Inc. based in New Jersey (USA).
