It can be found on products in supermarkets, on clothing labels, on mail, and on packages. We are talking about the barcode –
dark and light lines that have become an everyday occurrence for consumers today.
The first work towards product identification was undertaken by Harvard University in the 1930s, while the first barcode patent was registered in 1940 in the USA. Attempts were made to solve the problem of queues at supermarket checkouts using barcodes. However, it was not until the 1970s that they saw wider application, specifically on June 26, 1974, when the first Wrigley’s chewing gum appeared.
Barcodes are currently used by over 1 million companies in more than 140 countries and 23 industries. GS1 codes are an essential element for the proper and efficient functioning of supermarkets, warehouses, and logistics centers. It seems that for many years to come, barcodes will continue to function alongside the increasingly common EPC tags and the EPCglobal network. In 1999, an international group of retailers and American manufacturers recognized the potential of RFID technology, but at the same time realized that many RFID applications and solutions had not been implemented or were discontinued due to a lack of global standards, high costs, and a lack of system compatibility. Therefore, on their initiative, research was funded, initially started by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and subsequently by 6 other universities (2 in Europe: Cambridge, St Gallen, 1 in Australia: Adelaide, and 3 in Asia: Fudan –
China, Keio –
Japan, ICU – South Korea).
A joint initiative was formed, known as the Auto-ID Center, now called the Auto-ID Lab, which deals with research into the development of EPC technology. In 2003, an independent international organization, EPCglobal Inc., was established, whose main task is the development and management of the global standards developed. Furthermore, the EPCglobal network was created, using the Internet as a platform for information exchange between supply chain trading partners. The EPCglobal organization continues the standardization process, which is a key condition for the global implementation of the new technology.
EPCglobal in 2005
During this year’s GS1 Global Forum, the organization presented its implementation achievements to date and plans for the current year and the coming years regarding EPC. The number of EPC participants is growing significantly year by year. The greatest development is observed in the American and German markets. The Wal-Mart store chain has implemented EPC technology in 500 of its locations and plans to do so in another 500 by the end of 2006. Implementations are progressing at a rapid pace, which is facilitated by falling tag prices.
The article comes from the magazine Logistyka no. 2/2006.