RFID technology revolutionizes relocation for the military
Global Move Security is the first of its kind to use Radio Frequency Identification technology to move household goods for the military; Red Ball says its commercial shipments are next.

 

SEATTLE - When military families are transferred overseas, they soon will be able to track their possessions via the Internet during the shipping process. Global Move Security (GMS), a revolutionary shipment tracking system developed by RFID Decisions and pioneered by Red Ball International - a subsidiary of Atlas World Group - a major household goods carrier for the military, is making in-transit visibility and real-time tracking a reality.

Through the application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, the military will be able to track complete shipments creating increased security, improved process efficiency and greater peace of mind for military families relocating overseas. This is the first time this technology has been used for the moving of household goods.

The military moves an estimated 300,000 families overseas each year. The new tracking program has been piloted with moves between Fort Lewis, Wash. and Germany.

"The customer benefits most from tightened security and shipment tracking," said Dave Hope, president of Red Ball International. "Ultimately the customer gains control over real-time shipment information and gains peace of mind knowing the integrity of his or her shipment is protected. It's really about improving service performance to maximize value to the customer."

RFID tags store information on tiny integrated circuit chips, about the size of a pin head, which are attached to shipment components. Strategically located RFID readers extract information stored on the tags and securely report, in real-time, their whereabouts to the GMS Global Server. The location information is then made available to families and transporters through the Internet.

RFID has been used by retailers to track products and merchandising. Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Gillette are among the companies that have mandated RFID applications for their suppliers. The Department of Defense's shipment tracking system takes the RFID technology one step further in tracking the shipment of household goods.

Red Ball International, with support from the Defense Department, has successfully completed testing the newly developed GMS system. Red Ball International partnered with the Defense Department's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), RFID Decisions, LLC and RFID Global Solution, Inc. to bring the system to fruition.

"The RFID tests thus far are encouraging for household goods movement and particularly with international household goods moves. The use of RFID technology is not new, but it does provide benefits such as shipment security and tracking by providing chain of custody accountability and real time in transit visibility," said Lt. Col. Steven Amato, deputy chief of staff for personal property, Headquarters Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

Red Ball plans to extend the technology to commercial shipments, once it is implemented in military moves. "The benefits of RFID clearly apply to our private and corporate clients as well as military," Hope said. "RFID elevates shipment security to an all new level. It carries the potential to revolutionize the household goods industry."

Details on how the technology and the process works can be found on the Red Ball International Web site at www.americanredball.com/globalmovesecurity.htm.

About Red Ball International
American Red Ball International -- a subsidiary of Evansville, Ind.-based Atlas World Group -- dba Red Ball International, is an international household goods forwarder based in Seattle, Washington. Red Ball International provides door to door household goods moving services to government and military personnel, corporate clients, private individuals and families, and to non-profit organizations worldwide. Red Ball International was established in 1968. www.americanredball.com.

About RFID Decisions, LLC
RFID Decisions, LLC is an RFID project consulting and project management firm based in the Seattle, Washington area. The firm's principles, with a combined experience exceeding 60 years, are rooted in the automation of business systems and technology application. The firm specializes in the design, development, team and resource formation and management and the deployment of RFID solutions in government and industry. Services include the analysis of advancing technologies, the development of technology and the application and deployment of this technology in real world solutions. www.rfiddecisions.com

About RFID Global Solution
RFID Global Solution was founded by a team of some of the most experienced RFID engineers in the industry representing more than 160 years of combined experience. RFID Global Solution focuses beyond compliance to design and implement RFID solutions that satisfy compliance mandates and creates value for shareholders. RFID Global Solution's team is capable of deploying RFID solutions with the confidence and certainty that only comes from its combination of "in the trenches" experience and high-level, systems understanding. For more information, visit http://www.rfidgs.com.

About The Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC)
SDDC is the arm of the US Department of Defense responsible for global surface deployment and distribution operations. The SDDC manages the household goods transportation programs for military service members.