Fresh and frozen seafood supplier Seachill has slashed pallet scanning times for traceability purposes by implementing ImageID's Visidot image capture technology at its Grimsby production facility.
The Visidot gate it has installed has two readers, each of which is equipped with three high resolution cameras, which capture images and relays them to Visidot Supply Chain Traceability (SCT) servers. The technology can capture very large quantities of tagged containers in a single scan, processing thousands of outbound fish cases a day and replacing much slower hand-held scanners.
Seachill is using the system to verify pallets distributed to Tesco, which has recently required that its suppliers provide advanced shipping notifications (ASNs), detailing the contents of all truck deliveries.
Upon completion of shipping verification, Visidot creates a serial shipping container Code pallet label complying with current GS1 supply chain standards. Tagged pallets are then fork-lifted past a dock door Visidot gate on their way to the delivery trucks. Truck numbers are associated with the relevant pallets and ImageID's Visidot SCT Director software produces the ASN document.
"Per pallet scan times have effectively gone down from seven minutes using hand-held units to under a minute with Visidot, which provides us with absolute accuracy and essentially eliminates all shipping errors," said Seachill's IT manager Steve Wallace. "Visidot has literally future-proofed our dispatch operations. We are now confident in our ability to handle any number of shipments within even the shortest of timeframes."
Seachill had been able to manage 100% accuracy in all the fresh fish deliveries handled by the system, he said. He listed a range of other benefits including complete supply chain visibility, image-based, operator-friendly guidance for corrective actions and negligible tag costs.
In addition, ImageID, which is part of the Zetes Group, had provided strong support throughout planning and implementation, said Wallace. Data captured from outbound fresh fish pallets is archived in image banks on the Visidot SCT servers, enabling future reference and easy production of proof of shipping or proof of product condition.