Netherlands 3PL Hub: Transitioning from Manual Sorting to 100% RFID Automation
How one of Europe's largest fulfillment centers resolved a 15% annual asset loss rate.
01 / Operational Background
A premier 3PL provider in the Netherlands managing over 200,000 square meters of high-density racking. As e-commerce volume spiked, their legacy barcode-only system became a massive operational bottleneck in the Port of Rotterdam.
02 / Status Quo & Challenges
Previous Operational Mode:
Before SIGAN's intervention, every incoming pallet required manual scanning by a forklift operator. This caused 10-minute queues at every bay and resulted in constant human data-entry errors, leading to significant inventory discrepancies and lost returnable assets (RTIs).
Operator Downtime: Drivers had to dismount to scan damaged barcodes, increasing cycle time by 25%.
Asset Blind Spots: High-value plastic pallets were leaving the facility without digital checkout, resulting in $200k annual replacement costs.
Signal Interference: Dense metallic racking caused standard RFID readers to misread adjacent pallets.
03 / Engineering Interventions
Fleet Deployment: Installed 1,200 CRUISE 2 terminals with SE55 long-range engines for in-seat scanning up to 15 meters.
Identity Matrix: Tagged 50,000 pallets with SG-RFID-PT01 rugged ABS tags, engineered to survive forklift impact.
Gate Integration: Established automated RFID portal gates that perform sub-second batch validation of 100+ items per load.
04 / Quantified Operational Impact
Acceleration in vehicle-to-rack turnover speed.
Reduction in RTI asset loss via automated digital custody.
Zero manual intervention required at inbound check-points.
"SIGAN redefined our sorting logic. We moved from tracking 'boxes' to managing a 'live data stream' in real-time."