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3 Sustainable Tools Breaking Down Communication Barriers in the Modern Supply Chain

Studies show that today’s consumers are far more conscious of a brand’s environmental impact, placing a demand for complete traceability, especially in the food and beverage industry. A mere 20% of consumers truly trust brands to ensure food safety, fueling further skepticism regarding sustainable practices in food distribution. With Earth Day (April 22, 2022), being a few weeks away, companies are encouraged to revisit sustainability plans and ensure proper tracking visibility. As a matter of fact, around 96% of supply chain decision-makers agree that operational visibility provides a clear advantage. Therefore, optimizing sustainable tracking proves to be both beneficial to your brand and your customers. 

How to get started:

While there are several tools available today for sustainable distribution, very few systems prioritize ease-of-use in and out of the four walls. Though indispensable in any automation solution, hardware alone cannot carry to sole weight in securing sustainable traceability. When adding an eco-friendly layer to your visibility solution, consider the following…

1. How are GS1 standards being tracked?

Developed with the sole purpose of facilitating system communication and visibility, GSI standards help ensure products are ready for purchase by aggregating identifiers in a common language. From organic meat to processed candy, products are expected to be identified by markers readable through any system. GS1’s simplicity and compatibility have led nearly 90% of small and growing businesses to adopt its system, also confirming its cost-effectiveness. 

To best leverage GS1 standards, companies are encouraged to verify raw materials, completed products, and shipments display unique GS1 identifiers and any other necessary variable information. Production status should also be easily identifiable, so field teams and retailers know when to expect shipments. These identifiers can be recorded digitally with the help of barcoding or RFID technologies for reduced manual errors. 

2. Can the number of deployed devices be minimized?

More deployed devices per worker maximizes the risks of increased electronic waste. Although several next-generation devices have been optimized to consolidate workflows, food distribution provides additional challenges as devices must be rugged enough to survive drastic temperature changes within one facility. When it comes to field delivery teams, solutions must factor in long distances to verify connectivity is maintained. 

In addition to consolidating workflows through one rugged device, a push-to-talk communication solution may also be beneficial to eliminate two-way radios while connecting field teams and distribution centers without more devices. For example, Zebra’s Workforce Connect app provides instant communication and secured text messaging independent of cellular connectivity, so transportation teams can update ETAs and optimize routes for less wasted fuel.  

3. Are legacy/outdated devices being properly recycled?

Although e-waste composes only 2% of American landfills, it’s responsible for 70% of overall toxic waste. Every effort to minimize toxic waste empowers future generations to live on a cleaner planet. That’s why companies are encouraged to verify decommissioned devices are properly recycled according to local and federal compliance standards. Currently, 25 states are actively targeting electronic waste through mandated recycling initiatives.

As a Zebra Premier Solution’s Partner, Avalon strives to pair proper recycling with enterprise-ready upgrades through the GO-Zebra Trade-In Program. Outdated devices from any manufacturer may be traded in for cash rebates to be used on newer Zebra upgrades. Outdated devices are properly disposed of without compromising the environment or data security through our trusted recyclers. 

If you are unsure on how to answer any of the questions above, it may be time to rethink your tracking system to ensure it meets compliance standards and consumer expectations. Reach out to Avalon’s optimization experts to get step-by-step assistance in assessing your tracking system to best target optimization opportunities. 

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User-friendly technology prevents recalls. Here’s how:

When it comes to food and beverage and pharmaceutical safety, traceability is the baseline for future and sustainable success. Without it, vital products risk spoilage, impacting not only just the bottom line but also consumer safety. Ingestible and medicinal goods tend to be more prioritized since nearly 80% of consumers do not trust manufacturers to properly enforce safety measures around product quality. Moreover, drug recalls have increased steadily for the past two years, with 195 kinds of drugs pulled from shelves since 2017 – mostly due to poor quality control. Improper track and trace systems have often produced one or more of the following consequences:

  • Extensive fees and expenses stemming from downtime while production lines determine points of error. Recurrent issues may also lead businesses to sever ties with questionable companies, ultimately breaking down supply chains.
  • Damaged brand image still remains as one of the top deterrents of businesses since consumers are less likely to choose businesses known for even one safety issue.
  • Legal action may be taken on the part of affected consumers, resulting in broken consumer trust and even changes in laws and regulations.

It’s safe to assume food, beverages, and medicine will always be in demand for the years to come, which means effective traceability will also be highly sought to ensure perishable items are safe for consumers. As a result, automation continues to lead the modernization wave within manufacturing and distribution plants since it facilitates real-time track and trace for easier quality checks. However, complex training and long implementation times can stifle modernization’s benefits when it comes to effective traceability. That’s why simplicity and scalability have become foundational in accelerating deployment for faster efficiency. Whether it be through RFID scanning or mobile label printing, a user-friendly traceability system should be able to…

  1. Reduce illegible manual data entry – Pencil and paper reporting done in haste can result in illegible documentation, complicating future audits. Moreover, files may not be properly sorted and filed, taking time away from productive workflows as workers must spend time looking for vital information. On the other hand, automated data capture through purpose-built devices like Zebra’s DS3600 scanners connect data directly to your centralized database with nothing but a trigger pull, protecting data legibility while empowering workers to process products more quickly.
  2. Close communication gaps between manufacturers and distributors – As seen in recent news, supply chain changes can strike at any given moment, creating challenges for operations using just-in-time inventory management systems. Mobile computers integrating push-to-talk features and cellular connectivity and apps can bridge communication gaps by making sure teams and businesses are notified of any changes as soon as they happen.
  3. Incorporate touch-screen usability for younger workers – As younger workers ages 18-35 enter the workforce, legacy green screen apps may pose a higher learning curve even though they’re familiar to seasoned warehouse workers. That’s why applications like Zebra’s All-Touch Terminal Emulation have been developed to migrate TE screens onto a touchscreen interface for easier usability.
  4. Facilitate data sharing without compromising security – As data is shared digitally, it becomes a target for today’s cybercriminals. To combat threats, Zebra strengthens Android for Enterprise with mobility Extensions and LifeGuard, providing 90-day security patches, two-factor authentication, government-grade encryption, and many other tiered security parameters for uncorrupted data.

Learn how food and beverage businesses are enhancing operational visibility with Zebra in our vision study, available here.

As supply chains grow more complex, operational visibility will remain essential to ensure competitive product quality and consumer trust for every industry. Schedule a preliminary consultation with Avalon’s visibility experts to see how you can expand transparent tracking in your operations with simplistic and intuitive technologies.

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