Abstract
In the major new report "RFID for the Postal and Courier Service", IDTechEx
estimate that the global market for RFID systems, including tags, in this
sector will be $2.5 billion in 2018. It could be much bigger if current
efforts to tag individual items gain widespread acceptance. In due course,
over one trillion postal items will be tagged yearly, making this the second
largest application of RFID in the world after the retail supply chain.
Detailed ten year forecasts are given plus a full explanation of the
technologies. In detail, there are over 40 new case studies of RFID in action
in the postal and courier service in North America, Europe, the Middle East
and East Asia. The major breakthroughs that will provide future success are
discussed. Postal services ignoring this accelerating change will become
uncompetitive and suppliers missing out will regret it.
RFID is an idea whose time has come in postal, courier and high volume light
logistics. In the past, RFID has been used for little more than the evaluation
of postal performance, using tags in a small percentage of letters, and the
tracking of a small number of conveyances and vehicles. No longer. From the
International Postal Corporation now monitoring mailflow with RFID in over 50
countries to Saudi Post tagging postal boxes, the big innovations are now
happening.
There is even a postal RFID system that completely automates the whole process
of mail delivery from accepting the package to classification and dispatching.
It has been successfully tested in Korea this year. Korea Electronics and
Telecommunications Research Institute ETRI demonstrated this RFID system in
front of representatives from the Ministry of Information and Technology and
private sector representatives.
The current postal package unified information system uses barcodes, thus
necessitating human effort at every mail center to input mail numbers into the
system. This results in inaccuracies during transfer of duties and it delays
the mail dispatches. The new RFID system, developed by ETRI of Korea, aims to
reduce costs, errors and tedious human intervention. When perfected, it will
provide a comprehensive electronic postal system with the potential to
maximize mail package process capabilities while minimizing logistics cost.
Real-time information automation, impossible with the existing system, is now
possible, claims ETRI.
It is difficult to estimate when pervasive RFID tagging of most of the courier
and letter post will occur but RFID enabled parcels, conveyances, vehicles and
trailers are now commonplace, with multiple paybacks often being enjoyed. RFID
is enhancing security and safety and removing tedious operations. Swedish Post
has a parcel that detects and records tampering using RFID and other
innovations abound, including RFID cards controlling driver access to postal
vehicles and RFID enabled postal sorting equipment. Little wonder that
companies as large as Microsoft have entered the fray. The global potential is
illustrated by its decision to offer its first postal systems in Taiwan and
elsewhere in East Asia.
Report Statistics
- Pages: 183
- Tables Over: 20
- Figures Over: 60
- Case Studies: 40
- Forecasts to: 2018
- Last update: Q2/08
View Cart
