Adient Automates Asset Management with RFID

The Challenge

Adient supplies automotive seating, interiors, and electronics to automakers. Adient had a mystery to solve: thousands of shipping containers had gone missing. With values of up to $1,500, the missing containers were more than just an inconvenience—they were expensive too. Containers filled with parts were sent to distribution centers or plants across the nation, with the expectation that they would be returned empty for future use by the company. However, due to the vast number of containers being sent out, and their relative homogeneity in appearance, it became increasingly difficult to track them, and find them once they had gone missing.

The Solution

Using the SLS and RFID dock door solution, Adient was able to gain full visibility into their fleet of shipping containers: Reusable containers are tagged with RFID tag chips which correspond to vital information like identity, destination and more. SLS D-Series™ devices are placed on either side of the approximately eight-foot wide dock doors. As containers move in and out of Adient's dock doors, the Speedway readers collect the item's identity, direction of travel, and location. Solution software monitors container availability and location, providing opportunity to address problems if containers are not promptly returned.

The Results

With values of shipping containers ranging from $3 to $1,500, losing thousands of items had added up. Through their investment in a RFID dock door solution, Adient can now see when their containers move through dock doors and easily identify which customers are mis-using or failing to return empty crates and racks. Missing units can be recovered, and returned back into the network, removing costs associated with replacement pieces.

If I have a distribution center sitting on containers for two days, I can see that. We're changing the paradigm. What we're saying is, 'This is an asset of Adient, and we want it back. We know where it is, and if you have it, we're going to come looking for it.'

With over 875,000 containers of varying types, keeping track of those available was difficult, especially when relying on manual or semi-automated processes. With fully automated inventory visibility, Adient could know at any time exactly what was available to carry shipments out to customers. A labor-intensive count process has been reduced from days to mere minutes. With the mystery of the missing containers successfully solved, Adient is now exploring ways they can further implement RFID technology to improve their operations and provide better service.