Barcodes in the transport and logistics sector

Transport and logistics companies gain a competitive advantage by applying GS1/EAN standards throughout their operations.

 

With GS1/EAN standards as a basis, transport and logistics teams can standardize data, automate the generation, transmission and analysis of information, and share it with better quality standards with their customers, facilitating the provision of a higher value service. aggregate.

 

Benefits can include increased efficiency and visibility of shipment flow, more efficient inventory management, increased distribution security, and speed of operations.

 

GS1/EAN UK, in recent years, has devoted significant efforts to defining the way in which standards can be used to facilitate the visibility of operations and thus their traceability. To this end, it has invested significant resources to determine how the different technologies available today for this purpose can coexist, taking into account the different levels of technological adoption that companies in the sector have and taking advantage of a reality: the intensive use of mobile technology by part of the drivers.

 

The GS1/EAN barcode system in the transport sector offers a unique way of identifying the different groups of products that are transported and the assets used for it, whether in local or international operations:

 

 

Shipping Container Serial Code

 

The Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) is the GS1 ID Key used to identify individual logistic units. A logistic unit can be any combination of units put together in a carton, box, on a pallet or on a truck where the specific unit load has to be handled through the supply chain. The SSCC enables individual unit tracking, offering benefits for order and delivery tracking and automated merchandise receipt. The SSCC serial reference component offers virtually unlimited number capacity, simplifying number assignment and ensuring unique identification.

 

Global Returnable Asset Identifier

 

The Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI) is used to identify returnable assets such as trays, baskets, pallets or beer kegs that are used and must be returned for reuse. The GRAI can be used simply for the purpose of identifying and tracking assets or it can be as part of a contracting or hiring system where two or more companies collaborate, since it allows companies to scan assets giving them entry and exit from their companies.

 

Global Individual Asset Identifier

 

The Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) is used to identify fixed assets of any value within a company that have to be identified individually; For transportation purposes, this may include a truck, a trailer, a Unit Load Device (ULD), a container, a rail car, etc.

 

Global Shipping Identification Number

 

The Global Shipment Identification Number (GSIN) is a number assigned by a seller (shipper) of goods. It provides a globally unique number that identifies a logical grouping of physical units traveling under a shipping advice and/or bill of lading as part of a specific seller/buyer relationship: from consignor (seller) to consignee (buyer). The GSIN meets the requirements of the Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) of the World Customs Organization (WCO), which can be used by Customs authorities to identify shipments subject to import or export processes.

 

Global Identification Number for Consignment

 

The Global Identification Number for Consignment (GINC) identifies a logical grouping of goods (one or more physical entities) that has been consigned to a freight forwarder or carrier and is intended to be transported as a unit. GS1 ID Keys are complemented by GS1/EAN Application Identifiers (GS1/EAN AIs). The GS1/EAN AIs act as a list of simple, generic data field codes for use in international, multi-industry supply chain applications. Each GSI AI consists of two or more digits and provides the definition, format and structure of the data field encoded in a GS1/EANData Carrier. For example, there is a GS1/EAN AI for each GS1/EAN Key ID, allowing them to be encoded in GS1/EAN Bar Codes or EPC/RFID labels. Supplemental data is always associated with a GS1/EAN Key ID and, although GS1/EAN Key IDs are intended to be used to find information about the identified object in a database, GS1/EAN AIs exist for supplemental data. that cannot be searched in a database by means of a reference to the GS1/EAN Key ID.