Logopak, Centraal Boekhuis and RFID: A Successful Combination

Centraal Boekhuis in Culemborg, The Netherlands, has been the logistics partner in the Dutch book trade for more than 135 years, assuming a key position by bridging the publisher with book stores. Currently, during stocking at Centraal Boekhuis, the books are identified with a label printed and applied by Logopak 906 II TB labeling systems. This lift-label contains a bar code for the sorter, the price and additional information for use by the customer and the book stores.

Labels are printed in real-time and applied at a rate of 60 books per minute. Labels are accurately applied utilizing a telescoping applicator with blow-on technology without slowing the books through the sorting process. Accommodation for varying book heights of up to 3.15 inches (80mm) is incorporated into the Logopak labeling solution.

Centraal Boekhuis has successfully run its six sorter lines utilizing the reliable and robust Logopak 906 II TB print and apply labeling system since 2003. In addition to the six Logopak machines, five other Logopak systems are in use at Centraal Boekhuis for mail order labeling.
The Opportunity

One of Centraal Boekhuis' most important customers is the book trade group BGN (Boek Groep Nederland), which is comprised of 42 stores including SELEXYZ stores. In 2006 BGN opened its first store utilizing RFID-based technology in their logistics supply chain. Smartstore Selexyz Scheltema is located in Almere, The Netherlands. The RFID labels are manually applied to the books, which proves to be very labor-intensive and is only feasible in a small number of SELEXYZ stores. From the onset it has been apparent that automated print and apply RFID labeling would ultimately need to be implemented in order to satisfy the growing number of books requiring the RFID tag.

Logopak was challenged by Centraal Boekhuis to meet their requirement of accurately printing and applying a label with an EPC Class 1 Gen 2 RFID tag, at a rate of 60 books per minute, inclusive of data verification. Additional specifications were incorporated, including the extended function of Password Protection.

The Solution: RFID - Print and Apply. . .Perfected

On March 1, 2008 Logopak partnered with Centraal Boekhuis to begin testing the new Logopak 906 II TB-RFID labeling system. The system test was successfully conducted in-line under full production conditions at Centraal Boekhuis at 60 books per minute. The result was an achievement of 100% accuracy in printed, encoded and applied RFID labels.

As a result of this outstanding benchmark test, Centraal Boekhuis will begin full implementation of the unique Logopak 906 II TB-RFID labeling system into its sorter lines. The first systems will be put into operation in mid-2008.

The success of the robust Logopak 906 II TB-RFID labeling system, and corresponding PC software, is attributed to Logopak's complete in-house development and production. Offering the most well-built, reliable, high-performance print and apply labeling systems in the industry, Logopak has been known for years as "Your first name in print & apply labeling".