HPCL partners IBM in RFID solution

HPCL partners IBM in RFID solution

The US$ 2.2 million deal signed in March 2008 is one of the largest RFID implementation in India

Thursday, September 04, 2008

BANGALORE,INDIA: IBM today announced that it is implementing an innovative Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based solution for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), the downstream petroleum organization (Refining and Marketing) in India.

A company statement said that HPCL would leverage IBM’s technology expertise to deploy an end-to-end tracking solution based on RFID technology at HPCL’s Nashik plant.

This US$ 2.2 million deal that was signed in March 2008 is one of the single-largest implementations in India for RFID-based tracking solution and involves infrastructure services, business consulting services and middleware solution from IBM, said a press release.

A press release stated that through this agreement, IBM would design, deploy and integrate the RFID solution for tracking LPG cylinders from plant to the end-consumer. It would streamline the process of identification of LPG cylinders during bottling, distribution and supply chain, and is expected to cover 500,000 cylinders in the initial phase.

G A Shirwaikar, executive director-LPG, HPCL said, “RFID-based cylinder tracking project is the first of its kind in India. Considering the magnitude of our operations, which continues to grow significantly, it has become imperative for us to bring greater efficiencies in our supply chain.”

“We aim to achieve this with RFID-based tracking solution. We are happy to partner with IBM, as their global expertise in deploying such solution would help HPCL strengthen its supply chain of LPG cylinders end-to-end, and finally result in significant operational benefits for the organization,” he added.

“IBM is committed to build capabilities to address some very unique business challenges faced by Indian enterprises. We are very excited about the RFID implementation at HPCL and especially the fact that this solution covers the entire supply-chain of HPCL’s very significant LPG business,” said Nipun Mehrotra, vice-president and general manager, Global Technology Services, IBM India/South Asia.

He added that energy sector is witnessing a tremendous growth in India and they believe that a unique solution like this would help market leaders like HPCL to improve their operational efficiencies while strengthen their competitive edge in the market

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