In 2003, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) instituted an asset tracking program in order to track DoD property under the control of external contractors.  This arose amidst claims of of contractors misappropriating assets, employing wasteful practices and generally charging exorbitant sums for work which should not have been charged.  Some readers may recall the issues associated with $200 hammers or thousand dollar toilet seats which plagued NASA, and in the realm of defense spending, there were many instances of inappropriate billing by contractors which was met by the extremely large budget of the Dod and ultimately, the taxpayer was footing the bill.

The Unique Identification program (UID) ensures that government property and assets are all marked by a special asset tag – the individual asset is allocated an Individual UID (known as the IUID – the military are renowned for their use of acronyms) and this in turn produces a Unique Identification Identifier (UII).  All equipment delivered to the DoD by an external supplier must bear a UII which comes in the form of a 2D matrix (a barcode), and this in turn feeds into the billing program of the external contractor which must be managed and presented in a format which meets DoD standards.

With the “War on Terror” commencing in 2003, the DoD is taking delivery of equipment throughout the sphere of operations as well as its main logistics deployment establishment established in Richmond, VA.  There are numerous problems associated with ensuring that equipment is delivered and gets to where it is needed most, especially for those operations involving combat and security duty in high risk areas such as Afghanistan.  At the same time, while the focus is on combat and operational effectiveness, it is very difficult to effectively manage equipment and supplies which are delivered direct into the sphere of operations by external contractors.  When you are getting shot at, you are less likely to be concerned with accounting for equipment!

The UII tags remove the need for such intensive management by personnel in the field, and simplifies the entire tracking and inventory management process.  The program has already resulted in savings worth several billions of dollars in the 6 years which it has been in operation, and has also been used as the  basis for billing adjustments with external contractors who otherwise would have billed for equipment and supplies not delivered as well as reversing overcharges.

One application of the UID program has seen enormous savings in the area of containerization.  The  DoD is the largest customer for cargo containers in the Middle East area with enormous amounts of cargo being transported and stored at a variety of ports and externally managed supply centers prior to onward transportation to the “front”.  Cargo containers are extremely expensive pieces of kit, and they are not in fact owned by the DoD – the containerization system relies upon them being leased or rented (typically for a $2,000 per week).  These containers are spread around a huge geographical area, greater than the size of the U.S., and in a large number of disparate locations.  It is vital to track them and establish which are in use and which aren’t being used – by ensuring that idle use is minimized, and advising the owner of non-use, significant savings have been incurred by not paying for containers which are in fact, sitting idle in the owners depot or are still on the lease book but in fact, are not being employed.

Posted by M. Trumper

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Asset labels, asset tags, property id tags, identification labels and many other terms are all simply synonyms – they refer to the same item, frequently referred to as an “asset tag”.

Asset Tags for Asset Management

A modern, well-designed and manufactured asset tag will typically have a semi-permanent adhesive backing and usually, a metal overlaid plate upon which the reference information is added.  The adhesive can be permanent but this creates issues when you need to sell the asset on – using a semi-permanent adhesive makes it very difficult to remove the tag by any but the most determined thief, and yet, with the proper tools the tag can be removed and the item restored to its original condition and ready for sale.

Asset tags can be used in a variety of situations, including commercial, government and personal requirements.  The diversity of asset tag types provides for a wide range of applications including indoors and out in harsh weather conditions – the U.S. military use asset tags widely to track assets around the world and in operational theatres, so if an asset tag can perform its role under combat conditions, it certainly will be able to perform its function with you.

Asset tags can be used to identify an individual cell phone through to a Jumbo Jet and a lot more besides.  NASA makes extensive use of asset tags in the assembly of rocket and Shuttle vehicles in order to achieve the safety parameters they require.  At the same time, asset tag systems are integrated into accounting and management systems in order to control who has possession of, and where, assets are located.  Asset tags do much more than simply provide a layer of security in the event of loss or theft – they provide an effective tool to implement stock control and tracking systems which in turn, can use the data provided to ensure sales revenues are maximized.

Technology is moving at an ever faster pace and the days of the simple, sticky label are now falling behind us with state of the art radio-tracking being employed which links in with global satellite positioning.  It is now possible to track an item as it travels around the world and to know where it is at by simply clicking your mouse button.  Barcode technology has also moved forward and the hologram continues to evolve into a very secure demonstration of product integrity and identification.

All this technology means that asset tags can provide much more than simply who owns an item.  Now an asset tag will carry vital information which can tell the reader not only what the asset is, but valuable information regarding maintenance and care, ingredients used in manufacture, use-by or sell-by information, health hazard data and handling instructions, and much, much more.

While there are many diverse applications for asset tags, they are relatively very cheap which has made them even more popular.  Simple asset tags can be sourced for minimal cost using the internet as there are literally thousands of providers of this ubiquitous sticky label.

Mark Trumper

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It seems more and more families and loved ones are living farther apart. As you get ready for the holidays, remember that many will need to ship their Christmas or Hanukah packages to the U.S.A. and beyond. It is critical to have the best tracking labels on your packages.

A tracking label is like that present’s own GPS system: keeping it safe as it travels around the globe. From Florida to Texas to Maine to England and beyond! Your package is as connected to you as if it were right in your own back stockroom, ready to hand to a customer if they were in front of you. That tracking information lets both you and the customer know exactly where that special holiday present is at all times. As it travels from your store across the states or even across the ocean – it is safe and secure. Best of all, this tracking label offers your customers great peace of mind, as asset tags tend to do.

Holiday shoppers want to be sure of two things as they shop this season: that they choose the right gift for each recipient and that the gifts reach each person properly. We know we can depend on your sensitivity and skill to assist them in finding the best gifts for their loved ones this holiday season. Let your tracking labels keep their carefully chosen gifts under watchful gaze until delivery.

Adding a tracking label to your packages simply makes good business sense. It shows that you care about your products and their safe and secure arrival. Just by seeing a tracking label on a package can make customers feel more relieved in choosing you. They know that you don’t take chances. You are practical and wise. There is no worry of Christmas or Hanukah gifts being jostled during shipping and precious treasures arriving in pieces. Your store and employees are likely the type who take extra care with packages – if you take the time to add a tracking label – then you are the type of store that takes extra care with other factors that concern shipping.

From the granddaughter shipping a figurine to her grandmother far away to an adult sister sending gourmet treats to the sister and family she won’t see during the holidays, that tracking number offers extra protection. Even the customers who don’t completely understand the value of a tracking number will greatly appreciate its service during the holiday season. As a retail store owner you know that the holiday time is the busiest time for deliveries. The mail and other delivery services will be extended often pushing their limits as far as they can go. That tracking number can keep that carefully picked out figurine for Grandma from being rerouted to the wrong state, wrong city or simply the wrong street. The time you take to add that label can mean the difference between the holiday package making it in time for the holidays…..or not.

Most of us are lucky today, whether we realize it or not. We truly have the majority of the material goods we “need” and many of the ones that we just plain “want.” But during Christmas or Hanukah time, getting and giving gifts goes much deeper than the actual present. It all comes down to love. Love for the recipient and the gift giver and expressing that love during holiday time. Missing that opportunity to celebrate your holiday of faith by expressing love for someone special in your love can be a great disappointment. Just ask anyone who has had a gift they’ve ordered arrive late or go missing. They seem to be more upset about it than the actual gift recipient. It’s the love that is speaking through them. Needless to say, that small tracking label just doesn’t seem so small anymore.

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Image by elycefeliz via Flickr

Any adhesive label works best when the surface to which it is applied is clean and ready to react with the adhesive to form a secure bond. This is even more important when you are using asset tags for security purposes or for identification/accounting when the asset is located in exposed environments, such as outdoors. Preparing the surface is a crucial step in making sure you get the very best out of your asset and security tags.

The surface to which the asset tag is to be affixed needs to be clean and dirt free. You should pay particular attention to cleaning the surface of any grease or oil because these will cause failure in the adhesive. Establishing a good bond between the asset and the security tag is essential as otherwise the entire object of using them is completely defeated.

Different materials will react differently to cleaning materials which you use, but using alcohol is a favorite method which works well. Alcohol dissolves grease and ensures a clean surface is made available for a wider range of materials. Simply applying the alcohol with a clean cloth is sufficient to prepare most surfaces, such as computers, metalwork, glass and other “hard” surface materials. Typically, you should wait for around 30 seconds after you have applied the alcohol to allow it to evaporate – you must ensure there is no excess alcohol on the surface when it comes to applying the asset tag because the alcohol will also weaken the adhesive.

Alcohol is not always an appropriate choice because it can react with the surface of the asset to be tagged. If the material to which an asset tag is being affixed is a fabric or leather, then alcohol is not a preferred cleaning agent. In these instances, using baby wipes is a good substitute as they provide the cleaning reagent but as they are suitable for a baby’s behind, they are not likely to damage or harm the surface to which they are applied.

Once you have the area prepared, the next stage is to fix the asset tag. This may not be as straight forward as you may think because some tags only allow the adhesive to be used once – it is immensely difficult to reposition some tags and impossible with others. You need to get the asset tag positioned just right from the very beginning!

One tip is to outline where the tag will be affixed using a pen or pencil, though you should do this before you wipe the surface down with alcohol (because the ink may interfere with the adhesive bonding).

Once fixed, the next tip for making sure of a secure bond is to wait. Many adhesives react and form a strong bond over a period of time and until they have finally formed their bond they are susceptible to even basic elements such as water. Before you allow the adhesive to be exposed to use or the elements, you should ensure that you leave the tag in place and undisturbed for as long as you can; as a guide, leave a tag alone for a whole day to be sufficiently strong to deal with handling, but best of all, allow three whole days for the bond to be completely formed.

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