Container Centralen A/S

About Operation Chip It

“Operation Chip It” is the tagging operation that takes place in December 2010 / January 2011. All 3.5 million CC Containers must get new tags before the cut off date: January 10, 2011.

Statement from CC CEO on why RFID is implemented on CC Containers.

Why a tagging operation

Container Centralen regularly updates the identification tag of the CC Containers. This is to protect the unique and well-functioning CC Pool System from illegal low-quality copies of CC Containers.

Shortly after the operation, only original containers produced for Container Centralen with the original RFID tag will be accepted in the pool. Illegal copies are easily detected as they do not hold the original RFID code.

What do you need to do and when? >>
See previous labelling operations >>

What is different about “Operation Chip It!”

As in previous operations the new identification tags look noticeably different from the old tags. They not only look different, but have an added value: The new tags have a built-in RFID* chip that contains a unique electronic ID code. This will make identification of genuine CC Containers even easier.

When plants are transported on CC Containers, they are easily scanned with RFID scanners as they circulate in the supply chain.

After January 10, 2011, only CC Containers with the new RFID tags will be accepted in the CC Pool System!

See a demo of RFID in the horticultural sector >>
How to identify a genuine CC Container >>

Why does the new tag have built-in RFID?

There are three main reasons for building in RFID chips in the tags on CC Containers:

1. To meet future demands from retailers and to offer a platform for future integration of “Track & Trace” facilities.
As a provider of Returnable Transport Units (RTI’s) and the CC Pool System, Container Centralen provides an important support function to the horticultural industry.

Introducing RFID in the horticultural industry at this point will enable our long-term vision for the RFID implementation to be carried out. This includes the future possibility for “Track & Trace”, which makes it possible to follow the products from grower to the final retail outlet. The CC Container as the central unit in horticultural transport in Europe will therefore be able to contribute with knowledge of the stock movements.

2. To protect the joint investment of the CC Container pool
With the RFID technology it becomes much easier to identify genuine CC Containers. It ensures that only the original, high-quality CC Containers are accepted in the CC Pool System after "Operation Chip It", which means fewer damaged and unusable containers disrupting your transportation flow. This will result in tangible cost savings on the pool fee, which we can commit to already now. There will be no increase in pool fee in 2011, and we are able to pass on a 0.,5 EUR reduction in both 2012 and again in 2013!

3. Easier to count and register the containers
When plants are transported on CC Containers they are easily scanned with RFID scanners. This makes it easier for you to count and register CC Containers, and enables you to integrate RFID into your IT management system.

See more about the benefits of RFID here >>
How to identify a genuine CC Container >>

Who is behind “Operation Chip It”?

“Operation Chip It” is a joint horticultural project. Container Centralen and our partners in this project, Landgard, GASA Group, FloraHolland, and VGB, have come together to develop the new RFID tag on CC Containers.
Retailers and other parties in the horticultural industry are increasingly demanding optimised logistics in general, and RFID is an important step towards servicing them and all others in the future.