Research problem

With the strategic location of Colombo port, MAC continue its warehouse operations in
Multi-Country Consolidations (MCC) for long time period. MAC consolidation center is being collect
cargo from different countries and then ship out for MATALAN retail Ltd, UK. The following figure
shows the warehouse process of MAC.

Unloading

5 hours

Storing
1 hour

QC transfer

Tallying

Picking

Update the buyer

system
Dispatching

The warehouse operations take nearly 5 hours to handle 40 FT container with use of three operators and a
tally clerk. To take the tallying process they need to wait for one hour to complete the above stage. since
they use manual- paper work for the whole process, they unable to have real time data. Manual process
makes human errors which cause in rechecking and more time on process. This situation makes them to
handle only 45 containers per week even though they have warehouse capacity for maintain 70 containers
per week. These issues make their customer dissatisfaction, failures in meeting customer KPIs on time,
miss the business opportunities and damage customer trust.

In this case, MAC warehouse has three main problems.

i. Long cycle time of unloading process

ii. Unavailability of real time data
iii. Human errors in whole process
Research question

RFID technology is more appropriate in improve the warehouse efficiency and reduce human error rates
(Sooksaksun and Sudsertsin, 2014). In this context research question arise as “What is the impact of
RFID on warehouse operations efficiency of MAC?”

Research aim

This study aims to explore the impact of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) on Warehouse operations.
Study findings will help MAC increase warehouse process efficiency by reducing the process handling
time, providing real-time data and reduce human errors. Finally, study will help MAC warehouse
management to handle better customer relationships and satisfy their customers.

Research objectives

1. To identify the issues, challenges and need of RFID technology in warehouse process
efficiency.
2. To maximize the warehouse efficiency by increasing warehouse handling capacity
from 45 containers to 70 containers per week.
3. To provide real time data related to warehouse processes.
4. To minimize the human errors by reducing human involvement in warehouse
processes.