Leading technology and supply chain management company ByBox has introduced world-first battery-powered locker technology that will benefit customers by improving product tracking.
The company has become the first in the world to begin the rollout of brand-new battery-powered radio frequency identification (RFID) lockers that will enhance product tracking accuracy and reduce stock loss by minimising the risk of human error.
ByBox currently has more than 45,000 smart lockers across more than 1,500 sites throughout the UK that enable businesses to securely collect and return equipment and parts from places of maximum convenience near their points of service.
The new lockers use radio frequency identification to scan products in and out and Internet of Things (IoT) networks to update the locker contents to the ByBox Cloud, meaning that users no longer have to manually scan items at collection or drop off.
ByBox’s Director of Product Management, George Wiltshire, who has overseen the introduction of the new lockers, commented: “RFID lockers are an incredible innovation for ByBox, which prides itself on leading the development and implementation of new technology.
“When picking up or dropping off parts, users no longer need to manually scan items in or out of lockers or record them. The lockers will automatically scan all the products in the locker after the locker is closed, offering the ultimate combination of convenience and stock integrity.”
John Thirkettle, Secure Locker Solutions Manager, who led the product design process for the RFID lockers, said: “The lockers are a real gamechanger for product tracking. With traditional smart lockers, if a user makes an error when scanning parts, this can result in the loss of tracking information, but RFID lockers completely eliminate this risk by automating the process.
“Customers can monitor and control their inventory levels remotely, and by having the right part at the right place and time, customers can avoid inventory loss, reduce the costs of restocking and enhance their efficiency and service quality.”
ByBox is rolling out the RFID lockers on a customer-by-customer basis in response to demand. The first RFID lockers have been installed at a hospital site in Leeds and will be utilised by one of the company’s healthcare customers. Other ByBox customers have placed orders across Europe and the United States.
ByBox inventory management systems ensure that businesses can securely deliver equipment and parts to smart lockers near their points of service at locations across the UK, reducing the distance engineers need to travel to pick up and return items.
Operating in 31 countries, ByBox delivers 30 million items per year, with 99.7% of deliveries made on time to support vital infrastructure including hospitals, telecoms, utilities and data centres.
ByBox has its head office in Slough, along with distribution centres in Bristol, Coventry, Doncaster, Glasgow, Huntingdon, London, Milton Keynes, Solihull and Warrington.
In 2023 the company acquired Pelipod from BT Group, which added 5,000 lockers to its nationwide estate of secure smart delivery storage and collection points.
