This report is no longer available. Click here to view our current reports or contact us to discuss a custom report.

If you have previously purchased this report then please use the download links on the right to download the files.

RFID for Postal and Courier Services 2008-2018

New Report Tracks a Major Opportunity

Show All Description Contents, Table & Figures List FAQs Pricing Related Content
In the major new report "RFID for the Postal and Courier Service", IDTechEx estimate that the global market for RFID systems, including tags, in this sector will be $2.5 billion in 2018. It could be much bigger if current efforts to tag individual items gain widespread acceptance. In due course, over one trillion postal items will be tagged yearly, making this the second largest application of RFID in the world after the retail supply chain.
 
Detailed ten year forecasts are given plus a full explanation of the technologies. In detail, there are over 40 new case studies of RFID in action in the postal and courier service in North America, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. The major breakthroughs that will provide future success are discussed. Postal services ignoring this accelerating change will become uncompetitive and suppliers missing out will regret it.
 
RFID is an idea whose time has come in postal, courier and high volume light logistics. In the past, RFID has been used for little more than the evaluation of postal performance, using tags in a small percentage of letters, and the tracking of a small number of conveyances and vehicles. No longer. From the International Postal Corporation now monitoring mailflow with RFID in over 50 countries to Saudi Post tagging postal boxes, the big innovations are now happening.
 
There is even a postal RFID system that completely automates the whole process of mail delivery from accepting the package to classification and dispatching. It has been successfully tested in Korea this year. Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute ETRI demonstrated this RFID system in front of representatives from the Ministry of Information and Technology and private sector representatives.
 
The current postal package unified information system uses barcodes, thus necessitating human effort at every mail center to input mail numbers into the system. This results in inaccuracies during transfer of duties and it delays the mail dispatches. The new RFID system, developed by ETRI of Korea, aims to reduce costs, errors and tedious human intervention. When perfected, it will provide a comprehensive electronic postal system with the potential to maximize mail package process capabilities while minimizing logistics cost. Real-time information automation, impossible with the existing system, is now possible, claims ETRI.
 
It is difficult to estimate when pervasive RFID tagging of most of the courier and letter post will occur but RFID enabled parcels, conveyances, vehicles and trailers are now commonplace, with multiple paybacks often being enjoyed. RFID is enhancing security and safety and removing tedious operations. Swedish Post has a parcel that detects and records tampering using RFID and other innovations abound, including RFID cards controlling driver access to postal vehicles and RFID enabled postal sorting equipment. Little wonder that companies as large as Microsoft have entered the fray. The global potential is illustrated by its decision to offer its first postal systems in Taiwan and elsewhere in East Asia.
Stay Updated with Free IDTechEx Research
All purchases of this report include the following in addition to the report:
  • Access to the Land and Sea Logistics, Postal RFID case studies from the IDTechEx RFID Knowledgebase for 12 months - including access to relevant company slideshows and new case studies, worth $750.
  • One hour of consultancy from IDTechEx by telephone or email. This needs to be used within 3 months of purchasing the report.
More Information
If you have any questions about this report, please do not hesitate to contact Raoul or call + 1 617 577 7890 (US).
Analyst access from IDTechEx
All report purchases include up to 30 minutes telephone time with an expert analyst who will help you link key findings in the report to the business issues you're addressing. This needs to be used within three months of purchasing the report.
Further information
If you have any questions about this report, please do not hesitate to contact our report team at research@IDTechEx.com or call one of our sales managers:

AMERICAS (USA): +1 617 577 7890
ASIA (Japan and Korea): +81 3 3216 7209
EUROPE (UK) +44 1223 812300
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
1.INTRODUCTION
1.1.Business drivers for trailer portals
1.1.FKILogistex RFID enabled postal storage retrieval machine
1.1.Benefits
1.2.Evolution of RFID in postal and courier services
1.2.Motorola tunnel at China Post
1.2.Option 3 Proposition
1.2.1.Calculating cross charges
1.2.2.Conveyances and vehicles
1.2.3.Postal boxes
1.2.4.Latest developments
1.2.5.RFID recorded delivery
1.2.6.RFID for orders online
1.2.7.Automatic handling equipment
1.2.8.A world first in Korea?
1.2.9.RFID at China Post
1.2.10.Experience from a courier service company - TNT Express
1.2.11.RFID for Postal Services in the Middle East
1.3.Value of RFID passive tag market in 2007
1.3.RFID Compliance - "Slap & Ship"
1.3.Structure of this report
1.4.What really happened in 2006?
1.4.RFID Compliance - Semi-auto "Slap & Ship"
1.4.Value of RFID active tag market in 2007
1.4.1.The global RFID market
1.5.Value Chain 2007
1.5.RFID Compliance - Enhanced Semi-auto "Slap & Ship"
1.6.Exel view of tagging of vehicles and trailers
1.7.Option 1 Proposition
1.8.Asset management proposition
2.MASS TAGGING OF POSTAL ITEMS AND THE TAGGING OF ASSETS
2.1.Summary of Gen2 features
2.1.EPCglobal influence on standards
2.1.RFID Enabled Asset Management
2.2.Choice of frequencies
2.3.The EPC air interface
2.4.Gen2 is a breakthrough for some open RFID systems
2.5.EPC is not confined to UHF
2.6.Over promising - no ideal frequency for everything
2.7.RFID enabled asset management
3.DETAILED CASE STUDIES
3.1.Item level
3.1.Principle of automatic mail registrations with RFID
3.1.1.IPC AMQM - the largest RFID network in the world
3.1.2.Correos - Europe's largest UHF EPC project
3.1.3.DHL, temperature monitoring pharmaceuticals, USA
3.1.4.DHL postal packages, Belgium
3.1.5.China Post, mail bags China
3.1.6.DHL postal packages, Belgium
3.1.7.UPS courier packages USA
3.1.8.FedEx NetReturn/ Intellareturn courier returns USA
3.1.9.DHL Time/temperature recording Belgium
3.1.10.La Poste, measurement of mail flow France
3.1.11.European Commission ParcelCall project, Europe
3.1.12.Royal Mail, mail flow monitoring, new system UK
3.1.13.Royal Mail, monitoring letters, UK
3.1.14.US Postal Service, mail flow item level, USA
3.1.15.DHL Fashion apparel France
3.1.16.Deutsche Paket Dienst parcels Germany
3.1.17.Home Office, TRI-MEX International Ltd, Nokia and DHL, UK/ Finland
3.2.Post boxes
3.2.Mobile AMQM - equipment and practical use
3.2.1.Saudi Post post box identification Saudi Arabia
3.2.2.La Poste postal box access France
3.3.Conveyances
3.3.DHL RFID today development model
3.3.1.Brinks France transport container access
3.3.2.TNT Express and Thai Customs, overland logistics, Thailand
3.3.3.TNT, Liege Airport, freight tracking, Belgium
3.3.4.UPS tote boxes USA
3.3.5.UPS tote boxes Phase Two USA
3.3.6.UPS shipping tools USA
3.3.7.UPS Reusable container sortation USA
3.3.8.DHL and Nokia, cellphone transit cases UK/Finland
3.3.9.Italian Post Office, mailbags, Italy
3.3.10.Korea Post, pallets, Korea
3.3.11.Royal Mail, roll cages, UK
3.3.12.Swedish Postal Service, conveyance packs, Sweden
3.3.13.US Postal Service pallets US
3.3.14.UPS mandated pallets and cases USA
3.3.15.UPS mail bags USA
3.4.Vehicles
3.4.One version of item level RFID trialled by DHL.
3.4.1.Deutsche Post trucks and swap-bodies Germany
3.4.2.FedEx keyless entry/ignition system, USA
3.4.3.DHL, RFID enabled van, Europe
3.4.4.Parcelforce trailers, UK
3.4.5.UPS trucks USA
3.5.Intellareturn Smart Return Services
3.6.The RFID electronic Time Temperature Indicator from KSW Microtec
3.7.La Poste slide 1 - Further information needed
3.8.La Poste slide 2 - Improving transit time with RFID
3.9.La Poste slide 3 - Technical choices
3.10.ParcelCall scenarios
3.11.I.D. Systems tags
3.12.DHL in action
3.13.ASK summary of DHL Fashion trial
3.14.Véronique Delachaux fashion
3.15.NBG tunnel interrogator at DHL Fashion
3.16.NBG roving aisle interrogator at DHL Fashion
3.17.Overview of VIGIK
3.18.The patented VIGIK solution
3.19.VIGIK principles
3.20.VIGIK technical
3.21.VIGIK authorisation
3.22.La Poste distribution
3.23.Banknotes with dye activation. Ink staining versus acid
3.24.The EM Microelectronics active tag
3.25.The overall vision of UPS for RFID - Pilot: Distribution and Fulfilment
3.26.The DHL view of the project - Regional pilot Western Europe
3.27.Nokia and DHL nest technologies to provide real-time product visibility
3.28.Mail Rail
3.29.Cypak logo and stamps
3.30.Cypak/Swedish Post Office package - RFID package that senses time of tampering
3.31.RFID wristbands
3.32.FedEx special delivery
3.33.Parcelforce Worldwide is the largest parcel carrier in the UK
3.34.The tag is read by road loops (coils buried in the road)
3.35.The driver is automatically directed to the correct loading bay
3.36.UPS trucks in pilot
4.MARKET FORECASTS AND PLAYERS
4.1.Numbers of posted items, conveyances and vehicles used by the postal and courier services in 2008 - an indication of the potential for RFID
4.1.Market dynamics
4.1.Phasing of mass adoption of RFID by sector - New opportunities
4.1.1.Why RFID is now the hot topic in this sector
4.1.2.Leaders and followers
4.2.The global potential for RFID tags for all applications in yearly numbers
4.2.Market forecasts 2008-2018
4.2.Postal/courier global market for RFID systems and services, including tags, in billions of dollars 2008-2018
4.3.Number, average cost and total spend on tags for postal and courier services
4.3.Total RFID Market Growth
4.3.Global market for RFID systems and services, including tags, 2008-2018, in billions of dollars
4.4.Number, average cost and total spend on passive tags for postal and courier services
4.5.Number, average cost and total spend on active tags for postal and courier services
4.6.Number, average cost and total spend on total tags for postal and courier services
4.6.The numbers of postal items delivered globally by year in billions, USPS vs Other, 2008-2018
4.7.Total RFID market growth in US$ billion 2008-2018
4.7.The numbers of postal items delivered globally by year in billions, USPS vs Other, 2008-2018
4.8.Total RFID market growth in US$ billion 2008-2018
APPENDIX 1: FURTHER READING FROM IDTECHEX
APPENDIX 2: INTRODUCTION TO RFID
APPENDIX 3: EPCGLOBAL AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS
APPENDIX 4: HF TO LONGER RANGE
TABLES
FIGURES
 

About IDTechEx reports

What are the qualifications of the people conducting IDTechEx research?

Content produced by IDTechEx is researched and written by our technical analysts, each with a PhD or master's degree in their specialist field, and all of whom are employees. All our analysts are well-connected in their fields, intensively covering their sectors, revealing hard-to-find information you can trust.

How does IDTechEx gather data for its reports?

By directly interviewing and profiling companies across the supply chain. IDTechEx analysts interview companies by engaging directly with senior management and technology development executives across the supply chain, leading to revealing insights that may otherwise be inaccessible.
 
Further, as a global team, we travel extensively to industry events and companies to conduct in-depth, face-to-face interviews. We also engage with industry associations and follow public company filings as secondary sources. We conduct patent analysis and track regulatory changes and incentives. We consistently build on our decades-long research of emerging technologies.
 
We assess emerging technologies against existing solutions, evaluate market demand and provide data-driven forecasts based on our models. This provides a clear, unbiased outlook on the future of each technology or industry that we cover.

What is your forecast methodology?

We take into account the following information and data points where relevant to create our forecasts:
  • Historic data, based on our own databases of products, companies' sales data, information from associations, company reports and validation of our prior market figures with companies in the industry.
  • Current and announced manufacturing capacities
  • Company production targets
  • Direct input from companies as we interview them as to their growth expectations, moderated by our analysts
  • Planned or active government incentives and regulations
  • Assessment of the capabilities and price of the technology based on our benchmarking over the forecast period, versus that of competitive solutions
  • Teardown data (e.g. to assess volume of materials used)
  • From a top-down view: the total addressable market
  • Forecasts can be based on an s-curve methodology where appropriate, taking into account the above factors
  • Key assumptions and discussion of what can impact the forecast are covered in the report.

How can I be confident about the quality of work in IDTechEx reports?

Based on our technical analysts and their research methodology, for over 25 years our work has regularly received superb feedback from our global clients. Our research business has grown year-on-year.
 
Recent customer feedback includes:
"It's my first go-to platform"
- Dr. Didi Xu, Head of Foresight - Future Technologies, Freudenberg Technology Innovation
 
"Their expertise allows us to make data-driven, strategic decisions and ensures we remain aligned with the latest trends and opportunities in the market."
- Ralf Hug, Global Head of Product Management & Marketing, Marquardt

What differentiates IDTechEx reports?

Our team of in-house technical analysts immerse themselves in industries over many years, building deep expertise and engaging directly with key industry players to uncover hard-to-find insights. We appraise technologies in the landscape of competitive solutions and then assess their market demand based on voice-of-the-customer feedback, all from an impartial point of view. This approach delivers exceptional value to our customers—providing high-quality independent content while saving customers time, resources, and money.

Why should we pick IDTechEx research over AI research?

A crucial value of IDTechEx research is that it provides information, assessments and forecasts based on interviews with key people in the industry, assessed by technical experts. AI is trained only on content publicly available on the web, which may not be reliable, in depth, nor contain the latest insights based on the experience of those actively involved in a technology or industry, despite the confident prose.

How can I justify the ROI of this report?

Consider the cost of the IDTechEx report versus the time and resources required to gather the same quality of insights yourself. IDTechEx analysts have built up an extensive contact network over many years; we invest in attending key events and interviewing companies around the world; and our analysts are trained in appraising technologies and markets.
 
Each report provides an independent, expert-led technical and market appraisal, giving you access to actionable information immediately, rather than you having to spend months or years on your own market research.

Can I speak to analysts about the report content?

All report purchases include up to 30 minutes of telephone time with an expert analyst who will help you link key findings in the report to the business issues you're addressing. This needs to be used within three months of purchasing the report.

What is the difference between a report and subscription?

A subscription from IDTechEx can include more reports, access to an online information platform with continuously updated information from our analysts, and access to analysts directly.

Before purchasing, I have some questions about the report, can I speak to someone?

Please email research@idtechex.com stating your location and we will quickly respond.

About IDTechEx

Who are IDTechEx's customers?

IDTechEx has served over 35,000 customers globally. These range from large corporations to ambitious start-ups, and from Governments to research centers. Our customers use our work to make informed decisions and save time and resources.

Where is IDTechEx established?

IDTechEx was established in 1999, and is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. Since then, the company has significantly expanded and operates globally, having served customers in over 80 countries. Subsidiary companies are based in the USA, Germany and Japan.

Questions about purchasing a report

How do I pay?

In most locations reports can be purchased by credit card, or else by direct bank payment.

How and when do I receive access to IDTechEx reports?

When paying successfully by credit card, reports can be accessed immediately. For new customers, when paying by bank transfer, reports will usually be released when the payment is received. Report access will be notified by email.

How do I assign additional users to the report?

Users can be assigned in the report ordering process, or at a later time by email.

Can I speak to someone about purchasing a report?

Please email research@idtechex.com stating your location and we will quickly respond.
 

Report Statistics

Pages 183
Tables Over 20
Figures Over 60
Case Studies 40
Forecasts to 2018
 

Customer Testimonial

quote graphic
"The resources produced by IDTechEx are a valuable tool... Their insights and analyses provide a strong foundation for making informed, evidence-based decisions. By using their expertise, we are better positioned to align our strategies with emerging opportunities."
Director of Market Strategy
Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)
 
 
 

Subscription Enquiry