Poczta Polska is conducting a project aimed at improving the implementation of our services through the use of modern technologies based on radio frequency identification (RFID).

The project duration is planned for 2.5 years, meaning the work will be completed in the third quarter of 2021. The project results will be the starting point for further strategic decisions related to the large-scale implementation of RFID solutions in Poczta Polska.

A significant portion of the costs of the work will be financed from funds obtained from the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR). The total project value is PLN 9,115,713.10, with PLN 6,129,325.27 in funding, and Poczta Polska's own contribution of PLN 2,986,387.83.

The project will begin with process research and laboratory work. Process research (mapping) will be conducted at selected locations within Poczta Polska's Logistics Operations Division. As part of the laboratory work, RFID solutions (tags, recording devices) will be tested on both bulk packaging and individual shipments. Based on these results, a group of devices will be selected for testing in subsequent phases at selected Poczta Polska locations. The next stage will involve large-scale testing (verifying the technology's effectiveness in real-world conditions), using large amounts of event data at the following locations: WER in Pruszcz Gdański, WER in Zabrze, and WER in Szczecin.

An additional location for the work is the Laboratory of the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing in Poznań. The work will be conducted as part of a research and development consortium established for the project and to secure funding. It consists of Poczta Polska SA (leader) and the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing in Poznań (research and development unit).

The solutions being explored as part of the project are designed to automate and streamline event recording, enable real-time tracking of objects, improve the security of moving objects, and reduce labor intensity (eliminating manual scanning). Poczta Polska also aims to increase its ability to process growing volumes using its existing resources, achieve faster and more reliable bottleneck identification, and generate management information quickly.

Using RFID technology allows for contactless identification from a distance of up to several meters, which translates into faster shipment processing and minimized transportation times. This directly translates into faster delivery times for the Post Office.

The result will be new dispatch and distribution processes implemented on a pilot basis in the parcel distribution network, incorporating the use of specific radio frequency identification techniques. A report will also be prepared, presenting the consortium members' know-how in the selection and implementation of specific identification solutions used on selected logistics units.

The PLANET project, a 36-month international research project launched on June 1, 2020, goes beyond strategic transportation research and ICT research. It details emerging concepts of the Physical Internet and information technologies, including blockchain, in three global corridors (China-EU-US). It will build on the implementations and projects of the European Technology Platform ALICE and connect all projects in this area.

The PLANET research project comprises a consortium of 33 partners from around the world, including Poczta Polska (Polish Post), who together represent a large group of leading transport and logistics companies in Europe and globally. Based on the scope of their project work, the consortiums have been divided into smaller groups, known as Living Labs. The consortium partners will leverage their expertise and skills to explore innovative ways of coordinating complex supply chains through multimodal corridors, involving private and public stakeholders.

The Polish group's work in this project is led by the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing in Poznań, one of the entities that make up the Łukasiewicz Research Network, which was established last year by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland to conduct applied research and development work important for the Polish economy and the country's development strategy.

Thanks to the grant, ILiM, together with Poczta Polska, GS1 Polska, and Rohlig Suus, will conduct research on streamlining logistics processes for cargo flows from China to Europe along the Silk Road. The expected outcome of this work will be the development of innovative ways to coordinate complex supply chains through multimodal corridors, involving private and public stakeholders.

The research will cover the possibility of implementing IoT (Internet of Things) technology – a sensor network and the use of the EPCIS standard – an event database that facilitates data transfer between partners involved in logistics operations of shipments in the eCommerce channel.

Poczta Polska, as a member of the consortium, will participate in the study, together with its Polish partners, providing access to operational data on international shipments processed in Poland. By participating in the project, it will receive funding from the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, amounting to over €100,000.

The project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 860274.