Overview

Packaging & Containers Industries rely on precise tracking of materials, containers, pallets, and returnable transport items across manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution networks. Production environments often face challenges such as asset misplacement, inefficient inventory tracking, limited visibility of reusable containers, and compliance risks in regulated supply chains. Environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity also affect packaging integrity during storage and transit. 

BLE, RFID, IoT, and M2M technologies address these operational gaps by enabling automated identification, location monitoring, sensor-based condition tracking, and connected infrastructure management. GAO RFID Inc. systems and devices have been widely deployed to solve these challenges by delivering reliable container traceability, automated asset visibility, and scalable monitoring infrastructure for Packaging & Containers Industries. 

Headquartered in New York City and Toronto, Canada, GAO RFID Inc. operates within GAO Group alongside GAO Research Inc. and GAO Tek Inc. Four decades of engineering experience and R&D investment support enterprise deployments across North America and globally. 

 

Speak or Attend a Session Related to Packaging & Containers Industries at TekSummit 

GAO IoT Hardware Products Widely Deployed in Packaging & Containers Industries 

BLE Devices and Gateways 

• BLE Gateways 

• Battery Powered BLE Gateways 

• Cloud Supported BLE Gateways 

• Compact BLE Gateways 

• Indoor Only BLE Gateways 

• Industrial Grade BLE Gateways 

• Outdoor BLE Gateways 

• Plug and Play BLE Gateways 

• PoE Powered BLE Gateways 

RFID Tags 

• Gen 2 UHF 902-928 Mhz RFID Tags 

• Gen 2 UHF 865-868 Mhz RFID Tags 

• Semi Passive UHF Gen2 RFID Tags 

• 2.45 Ghz Active RFID Tags 

• Active 433 Mhz RFID Tags 

• On Metal Uhf Epc Gen 2 RFID Tags 

• Vehicle RFID Tags 

• Long Range RFID Tags 

• Rugged RFID Tags 

• Tamper Proof RFID Tags 

• Temperature Sensing RFID Tags 

• Traceability/E-seal RFID Tags 

• Zip Tie & Padlock RFID Tags 

• Custom RFID Tags 

• Custom Print RFID Tags, Badges, Cards & More 

• Free Samples – RFID Tags 

IoT & M2M Devices 

• Long Range LPWAN 

• Long Range Cellular 

• Long Range Satellite 

• Long Range Wi-Fi 

• Long Range Z-Wave 

• Mid Range Cellular 

• Mid Range Wi-Fi 

• Mid Range Sub GHZ ISM 

• Mid Range Ultra-Wide Band 

• Mid Range Proprietary Mesh Networks 

• Short Range Bluetooth 

• Short Range Consumer Wearables 

• Short Range IEEE 802.15.4 Neworks 

• Short Range Infrared Optical 

• Short Range Near Field Wireless 

• Short Range Ultra Wideband 

• Short Range Wi-Fi 

 

GAO RFID Inc. Solutions Widely Deployed in Packaging & Containers Industries 

• RFID Returnable Container Tracking Systems
  • BLE Asset Tracking Systems for Packaging Plants
  • IoT Environmental Monitoring Systems for Packaging Facilities
  • RFID Pallet and Crate Traceability Systems
  • Smart Warehouse Inventory Monitoring Systems
  • IoT-enabled Packaging Line Monitoring Systems
  • RFID Logistics and Supply Chain Visibility Platforms
  • BLE Worker Safety and Access Monitoring Systems 

 

GAO RFID Inc. Study Cases in Packaging & Containers Industries 

U.S. Study Cases 

Smart Returnable Container Tracking Deployment in Chicago, Illinois 

• Problem 

Large packaging distribution operations in Chicago faced difficulty tracking thousands of reusable plastic containers and pallets circulating across warehouses and retail distribution hubs. Manual barcode scanning resulted in frequent asset loss and inaccurate inventory counts. 

• Solution 

GAO RFID Inc. deployed a container traceability infrastructure using UHF RFID tags attached to containers and fixed RFID readers installed at warehouse dock doors. IoT gateways collected movement data and transmitted it to a central monitoring platform integrated with warehouse management systems. 

• Result 

Returnable container loss decreased by 38 percent within the first year while inventory visibility improved significantly across distribution facilities. A technical trade off involved balancing tag durability with cost efficiency because containers experienced heavy washing cycles. 

 

Packaging Line Asset Monitoring Deployment in Atlanta, Georgia 

• Problem 

Packaging equipment assets in a high volume manufacturing plant experienced unplanned downtime due to poor visibility into tool location and maintenance status. 

• Solution 

BLE beacons and gateways deployed by GAO RFID Inc. enabled automated tracking of tools, maintenance equipment, and mobile packaging machinery. Data streams were integrated with plant maintenance software through IoT middleware. 

• Result 

Maintenance response time decreased by 27 percent and equipment utilization improved measurably. Engineers noted that signal calibration in metallic industrial environments required careful gateway placement. 

 

Warehouse Inventory Visibility Deployment in Dallas, Texas 

• Problem 

A regional packaging warehouse struggled with delayed inventory reconciliation and misplacement of high value packaging components. 

• Solution 

RFID labels applied to packaging materials enabled automated scanning at warehouse checkpoints. IoT gateways transmitted tag data to inventory systems for real time monitoring. 

• Result 

Inventory accuracy improved from 85 percent to 98 percent within six months. Operational teams learned that initial tagging processes required worker training to ensure consistent label placement. 

 

Smart Pallet Tracking Deployment in Los Angeles, California 

• Problem 

Packaging pallets used in food supply chains required traceability for compliance and operational visibility. 

• Solution 

GAO RFID Inc. implemented rugged RFID pallet tags combined with IoT network gateways to track pallet movement between manufacturing plants and distribution centers. 

• Result 

Pallet cycle time improved by 31 percent while compliance reporting became automated. Trade off considerations included tag protection against forklift impact. 

 

Environmental Monitoring for Packaging Storage in Seattle, Washington 

• Problem 

Packaging materials such as paperboard containers experienced damage when stored in uncontrolled humidity conditions. 

• Solution 

IoT sensors and RFID temperature monitoring tags were deployed across storage zones. Data was transmitted through IoT gateways to monitoring dashboards. 

• Result 

Humidity related packaging damage dropped by 42 percent. Engineers observed that sensor calibration schedules were necessary to maintain measurement accuracy. 

 

Logistics Container Visibility Deployment in Houston, Texas 

• Problem 

Logistics teams managing packaging container shipments lacked visibility once assets left warehouse facilities. 

• Solution 

Active RFID and IoT cellular gateways deployed by GAO RFID Inc. enabled long range monitoring of container movement across transport routes. 

• Result 

Shipment tracking coverage increased to over 90 percent of transit routes. A key operational lesson involved managing battery life for long distance tags. 

 

Smart Packaging Equipment Monitoring Deployment in Detroit, Michigan 

• Problem 

Automated packaging machines required better utilization tracking across multiple manufacturing lines. 

• Solution 

BLE based equipment monitoring deployed by GAO RFID Inc. captured machine activity signals and transmitted data to plant analytics systems. 

• Result 

Machine utilization reporting improved significantly and idle equipment time dropped by 19 percent. 

 

Returnable Packaging Asset Visibility Deployment in Phoenix, Arizona 

• Problem 

Reusable crates used in beverage packaging distribution were frequently lost during return cycles. 

• Solution 

RFID RTI tags and IoT gateway infrastructure were installed across logistics hubs to monitor crate movement. 

• Result 

Returnable asset recovery increased by 34 percent and logistics visibility improved across regional distribution centers. 

 

Canadian Study Cases 

Smart Crate Tracking Deployment in Toronto, Ontario 

• Problem 

Packaging crate circulation between distribution centers and retail stores lacked reliable tracking. 

• Solution 

GAO RFID Inc. deployed RFID traceability systems across warehouse entry points and integrated tracking software. 

• Result 

Crate loss decreased by 29 percent while inventory cycle audits became automated. 

 

Packaging Warehouse Monitoring Deployment in Vancouver, British Columbia 

• Problem 

Warehouse operators needed visibility into packaging material storage conditions. 

• Solution 

IoT sensors combined with BLE gateways created a monitoring network across storage zones. 

• Result 

Material spoilage incidents decreased significantly with environmental alerts triggered in real time. 

 

Industrial Container Tracking Deployment in Montreal, Quebec 

• Problem 

Industrial packaging containers circulated between manufacturing plants without consistent traceability. 

• Solution 

Active RFID and IoT gateway infrastructure enabled continuous tracking across logistics routes. 

• Result 

Container utilization increased by 24 percent and manual tracking processes were eliminated. 

Our products and systems have been developed and deployed for a wide range of industrial applications. They are available off-the-shelf or can be customized to meet your needs. If you have any questions, our technical experts can help you.

For any further information on GAO’s products and systems, to request evaluation kits, free samples, recorded video demos, or explore partnership opportunities, please fill out this form or email us.