GS1’s project i-Trace has been a game-changing addition to supplier Cold Forge and its ability to track and trace components.
GS1 Australia is a provider of standards and solutions for over 25 industry sectors. It introduced barcoding to Australia in 1979 and today enables more than 22,000 member companies, of all sizes, to become more efficient by implementing the GS1 system.
Project i-TRACE is an industry approach that uses GS1 standards to identify and track assets, parts, and components in the supply chain through the adoption of digitisation in rail operations.
Engineered rail products supplier Cold Forge has been using project i-Trace to better track and trace its assets. The company is focused on delivering competitive, reduced cost-of-ownership product solutions for the maintenance of rail permanent way including track, sleepers, fastenings and other track-related components.
Maintenance is a major expenditure item for all rail networks. Cold Forge managing director Andrew Carroll said the cost of permanent way maintenance is particularly highlighted on both mainline and non-economic rail lines that are the subject of either contractual or statutory obligations.
Cold Forge was started in 1958 as a fastener manufacturer in Sydney and was a Tier 1 supplier for companies such as GM, Holden and Ford. It continues to service select customers in this space where needed.
The company developed a range of rail fasteners in 2008 which drove the business into the rail sector, including export markets in the United States. It is a Progress Rail reseller and resells a number of Progress Rail products in Australia, as well as being the exclusive distributor for British Steel rail and steel sleeper products in Australia and the Australian representative for Calenberg ballast mats. Cold Forge still operates from Sydney and supplies nationally.
The i-Trace journey
Cold Forge’s journey with Project i-TRACE began in the mid 2010s with Queensland Rail’s first Project i-TRACE information session in Brisbane. This led to deeper discussions directly with the i-TRACE team at GS1 about how these standards would integrate into Cold Forge’s everyday operations, as well as the benefits that were possible.
“Once these discussions began, the GS1 team encouraged us to join their digital communication lists, which included monthly user groups as well as regular newsletters that outline project updates, initiatives, and stories of all the other organisations utilising GS1 standards to such great effect,” he said.
“This, along with the regular communication from GS1 Australia, showed us how easy it would be to begin the integration of Project i-TRACE.
“A primary driver of our decision to adopt Project i-Trace is one of our key business targets which is to issue zero credit notes. We believe that most credit notes are an indication of an error in the order entry, and or shipping process. Therefore increasing accuracy and removing uncertainty reduces these time-consuming errors.”
A credit note (also known as credit memo) is issued to indicate a return of funds in the event of an invoice error, incorrect or damaged products, purchase cancellation or otherwise specified circumstance.
“Once we took the first step, it was easy to see how wide-ranging the benefits of i-TRACE could be, from streamlining all our internal processes, and allowing us to communicate more efficiently with our customers and in time, external suppliers,” Carroll said.
“While we have always had product traceability, with Project i-TRACE, we are able to track the journey of our products from manufacture to delivery with pinpoint accuracy.
“This level of detail is essential for ensuring our quality control level is as high as possible, we are meeting delivery targets, and of course, exceeding our customers’ expectations.”
Carroll said that another key consideration in the decision to adopt GS1’s i-Trace was the choice of business software. The organisation chose SAP BusinessOne as it aligned with both its business needs and the requirements of i-Trace relatively seamlessly.
When implementing the new system, Cold Forge used a good, better, best staged implementation.
In stage one – the good stage – Cold Forge gave the customer what they needed with i-Trace labelling remaining 100 per cent under Cold Forge control.
In the second stage, Cold Forge worked with its supply chain to label as required using its templates.
In the third and final stage – the best stage –the supply chain generated required labelling from its purchase orders with no further support requirements.
“As we continue our implementation journey, i-TRACE, and our use of GS1 standards, will be hugely beneficial to our collaboration with external suppliers,” Carroll said. “With it, we can ensure consistency in the identification of products and assets across the supply chain. The standardised approach to barcoding and serialisation facilitates seamless data exchange, improving the accuracy and efficiency of transactions.
“Our external stakeholders can easily align with the system, reducing the complexity of integration and communication.”
Carroll said that this leads to more streamlined operations and enables real-time visibility and inventory management. The enhanced traceability also supports the company’s compliance and regulatory requirements. If any fault is discovered, Cold Forge can quickly identify which parts are affected.
“The accuracy and reliability of information reduces errors and associated costs, leading to cost savings for both suppliers and Cold Forge,” Carroll said.
“By fostering a transparent and responsive supply network, Project i-TRACE ultimately enhances partners experience through better product availability and timely delivery, strengthening the competitive edge of us and our partners.”
Carroll said efficiency gains through the manufacturing process had been achieved through better data capture and a reduction in administrative work, allowing staff more time in value-adding activities.
The organisation expects to see more improvements as the system is further implemented including greater cost savings and a leaner and more responsive supply chain.
“We see great value in the wider industry following suit,” he said. “A single source of truth is key to an efficient and effective system. i-TRACE creates a more cohesive network, where every component, from the smallest bolt to the largest locomotive, can be tracked effortlessly across different systems and organisations.”
He said that as the rail industry is subject to stringent regulatory standards, adopting i-Trace simplifies compliance by providing a clear audit trail. This not only enhances safety but also builds public and regulatory trust in rail operations.
“The wider adoption of i-TRACE in the rail industry promises to elevate safety, efficiency, and reliability, which are the cornerstones of successful rail operations,” Carroll said. “It’s a strategic move that aligns with the industry’s commitment of harmonisation and interoperability across the sectors.”
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