You’ll want to read about this news from GS1 if international supply chain efficiency, asset visibility and security initiatives are important to your business.  Here’s what the pilot program was all about:

The TLS Phase 2 Pilot Program, initiated by GS1 EPCglobal, included two shipments of three containers. Each container consisted of 40 pallets. The project involved the shipment of parts such as tires and finished goods such as laptop computers of international corporations moving from source factories in China to distribution centers in the US, flowing through the ports of Shanghai and Los Angeles.

Just as interesting as the results of this pilot — as addressed by many quoted in the news release — is the list of participating companies and the fact that a Phase 3 is being planned. You may want to look into joining that third phase. Meanwhile, here’s a partial list of Phase 2 participants:

…partners participating in the GS1 EPCglobal Pilot Program included major logistics, shipping, hardware and software providers such as Alien Technology, Allumis, Confidex, DHL, GlobeRanger, iControl Inc., Motorola, NEC, NTT, NTT Comware, NYK Logistics, Oracle, Sato, Savi a Lockheed Martin company, Schneider National, Sense Technology, Toppan Forms, Toppan Printing, UPM Raflatac. Additionally, active participants supporting the Transportation and Logistics Pilot Program were METI, NRI, MTI, and the GS1 Member Organizations from China, Hong Kong, Japan, and US.