Logistics & industry
RFID Tags and Readers for Crates, Kegs and Cylinders
Plastic crates, totes, kegs and gas cylinders cost real money, yet they drift away to distributors, retailers and customers who hold on to them longer than agreed. Without a record of who received which unit, there is nobody specific to ask for it back, and the shortfall is simply written off.
A UHF tag on each container lets you read a full stack or pallet load at the dispatch dock, the depot and the customer site. The tag depends on the container: crates and totes suit a slim strip tag, while steel cylinders and kegs need a tag built to sit on metal. This page lists the hardware; the return ledger software is on IdentiumOne.
How it works
- 1
Tag the fleet
Fit a strip tag to each crate or tote, and a cylinder tag, on-metal tag or cable tie tag to each cylinder or keg, then register the tag ID with the asset number and owner.
- 2
Read at dispatch
Antennas at the dock door read the tagged units on a pallet or vehicle as it leaves, and the reads are booked against the delivery note and customer.
- 3
Read at depots and customer sites
A 4G integrated reader at a distributor depot, or a handheld carried by the delivery crew, records full units dropped off and empties picked up.
- 4
Reconcile returns
The software compares units sent with units returned for each customer and lists what is still out, so follow-up can name the exact crates or cylinders.
Hardware you need
Plastic crates and totes
The UHF crate strip tag uses an Alien H3 chip with user memory and is rated for up to 12 m of read distance. The IDTS-UPT tag (128 x 19 mm, ABS/PC housing) suits the pallets and larger bins that travel with the crates.
- Crate tag UHF₹30 + GST
- UHF RFID Pallet Tag IDTS-UPT (128 × 19 mm)₹45 + GST
Gas cylinders
The RFID cylinder tag is a UHF ABS tag made for gas cylinders and pressure vessels, with rewritable memory that can hold ownership and location history.
- RFID Cylinder Tags₹60 + GST
Kegs, valves and handles
Where there is no flat face, a cable tie tag loops through a handle, neck ring or valve guard. Choose the reusable ID-CTT-960, which reads at 1 to 8 m depending on the reader, or the one-way tamper-evident cable tie tag.
- Reusable UHF RFID Cable Tie Tag ID-CTT-960₹115 + GST
- RFID Cable Tie Tag₹50 + GST
Steel kegs and metal containers
Flat steel surfaces suit the rugged Encore on-metal tag, which fixes with screws, rivets or adhesive.
- RFID UHF Metal Tag - Encore₹45 + GST
Plant dock door
The IHZ4 four-port reader with 9 dBi circular antennas on either side of the door reads crates and cylinders on a pallet or trolley as they pass.
- UHF IHZ-4 RFID Multi Port Reader | Impinj E710₹55,000 + GST
- UHF 9DBI RFID Circular Antenna₹8,000 + GST
Depots, routes and pilots
The 4G-enabled IF9A reader works where there is no local network and pushes reads to the cloud, and delivery crews carry the CX1500N handheld to confirm drops and collect empties. The fixed reader evaluation kit is a simple way to test tags on your own containers first.
- 4G Enabled Integrated Reader IF9A₹40,000 + GST
- Uhf Handheld Rfid Reader CX1500N₹58,000 + GST
- RFID Fixed Reader Evaluation Kit – IF9A UHF Reader + Sample Tags₹24,995 + GST
The software
The tags and readers record every hand-off; turning those reads into a running balance of crates, kegs and cylinders for each customer is the job of the RFID Returnable Crate and Cylinder Tracking System from IdentiumOne. It links reads to delivery notes, routes and customers and shows which units are overdue. For the ledger, pilot planning and a demo, visit IdentiumOne.
returnable crate and cylinder tracking software with demo on IdentiumOneWhy teams use it
- Each customer's balance of crates or cylinders comes from reads at every hand-off.
- A pallet load can usually be read at the dock in one pass, without unstacking it.
- Distributor depots with no wired network can still record returns, using a 4G reader.
- Tags matched to the container, plastic or steel, so reads stay dependable across the fleet.
Shop the hardware
Need a full kit? Send your requirement →
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Frequently asked questions
Which tag should I order for steel gas cylinders?
Start with the RFID cylinder tag, which is made for cylinders and pressure vessels. Where there is no suitable flat surface, a cable tie tag around the neck ring or valve guard is the alternative. Test a few units on your own cylinders first, because shape and paint affect read range.
Can one reader pick up a full stack of crates?
Yes. UHF readers read many tags at once, so a pallet of tagged crates passing a dock door fitted with the IHZ4 reader and antennas can be read in a single pass. Stack density and contents affect results, so check your own loads during a pilot.
Is there a starter kit for a pilot?
The fixed reader evaluation kit pairs an IF9A UHF reader with a sample mix of UHF tags and ReaderSense desktop software, which is an easy way to try tags on your crates and cylinders before a bulk order.
Do the tags work on the Indian UHF band?
Yes. The cylinder tag and the tamper-evident cable tie tag are specified for 865–868 MHz, and the crate tag and ID-CTT-960 cover the wider 840–960 MHz and 860–960 MHz ranges, which include India's band.