Kumho now affixing RFID tags to half-finished tyres

Two years ago, Kumho Tire announced a world first when it began attaching radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on its products. The tyre maker now reports another world first – since 16 June, it has begun using an Internet of Things (IoT) based production and distribution integrated management system to apply the RFID system to its ‘half-finished’ products.

According to Kumho, the advantage gained by affixing RFID tags to half-finished tyres is that this enables it to “manage products more efficiently than our competitors because we can access information about a product’s location, storage and release history, and inventory management.” The tyre maker expects the system to facilitate more thorough quality control, such as first-in-first-out and real-time production management. “In particular, we feel it will enforce stricter quality control,” wrote Kumho on 18 June.

RFID tags began to be fitted on all Kumho bus and truck tyres and certain original equipment passenger car tyres produced in Kumho’s Gwangju and Gokseong plants in early 2013. The RFID scheme was introduced as part of South Korea’s ‘u-IT New Technology Verification Project,’ and over the following year or so the tyre maker extended the fitment of RFID to Korean market passenger car tyres and then to all Kumho manufacturing sites within and outside of Korea. The RFID system used was co-developed by sister company Asiana IDT and the tags implanted in tyre inner liners during a high temperature and high pressure manufacturing process.