HP along with the Canadian arm of GS1, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving supply chain efficiencies, has launched a new cloud-based recall service that it claims to trace and remove potentially harmful food products from the supply chain.
According to HP, the GS1 Canada Product Recall service will run on its cloud computing platform for manufacturing, which allows companies to see and share information across the supply chain. Food and consumer products organisations can use the service to reduce errors, decrease the amount of time it takes to respond to a recall, and mitigate the costs associated with managing the recall process.
Developed in conjunction with HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, the GS1 Canada Product Recall service consists of HP software, services and infrastructure as well as the Microsoft .NET Framework.
The GS1 Product Recall service is expected to offer businesses: a clear handling, disposal and reimbursement instructions to speed the recall process; the ability to customise alerts and target specific retailers with relevant information; a traceable security and audit trail to ensure compliance; and built-in security that sends notifications to authorised users and targeted retailers.
Art Smith, president and chief executive officer of GS1 Canada, said: “Global supply chain standards are foundational to effective product recall. GS1 global standards are used by millions of companies around the world to enhance the safety, security and efficiency of their supply chains. With the integration of GS1 standards and HP’s cloud computing platform, we are reinventing the way that recall information is exchanged between businesses, and further supporting industry efforts to improve consumer safety.”
The initial rollout for the GS1 Canada Product Recall service targets the Canadian food industry. It is expected to extend to other industries and regions that require similar processes and services in the future.
