From Manual Tracking to Smart Automation: A Shoe Manufacturing Success Story from 2010

Introduction

In today’s world of AI and Industry 4.0, automation feels like a given. But what if we told you that a powerful, real-time production tracking system was implemented all the way back in 2010—before “smart factories” were even a buzzword?

Here’s the story of how we tackled a complex production visibility challenge at a shoe manufacturing giant in Haryana, India, with a surprisingly simple yet effective solution.


🏭 The Client Setup

The client operated across a massive 4000-acre premises, with six primary departments for manufacturing shoes:

  1. Cutting – Fabric or leather pieces are cut into shape
  2. Stitching – Those pieces are stitched together
  3. Pasting – Various components are bonded
  4. Moulding – The shoe sole is attached and shaped
  5. Polishing – Final fine-tuning and aesthetics
  6. Packaging – The product is boxed and ready for delivery

Each of these departments was housed in a separate building. Additionally, an Admin Building managed resources and operations with ERP and CRM systems we had implemented earlier.


🧩 The Challenge

Despite the ERP and CRM systems, tracking production progress was still a manual task.

If someone wanted to know the status of a particular production order, they had to:

  • Get an internal vehicle
  • Visit each department
  • Ask around for the current status

Installing computers or terminals in each building wasn’t feasible due to:

  • Harsh working conditions
  • Limited digital literacy among skilled laborers
  • The need for a quick, budget-friendly solution

💡 The Breakthrough Solution (Back in 2010!)

We turned to a low-tech, high-impact idea: RFID tracking.

Here’s what we did:

  • Installed RFID readers at the entry point of each production building
  • Attached RFID tags to each production order
  • As orders moved from one department to another, the readers captured their location in real time

No user input required. No screens. Just passive, automatic tracking.


📈 The Impact

This RFID-based system allowed us to:

  • Track production stage-by-stage in real time
  • Generate performance and efficiency reports
  • Analyze time and resource utilization per product
  • Improve operational transparency without disrupting the workflow

🔄 What About Today?

This solution worked wonders in 2010—long before “smart factories” became mainstream.

With today’s tech, there are even more options:

  • IoT sensors
  • Cloud-based MES platforms
  • AI-driven predictive analytics
  • Mobile dashboards with voice input

Conclusion
Sometimes, it’s not about the latest tech—it’s about understanding the ground realities and crafting a solution that works best for the people and the process. This project reminds us that innovation doesn’t always need to be complex—it just needs to be smart.

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