Customer Case · Returnable Transport Items

How Nissan Brazil Maximizes RTI Utilization with SmartX HUB & SAP Integration

At its Resende plant, Nissan turned "reusable" transport items into truly reusable assets — automating RFID tracking of 10,000+ crates, racks and containers, integrated end-to-end with SAP and supplier networks.

Resende, Rio de Janeiro Automotive Manufacturing SAP-integrated RFID
Introduction

The customer: Nissan Brazil

Nissan's manufacturing facility in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, produces Nissan-brand vehicles and engines with a capacity of 200,000 vehicles and 200,000 engines per year, employing about 2,000 workers. Reusable Transport Items — plastic crates, racks and containers — are essential to keeping that line moving.

But the "reusable" part becomes a challenge when tracking relies on manual processes. SmartX HUB solved this with automated, ERP-integrated RTI tracking, connected directly to Nissan's SAP system.

The Challenge

When "reusable" assets go missing

RTIs like plastic crates, racks and containers provide a standardized, eco-friendly way to move goods efficiently. But manual tracking made it hard to know where assets were, who had them, and when they'd be returned. The result: disputes between trading partners, no way to spot shortages or overstock, and rising costs from lost or misplaced assets.

Where are the assets?

Manual tracking couldn't say where RTIs were or who held them.

Partner disputes

Lack of accountability created disputes between trading partners.

Shortage or overstock?

Impossible to identify RTI shortages or overstock without data.

Rising costs

Lost or misplaced RTIs drove up replacement and operating costs.

The Solution

Automated RFID at the dock, integrated with SAP

SmartX HUB was integrated with Nissan's SAP system and supplier networks, capturing every RTI automatically at the dock doors — so location data reaches the central database before assets even leave the warehouse.

1 RFID Middleware

A central middleware layer managing all tracking operations and data flow.

2 RFID Gates

Fixed RFID gates at receiving and shipping dock doors for automatic reads.

4 RFID Handhelds

Handheld readers for flexible, on-the-spot scanning anywhere in the plant.

10,000+ Assets Tracked

Every RTI tracked with real-time location data across the operation.

SAP Integration

Bidirectional connection to SAP for enterprise-wide RTI visibility.

Supplier Integration

Cross-organizational tracking that extends visibility to partners.

Visibility before the asset even ships

The key move was capturing RTIs automatically at the dock and pushing that data to the central database before assets leave the warehouse — then feeding it straight into SAP and out to suppliers. That closes the loop across the whole supply chain, not just inside Nissan's four walls.

Implementation & Results

Measurable, transformative results

10,000+
RTIs tracked in real time
SAP
end-to-end integration
Dock-door
automatic validation
  • Maximized utilization of available reusable transport items.
  • Prevention of asset and cargo loss through continuous, automated tracking.
  • Accountability and dispute reduction between trading partners.
  • Identification of shortages and overstock for better inventory management.
  • Automatic validation and recording of every asset and destination at entry and exit points.
Conclusion

Visibility across the entire supply chain

Nissan Brazil's deployment shows how RTI tracking with SmartX HUB and SAP integration creates visibility across the entire supply chain — including suppliers and partners. When every asset is automatically tracked at the dock doors, the result is better utilization, fewer disputes and optimized inventory management — turning "reusable" into genuinely reusable.

Explore related capabilities: Returnable Transport Items, Supply Chain Automation, and Yard Management.

Make your reusable assets truly reusable

See how SmartX HUB automates RTI tracking at the dock and integrates with SAP and suppliers — for full supply-chain visibility and maximized utilization.