How Festina Overcame RAIN RFID Limitations in Jewellery and Metal Accessories
Clustag’s RFID solution enabled reliable performance in metal‑rich environments, overcoming one of the main limitations of traditional RFID.
Zero outbound errors
100% correct shipments after RFID validation.
Over 70% reduction in validation time
Faster controls even during peak demand.
Real‑time, end‑to‑end visibility
Full control of outbound operations through software integration.
ABOUT FESTINA
Global leader in watchmaking and jewelry
Festina Lotus S.A. is a global leader in watchmaking and jewelry, operating in highly demanding distribution environments where precision, speed and reliability are critical.
•Exports to 110 countries
•15,000 points of sale worldwide
•8 subsidiaries globally with 1,400 employees
•Manufacturing facilities in Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and France
The Challenge
Previous Situation
In peak demand periods, Festina faced operational constraints that directly impacted efficiency and accuracy.
•Manual outbound validation created bottlenecks
•Increased risk of shipping errors during high volumes
•Metal‑dense products limited traditional RAIN RFID performance
•Each outbound error generated additional operational costs Need to detect picking errors before dispatch, without slowing throughput
Impact
This situation translated into reduced operational efficiency and increased risk across Festina’s outbound processes, particularly during peak demand periods. Bottlenecks in manual validation limited throughput, while the higher probability of shipping errors compromised accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Additionally, the inability of traditional RAIN RFID to perform reliably with metal‑dense products further restricted visibility at critical control points. As a result, each undetected error generated additional operational costs and rework, highlighting the need for a solution capable of ensuring error detection before dispatch without impacting flow.
The Clustag Solution
To optimize post-picking validation in Festina’s warehouse, Clustag deployed a RAIN RFID–based solution fully integrated with existing systems.
The solution enables real-time item verification, full visibility and automated exception handling without disrupting operations.
Key elements of the solution include:
- Zentup middleware, connecting RFID hardware with Festina’s warehouse software and validating orders in real time
- High‑performance MOT RFID tunnels, enabling high-density box reading for mass processing
- SABI Workstation, providing controlled validation for auditing and exception rechecks
- Zentup Go, enabling item-level visibility without opening boxes, even during peak operations
Customer Validation
«We chose Clustag for their experience in intralogistics automation and their ability to adapt RFID to our specific needs. From the first validations, the system detected errors with astonishing speed and with the level of precision we were looking for. That was exactly our goal: Today we work much faster and with greater accuracy»
Andreu Quesada | IT Director at Festina
Discover how Festina achieved zero outbound errors, reduced validation time by over 70% and gained full real-time visibility with Clustag’s RFID solutions, ensuring continuous operations even during peak demand.
