Industry

Retail & CPG

Healthcare

Logistics

Foodservice

Technical Industries

Retail & CPG

Healthcare

Logistics

Foodservice

Technical Industries

Asset
Management

Identifying & tracking assets used across the supply chain

Beyond the goods themselves, supply chains rely on a wide range of equipment and reusable assets, from individual vehicles to shared pools of pallets and crates. GS1 standards provide distinct identifiers for tracking these assets, whether the need is lifecycle tracking of a single high-value item or turnaround visibility of a returnable asset pool.

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GS1 identifiers used in asset management

  • GIAI (Global Individual Asset Identifier) Identifies a specific, individual asset, such as a truck, a piece of handling equipment, or an IT asset. Best suited to tracking one particular asset over its lifetime.
  • GRAI (Global Returnable Asset Identifier) Identifies a type, and optionally a specific serial number, of returnable or reusable transport item, such as pallets, crates, kegs, or roll cages, that circulate repeatedly between supply chain partners.
  • GLN (Global Location Number) Identifies the locations where assets are deployed, stored, or returned.
  • RFID / EPC tags Commonly used alongside GRAI and GIAI for automated read and write tracking of reusable assets as they move and return, reducing loss and improving turnaround.

GIAI vs. GRAI: which to use

  • Use GIAI when you need to track one specific, individually significant asset over its operating life (for example, a single delivery truck or a piece of factory equipment).
  • Use GRAI when you are managing a pool of reusable, often interchangeable items that circulate between multiple locations and partners (for example, a shared pallet pool).

Benefits

  • Reduced loss and shrinkage of reusable containers and pallets
  • Better utilisation rates and turnaround time for returnable assets
  • Lifecycle tracking for high-value fixed or individual assets
  • Clear ownership and location visibility for shared-pool equipment, such as pallet pooling arrangements
  • Supports sustainability reporting by quantifying reuse rates

Example in practice

A pool of reusable pallets, identified by GRAI and tagged with RFID, circulates between a manufacturer and multiple retail distribution centres. Each site scans pallets in and out, giving the pallet owner real-time visibility of stock levels and reducing pallet loss.

Managing a fleet of a pool of assets?

Talk to us about about tracking them with GS1 standards.

contact@gs1.org.sg

+65 6859 0451

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