December 2023 - rfxcel.com

rfxcel Antares Vision Group logo

For two decades, the Reno, Nevada-based solution provider has remained committed to its founding principle of making supply chains safer, more efficient and transparent, and compliant.

Reno, Nevada, December 5, 2023 — Antares Vision Group, an Italian multinational and a leading provider of track and trace and quality control systems, is marking the 20th anniversary of its subsidiary rfxcel. Founded in 2003 by CEO Glenn Abood and Co-Founder Emeritus Jack Tarkoff, it joined AV Group in 2021.

Emidio Zorzella, chairman and CEO of Antares Vision Group, said the milestone reflected the stature rfxcel had attained in diverse industries.

“Their longevity is a testament to their success,” he said. “rfxcel has developed leading-edge digital technologies since the day it opened its doors for business. It made a name for itself in the pharmaceutical industry by creating innovative, customer-focused solutions for global compliance, serialization, traceability, and real-time environmental monitoring. But soon, companies in other sectors became aware of its award-winning Traceability System, and rfxcel found success with new clients in food, beverage, cosmetics, and government.”

“Jack and I started the company when we realized that patient safety was at risk if people couldn’t verify the validity of a drug,” recalled Abood. “From that foundational idea — protecting people and products — we built a powerful, easy-to-use traceability framework suitable for any industry. We also built a great team of technical experts who shared our vision of providing a full-stack solution that could readily adapt to changes in business and regulatory landscapes and create value and opportunities at every node of the supply chain. And we offered it at a fair price and always put our customers first.”

Zorzella said bringing rfxcel into Antares Vision Group yielded immediate strategic benefits. “rfxcel’s technology, team, global network, experience, and knowledge are crucial to what the Group does now and what we have planned for the future,” he said, “including our DIAMIND integrated ecosystem of solutions. They are a key asset, and I think businesses and consumers alike are going to be impressed by what we accomplish.”

“It’s been an exciting time for us,” Abood concluded. “Joining Antares Vision Group was the perfect way to begin our next chapter. We launched a new product, DIAMIND Enterprise, to provide an integrated L1-L5 solution to our customers; it’s an interoperable solution that sets us apart from our competitors. I’m looking forward to continuing to improve our technology and helping our customers grow their business with the most complete end-to-end traceability solution available today.”

Highlights of rfxcel’s first 20 years include leadership to guide the pharmaceutical industry toward compliance with all aspects of the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), such as leading an FDA-approved pilot to extend testing of the Verification Router System (VRS), being the first compliance solution offered on the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, and being the first provider to join the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) Pulse Interoperable Partner program. Most recently, the company is working with the industry to launch pilots for DSCSA exception handling, testing recommended standards to correct errors with mandated EPCIS data.

Notably, leading food and intelligent packaging companies have recently utilized rfxcel’s traceability, transparency, serialization, and data management technologies. For a prominent berry producer, rfxcel digitalized over 1.5 billion products, empowering the brand to protect, support, and communicate with its customers. In Australia, the company partnered with Melbourne-based Result Group to manage millions of UNO™ game pieces with unique digital identities and enhance consumer engagement for fast food leader Hungry Jack’s.

For more information, contact Senior Content and Communications Manager Garrison Spik at garrison@rfxcel.com.

ABOUT ANTARES VISION GROUP

Antares Vision Group is driving digitalization of products and supply chains by leading traceability, inspection, and integrated data management. AV Group helps companies and institutions to achieve safety, quality, efficiency, and sustainability, enabling Trustparency®.

DIAMIND, AV Group’s integrated ecosystem of solutions, simplifies the technology environment and supports businesses growth by enabling a data-driven and tailored journey to digital innovation. Connecting physical products with digital identities, DIAMIND runs at the line, factory, warehouse, enterprise, and supply chain levels, and guarantees product quality (inspection systems and equipment) and end-to-end traceability (from raw materials to production, from distribution to the consumer and back) through integrated data management, applying artificial intelligence and potentially blockchain.

With a strong focus on innovation, the company collaborates with universities and innovation centers; it is part of the Italian National Research Centre for the development of RNA drugs and has developed a traceability platform for agri-food products in collaboration with MISE (Italian Ministry of Economic Development) to ensure the authenticity and sustainability of Made in Italy products.

AV Group operates in the Life Science (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and hospitals), Beverage, Food, Cosmetics, Chemicals, and Packaging industries and potentially many others.

AV Group has been listed in STAR segment of Euronext since 14 May 2021 and has been included in the Euronext Tech Leaders index, dedicated to leading tech companies with high growth potential, since July 2022.

In 2022, Antares Vision Group recorded a turnover of €223 million. The Group operates in 60 countries, employs more than 1,300 people, and has a consolidated network of over 40 international partners.

ABOUT RFXCEL TECHNOLOGY

Part of Antares Vision Group, rfxcel provides leading-edge software solutions to help governments and commercial organizations build and manage their digital supply chain, lower costs, and protect their products and consumers. Blue-chip organizations in the life sciences (pharmaceuticals and medical devices), food and beverage, worldwide government, and consumer goods industries trust rfxcel’s Traceability System to power end-to-end supply chain solutions in track and trace, environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance, serialization, and visibility. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in the United States and has offices in the United Kingdom, the EU, Latin America, Russia, India, Japan, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region.

Passed in 2011, the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the U.S. food supply chain. The law applies to most members of the food supply chain, including harvesters, coolers, packers, processors, distributors, and retail food establishments. The deadline to comply with the regulations, including the Final Rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods, is January 20, 2026.

As the deadline approaches, it’s vital to ensure you’re making preparations to comply. Though this definitely includes rules regarding harvesting and transportation it’s important to remember that FSMA also addresses food storage and warehousing. With that in mind, let’s take a deep dive into FSMA warehouse requirements and what they mean for your business.

Understanding FSMA Warehouse Requirements

FSMA includes a set of rules that govern food production and distribution. FSMA 204, the Food Traceability Final Rule, established additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods included on the Food Traceability List (FTL).

There are seven other rules, some that could affect operations and compliance at your warehouses and other facilities:

- - Preventive Controls for Human Food: Must meet Current Good Manufacturing Practice mandates, perform hazard analyses, and implement preventive controls.
  - Produce Safety Rule: Must establish science-based standards for packing, production, and storage of fruits and vegetables
  - Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP): Requires foreign suppliers to demonstrate that they are meeting U.S. food safety standards
  - Sanitary Transportation Rule: Establishes regulations for sanitary transportation of food items
  - Accredited Third-Party Certification Rule: Created a program to accredit specific third-party certification bodies to conduct food safety system audits of foreign facilities.
  - Protection Against Intentional Adulteration: Aims to prevent foodborne illness by guarding against intentional adulteration
  - Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP): Optional fee-based program for foreign food facilities that want to import foods into the U.S.

We know it can be challenging to understand the FSMA rules. While focusing on the totality of the regulations — how they’ll affect your operations, your trading partners, the industry in general, and even consumers — always pay attention to the rules that pertain to your specific, day-to-day role in the supply chain.

For instance, if you operate food warehouses, be sure you understand the FSMA storage regulations just as well as you understand the FSMA 204 traceability requirements.

FSMA Warehouse and Storage Regulations

The primary goal of the FSMA regulations is to prevent foodborne illnesses and protect public health. Though this is the main driver for compliance, keep in mind that non-compliance can slow or stop your operations, damage to your brand reputation, and irk your customers and consumers.

With this in mind, here are the basics of FSMA warehouse requirements:

- - Pest Control: Food safety plans must protect food items from indoor and outdoor pests
  - Sanitation: Consumers must be protected from allergen cross-contact and pathogens
  - Temperature Controls: Especially important for animal foods like meat, eggs, and milk

Additionally, you’ll need to meet the FSMA 204 traceability requirements. Read more about those in our blog here.

Implications for Distributors

If you’re a distributor, FSMA warehouse and storage requirements directly affect your operations. The law requires you to keep and maintain records that show you and your partners are compliant and adhering to food safety requirements. This means you should be coordinating with your partners right now to make sure they’re preparing to share information and comply.

You’ll also need to closely monitor warehouse operations. Pay close attention to refrigeration guidelines, and take corrective actions immediately if you detect a deficiency. Also make sure you have the right sanitation controls in place, as this will help prevent cross-contamination.

Key Practices for Compliance

So what can you do to comply with FSMA? Beyond contacting us to discuss the requirements and the concrete steps you can take now, here’s a short list of things to keep top of mind:

Create a Food Safety Culture through Training

Your team is the first line of defense against outbreaks and compliance slip-ups, so make sure they have a foundational knowledge of the law. A well-trained team can help you be prepared for FSMA warehouse requirements and keep your facilities safe, compliant, and efficient. Training should include FSMA basics — traceability, modernization, food safety, etc. — as well as information about food processing best practices and your organizational commitment to safety and compliance.

Audit Your Processes

One key to compliance is to be audit-ready. The USDA or FDA may never come knocking, but you should act like it’s an inevitability. Conduct your own audits to identify compliance gaps in your storage and distribution processes. Internal audits will also reveal pain points and other inefficiencies that affect your operations.

Implement a Robust Recordkeeping System

FSMA stipulates that supply chain actors must maintain and share product information with their partners. The law also says that companies must share records with the FDA within 24 hours of a request (or within a mutually agreed-upon timeframe). If should you be audited, expect repercussions if you don’t have the required traceability information on hand.

Have a Plan for Safety — and More

Create a food safety plan and share it with your team. Anyone involved in maintaining food safety and preventing foodborne illness should know your plan inside and out.

You should also create a recall strategy. This should include how to share information with the FDA and other authorities and your trading partners. It should also include how to communicate with consumers about affected products and how to dispose of them safely.

Final Thoughts: Be Proactive with FSMA Warehouse Requirements

The best and quickest path to complying with FSMA warehouse requirements is to work with a reliable, experienced technology provider like us. Our supply chain solutions for the food and beverage industry will ensure you’re ready for January 2026 and the FSMA regulations for traceability, storage, and recordkeeping.

Connect with us today and one of our FSMA compliance and supply chain traceability experts can show you how it works. In about 15 minutes, you’ll have a better understanding of the law, how prepared you are, and how to get to full compliance by January 2026.