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Columbus Fair Auto Auction (CFAA) is one of the largest automobile auctions in the United States, housing up to 25,000 cars at any given time that are slated for eventual sale in its weekly live and internet auctions.

Every week 3,000 to 5,000 cars are sold in CFAA's 12 auction lanes. But first, they must be moved multiple times from one location to another across the 350 acre facility to receive pre-sale work.

A car that is scheduled for auction, must be found in an outdoor lot, then relocated to various on-site service centers to receive work such as mechanical service, body repair, paint, certification, or clean-up and detailing.

In order to locate and track this large volume of automobiles throughout the auction complex, the company developed its own wireless inventory management system utilizing bar code technology for real-time data collection and storage.

The system allows the company to process vehicles into inventory, initiate work orders, track vehicle location, and ensure that the cars are sale-ready and waiting to enter the auction lane precisely when they are scheduled.

Stephen Wycoff, CFAA's IT Manager, who developed the system, explained that a key factor in its successful execution was integrating rugged and reliable components that hold up to the harsh all-weather conditions.

The label identifying each vehicle is essential to the entire system. All of the labeling is done outdoors and the labels must not only adhere perfectly to damp or dirty vehicles, but also remain scannable after lengthy exposure to the elements and temperatures ranging from sub-zero weather to 280 degrees in a paint baking booth.

Avery Dennison worked closely with Columbus Fair Auto Auction to fulfill its bar code printer and label requirements for the inventory management system.