RFID Tracking for Rental Construction Equipment Across Nationwide Job Sites

Stafford Tower Cranes distributes high-value rental construction equipment across job sites nationwide. Tower cranes are shipped and assembled from many smaller parts — typically mast sections — that can easily be misplaced and lost between jobs.

Traditional tracking methods like barcodes struggle in harsh construction and offshore environments. Stafford needed a robust, versatile technology that could withstand open, metallic construction settings while accurately tracking component locations and rental utilization durations.

AssetPulse packaged its RFID-enabled AssetGather software with active RFID tag and reader technology from RF Code, using 433 MHz Mantis-series tags and readers. The initial pilot tracked a 150-foot tall tower crane and its components at the New California Academy of Sciences construction site in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

RFID tags were fixed to each crane section and read using handheld mobile readers on-site by visiting Stafford technicians or salesmen. The system records what sections are where and tracks how long equipment has been used by each customer.

AssetPulse also developed robust RFID tags designed for harsh offshore environments, used in "closed loop" applications where assets remain owned by a single organization — unlike retail RFID that tracks goods on a single journey.

The system gives Stafford accurate visibility into component locations and usage durations across all job sites nationwide, providing a key competitive advantage. The successful pilot proved that active RFID works reliably in open, metallic construction environments.

AssetPulse and Stafford continue to expand the system's capabilities over multiple phases, further enhancing the RFID-based tracking platform across Stafford's nationwide operations.