Every asset counts on a busy manufacturing floor, maintenance operation or in a motorsports facility. A missing part can stall a job, drive up costs, or affect production. The challenge is in tracking every asset in real time, and Codegate’s Lime handles it effortlessly.

By connecting RFID tags, sensors, handhelds and fixed readers to enterprise systems, Codegate’s Lime acts as a middleware to track each component for precise locating. Teams always know where assets are and when they will be needed.

What sets Lime apart is how it works with the systems teams already use. Instead of replacing them, it adds a smarter, faster layer that makes platforms more reliable and capable. Every asset is logged in a complete audit trail, which is crucial for compliance in defence, government and other regulated sectors.

Paired with Codegate’s eVantage Manager, Lime adds even more confidence. Systems are continuously monitored and validated, freeing teams from second-guessing the data and allowing them to focus on higher-value work.

“Codegate’s core business is software development and systems integration, so joining up data sources is in our DNA,” says Graham Fenton, managing director.

One View, Zero Gaps

Asset management tools perform well once they have accurate data. The real challenge is collecting that data without burdening teams with time-consuming manual tasks. Many systems still rely on manual data entry, which leads to sporadic updates and gaps in information. The longer the delay between asset movement and data entry, the greater the risk of misplaced or unaccounted for items.

Lime solves this problem by connecting to various automated data collection technologies, including RFID, ultrawideband, Bluetooth Low Energy and barcodes. It then standardises the incoming data in a central SQL database, making it ready for integration with enterprise systems through a robust API. This approach allows organisations to deploy different detection technologies in various environments while unifying the results in a cohesive view.

For many customers, the breakthrough is in the elimination of fragmented tracking. Lime operates quietly in the background, capturing each asset’s location and status without requiring additional scanning steps or changes to existing processes. Teams benefit from a dynamic, reliable record of where and when an asset was last seen, who handled it and in what condition it was returned.

Lime’s adaptability is another key strength. Asset tracking is rarely a one-size-fits-all challenge, and Codegate customises each to meet specific requirements. In large organisations, different sites may need different detection methods. A company might start by tracking high-value tools, then expand to parts, subassemblies and raw materials. As new technologies emerge, Lime incorporates them smoothly without disrupting existing systems. The tracking infrastructure grows more capable and valuable with every addition.

The Shortcut to Accountability and Asset Care

Many of Codegate’s clients manage assets owned by third parties, such as government departments that supply equipment for defence manufacturing. This is where trust and transparency are essential. External audits can be lengthy and expensive, often requiring auditors to inspect each item to confirm its location and condition. At organisations managing hundreds of thousands of parts, this process can take weeks.

Lime streamlines audits, often reducing them to a single day. The system maintains a complete audit trail for every asset movement and status change, whether the information is captured automatically or entered manually. Auditors can quickly verify asset histories through the Lime portal, since the data is stored in a format compatible with most enterprise systems. Customers report that third-party owners have greater confidence in the process, knowing they are reviewing accurate, real-time records rather than relying on sporadic manual checks.

The system’s reliability also encourages a cultural shift within organisations. When employees know that asset handling is being accurately tracked, they are more likely to take care in using and returning items. As accountability increases, so does asset longevity.

A Stepping Stone to Full Automation

Automated tracking infrastructure is ideal, but not every location has it. To address this gap, Codegate developed Asset Inventory, a mobile companion app for Lime that enables field teams to locate, identify and verify assets on the move. The app is especially valuable during periodic audits of subcontractor sites or storage areas without fixed readers. It instantly compares current inventory against previous records, generating a list of added or missing items before the auditor leaves the site.

Some customers use Asset Inventory to solve minor challenges that can quickly escalate. A retail client with thousands of visually similar rolls of cloth relies on the app to identify the correct item in crowded storerooms. A Formula One team reported saving hundreds of hours each month by quickly locating specific parts across multiple buildings.

The handheld approach may not be the centrepiece of an asset management program, but it remains a practical fallback when fixed infrastructure is unavailable. For clients beginning their asset tracking journey, it also serves as a valuable stepping stone toward more automated systems.

The End of the Endless Search

Specific customer names remain confidential, but the before-and-after results are clear. In high-stakes environments such as Formula One, losing track of a single component can jeopardise the assembly of a race car. With production limited to just a handful of units per part during a season, there is no surplus. Before Lime, locating a missing item could take hours of a skilled technician’s time. After Lime’s deployment, searches that once took days now take minutes, saving hundreds of person-hours for essential engineering work.

In defence manufacturing, the risks are different but just as serious. Many tools and jigs are custom-built and require significant lead times to replace. Price tags can exceed £100,000. Losing one of these items can bring production to a halt. Lime maintains an accurate, real-time location history, which reduces the chance of disruptions. One client found a critical tool in 10 minutes after their central system showed it in the wrong location for over six months.

These improvements are not about preventing theft. Most Codegate clients experience little loss from stolen assets. The real benefit is in avoiding misplacement, which is far more common and damaging in complex manufacturing environments.

Expanding Without Overhauling

Codegate’s approach to product development reflects a clear understanding of where it can deliver the most significant value. The company keeps Lime focused as middleware, avoiding expansion into broader asset management features. All software development is conducted in-house, allowing the team to maintain specialised expertise in automated data collection and system integration.

This focus keeps Codegate agile and able to adopt emerging technologies without overhauling its core product. Recent enhancements include support for UHF RFID inventory robots from Metralabs, passive wide-area real-time location systems from RF Controls and multiple active RTLS solutions using ultrawideband and Bluetooth Low Energy. In some cases, Codegate embeds its software directly into detection devices, allowing them to process data locally. This approach reduces network traffic and eliminates expensive changes to existing infrastructure.

Lime is complemented by eVantage Manager, a monitoring tool that provides customers with a clear, real-time status of every detector in their network. An issue can be identified and resolved quickly, ensuring that data flow remains uninterrupted and reliable.

Middleware That Moves the World Forward

The term “middleware” may sound technical, but for Codegate, it reflects a commitment to making asset tracking simple, accurate and scalable. By focusing on connecting data sources to the systems that depend on them, Lime enables organisations to make informed decisions, avoid costly delays and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.

The principle remains the same whether in a manufacturing facility or maintenance and repair operation; reliable data enables confident action. When teams know precisely what they have, where it is and how it is being used, they can spend less time searching and more time producing.