Lower RFID Pricing: Inventory Solutions

Axcess reduces pricing for its Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabled asset management solution, called Asset Activator, in order to support faster return on investment for its customers. ...

... "The unique active RFID system automatically provides precise automatic location determination, tracking, inventory counts, and physical protection for all types of enterprise assets. The reduced pricing is designed to generate an ROI for the customer of less than six months for all system sizes. The low cost RFID asset management solution enables corporations to manage assets and effectively protect intellectual property and customer privacy data. Corporations can more easily comply with state personal privacy notification laws. AXCESS' unique solution provides both management and security in one standalone package which is also capable of interfacing with the full range of existing enterprise systems. Asset Activator is installed and operating in several corporate facilities worldwide. " ...

Via Axcess: AXCESS Introduces Scalable System Pricing for RFID Physical Asset Inventory and Security Solution ...

RFID Consumer Drug Assurance ...

Julian Morris explores the issue of counterfeit medicines ...

... "Ideally, consumers should be assured their drugs have not been interfered with. This could be done through the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags or some other means. " ...

RFID Consumer Drug Assurance: Via The Heartland Institute: Patent Piracy and the Perils of (Low) Pricing - by Julian Morris ...

Use Gen2 RFID for Pilots Starting Now ...

With EPCglobal Class 1 Generation 2 radio frequency identification (RFID) products reaching the market, Zebra Technologies shares its experience as a ten-year veteran of RFID innovation with Gen 2 do’s and don'ts to help companies avoid potential implementation issues. ...

... "Do go straight to Gen 2 if you are starting RFID pilots now: Gen 2 protocols offer significant performance enhancements over the first generation of EPCglobal UHF protocols, including superior tag throughput, improved accuracy and compliance with global spectrum regulations. Many new vendors have committed to supporting EPC Generation 2, allowing users to leverage standards-based interoperability among tags, interrogators, printer/encoders, etc. as well as aggressive pricing spawned by competition. " ...

Use Gen2 RFID for Pilots Starting Now: Via Zebra: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES REVEALS TOP 5 RFID GEN 2 DOs and DON'Ts ...

RFID Application Results: Positive on Elk Herd Tracking ...

Advanced ID Corporation reports on the results of its RFID applications study with the Colorado Department of
Agriculture with multiple herds and roughly 130 tags and readers in use. Chronic Wasting Disease – CWD is another reason for this pro-active identification effort. ...

... "Scott Leach Chronic Wasting Disease Field Investigator for Colorado Department of Agriculture has roughly 130 captive elk in a current study of the Advanced ID DataTag(tm) and Advanced ID RFID - UHF Reader.

Advanced ID Corp. President & CEO, Dan Finch attended a recent meeting at Top Rac Elk Ranch along with members of Advanced ID and members of Colorado Department of Agriculture. According to Dan Finch, We are very pleased to see our applications used to protect and enhance the value of the ranchers’ stock. This is a good example of what RFID can provide to industry and what our DataTag and the Advanced ID RFID – UHF Reader is all about. We believe our tags and readers will achieve better value for our rancher partners with superior readability and competitive or lower pricing. We currently have tags and readers on ranches in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Taiwan and Thailand mostly in limited release and in practical testing. We are launching the DataTag and the Advanced ID RFID – UHF Reader on a commercial level in the first and second quarter of 2006. " ...

RFID Application Results: Positive on Elk Herd Tracking: Via Advanced ID: RFID Provider, Advanced ID Corp. Advances Colorado Elk Program With Positive Results For Advanced ID DataTag And Advanced ID RFID – UHF Reader New Advanced ID Corp. ultra high frequency animal livestock identification system that provides superior reading distances and greater ease of use for ranchers being used in tracing multiple elk herds by Colorado Department of Agriculture.

CWD: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting elk and deer (cervids) in North America. This degenerative neurological illness has affected both farmed and wild cervids in the US, thus impacting the hunting and wildlife industries as well as domestic and international markets for farmed cervids and cervid products. APHIS' response to this disease includes support of surveillance in both farmed and wild populations and assistance to State agencies for quarantine of affected animals and premises, humane euthanasia, and testing affected and exposed animals. In addition APHIS provides indemnity to animal owners for the value of positive and exposed animals euthanized in disease control efforts. A Herd Certification Program (HCP) is being developed by APHIS in coordination with states, the farmed cervid industry, and the US Animal Health Association (USAHA) to support this effort. APHIS also has assisted, and continues to assist, states with CWD surveillance and management in wild cervid populations. Finally, APHIS is working with the US Department of Interior, Tribes, and States to implement an interagency, national plan to help manage CWD in captive and wild cervids.

Advanced ID Corporation (OTCBB: AIDO) is a complete solutions provider in the radio frequency identification (RFID) market. RFID provides a means for positive identification and trace-back of animals or objects that have been identified with a microchip or RFID tag. The company has realized growth of 62% in the first two quarters of 2005, primarily through the companion animal identification segment; Advanced ID Pet Microchip, the largest provider of companion animal identification in Canada. Since 1994, Advanced ID Corporation has offered a product line of over 100 items comprised of low frequency (LF) RFID microchips, identification scanners, and a proprietary pet recovery network database to the companion animal and biological sciences markets. Advanced ID Corporation supplies over 3,000 organizations such as animal shelters, veterinarians, breeders, government agencies, universities, zoos, research labs and fisheries with LF RFID devices for companion animals, equines, bovines, llamas, alpacas, ostriches, aquatic species, reptiles, migratory and endangered species. Advanced ID Corporation has implanted LF microchips in over 450,000 animals, currently tracks nearly one million animals in a proprietary pet recovery database, and reunites numerous lost pets with their families each month. Since 2001 Advanced ID Corporation has been developing and commercializing its UHF line of food-animal and wildlife identification products and systems. Advanced ID Corporation continues to be actively involved with government and industry livestock identification and trace-back projects and pilots in Australia, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Taiwan and the United States.

Healthcare RFID: Zebra ProductLine Agreement ...

Zebra inks product-line agreement to serve the healthcare supply chain with RFID printing and other identification technology. Zebra's partner, MedAssets, leverages technology into the healthcare supply chain through best-of-breed solutions. ...

Healthcare RFID: Zebra ProductLine Agreement: Via Zebra Technologies: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES AND MEDASSETS ANNOUNCE NEW 3-YEAR AGREEMENT: Zebra to provide MedAssets customers with full line of bar code, card and RFID printers, supplies and services ...

... "Zebra Technologies (Nasdaq: ZBRA), a global leader in delivering on-demand specialty printing solutions for business and process improvement, has signed a new three-year full product line agreement with MedAssets Supply Chain Systems, a leading healthcare group purchasing organization (GPO) and supply chain services company. The full line agreement makes Zebra’s bar code, card and RFID printers as well as its supplies and service agreements available to MedAssets' customers for a wide range of identification, tracking and access control applications. " ...

Zebra Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: ZBRA) delivers innovative and reliable on-demand printing solutions for business improvement and security applications in 100 countries around the world. More than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Zebra-brand printers. A broad range of applications benefit from Zebra-brand thermal bar code, “smart” label, receipt and card printers, resulting in enhanced security, increased productivity, improved quality, lower costs and better customer service. The company has sold more than four million printers, including RFID printer/encoders and wireless mobile solutions, and also offers software, connectivity solutions and printing supplies.

MedAssets, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, improves healthcare providers’ margins and cash flow through revenue cycle and supply chain initiatives. As a strategic business partner, MedAssets can replace multiple vendors and decrease supply costs by 3% to 10% and increase net patient revenue by 1% to 3%. Proprietary information technology is used to work with and improve existing IT assets and work processes. MedAssets, through its revenue cycle subsidiary MedAssets Net Revenue Systems, provides best-of-breed revenue solutions, including strategic pricing, pre-bill charge capturing and ongoing chargemaster management tools, all of which have been peer reviewed by the Healthcare Financial Management Association. In addition, MedAssets offers the only technology enabled systems that manage claim denials and link supply cost data with charge data to ensure accurate charges and defendable markups for all patient identifiable supplies, including costly medical devices. MedAssets, through its supply chain subsidiary MedAssets Supply Chain Systems, operates the fastest growing group purchasing organization and supply chain services company in the U.S. and builds customized solutions encompassing procurement of common medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, physician preference supplies, food and nutrition items, and capital equipment.

RFID TAP Device: Reva

Reva's RFID TAP device addresses the challenge of RFID infrastructure deployment. Reva TAP improves the tag-read performance of a multiple reader facility and allows for management of readers in a flexible virtual location capability. The TAP device supports RFID data interfaces, such as ALE, JMS, SQL, and SAP-AII. Finally, management of the Reva TAP infrastructure supports fault-tolerance, remote monitoring, and a friendly user configuration interface.

RFID TAP Device: Reva: Via Reva Systems: Reva Systems Unveils RFID Tag Acquisition Processor: Network‐Intelligent Device Designed for Plug-and-Play Facility-based RFID Rollouts ...

... "Reva Systems, an emerging company focused on delivering network-intelligent products for radio frequency identification (RFID) installations, today announced the availability of its Tag Acquisition Processor (TAP). The TAP is a rack-mountable, standards-based device that manages facility-wide RFID readers as one cohesive unit, delivering superior, cost-effective system-level performance to support RFID adoption across a wide range of vertical markets. Today's announcement marks an important milestone in Reva's vision for the Tag Acquisition Network (TAN) - a scalable, facility-based architecture for RFID that leverages industry-standard tags, readers, and protocols. The introduction of a Reva TAP to a customer's facility transforms a collection of autonomous readers into a reliable and scalable TAN. The TAP creates an RFID infrastructure layer which logically resides above the reader layer and represents an extension of the existing enterprise network. The TAP ensures predictable operation of an RFID-enabled facility, optimal usage of available RF spectrum, seamless data integration with enterprise applications, and includes a powerful management console for configuration, commissioning, and monitoring of RFID systems. Reva's Tag Acquisition Network architecture and Tag Acquisition Processor directly address the performance requirements and infrastructure investment needed to successfully deploy RFID. ... The Tag Acquisition Processor and Reva Management Console, which are available and shipping now, are currently deployed in retail and manufacturing environments. Base unit pricing starts at $9,995 USD list, with customer-specific configurations quoted upon request. " ...

Reva Systems develops network-intelligent products for the emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) market. Eliminating the proprietary design and scalability problems of first-generation RFID solutions, Reva's Tag Acquisition Network (TAN) architecture and Tag Acquisition Processor (TAP) use proven networking concepts to enable more scalable, repeatable, and reliable enterprise-wide RFID reader deployments. Founded in 2004, and headquartered in Chelmsford, Mass., Reva is backed by Charles River Ventures and North Bridge Venture Partners.

Sub10Cent RFID Inlays

RFID tag and inlay manufacturer, UPM Rafsec, will ship UHF Gen 1 and Gen 2 inlays at sub-10 U.S. cent pricing in minimum order quantities of 50,000 pieces. Sub 10cent RFID inlays lay the foundation for the cheap and ubiquitous use of RFID technology ....

Sub10Cent RFID Inlays: UPM RAFSEC KNOCKING DOWN UHF RFID ADOPTION BARRIERS WITH SUB-10 CENT INLAYS ...

... "This UPM Rafsec offer includes dry and wet delivery formats of the OneTenna™ short dipole which are compatible with existing converting technology for the insertion of inlays into smart labels and other substrates. UPM Rafsec UHF products have already been tested, approved and used by a large number of leading RFID adopters. The inlays are manufactured at UPM Rafsec's production facility in Fletcher, North Carolina (USA), with innovative technology for the volume production of EPC (Electronic Product Code) -compliant UHF tags and inlays. The unparalleled yields of this new, high volume production technology give UPM Rafsec competitive advantages and provide customers significantly lower applied tag costs. The patent pending process is cost-efficient, scalable and enables UPM Rafsec to rapidly increase its capacity according to market demand. " ...

References on inexpensive RFID inlays:

... "Via SATO: RFID Thermal Labels: SATO RFID labels can be made with any type of RFID inlay. Some examples of the other inlay types available include Ucode, UHF 868-928MHz ISO 18000, and Class 0 and 0+. RFID labels can be pre-printed, flood coated or laminated and can be converted in most popular finishing styles. " ...

... "Via Avery Dennison: INNOVATIVE AVERY DENNISON MANUFACTURING PROCESS BOOSTS RFID TAG PRODUCTION CAPACITY: Inlay is the term used for the electronic core of an RFID label. It typically consists of a metal pattern on a sheet of plastic film that functions as an antenna, onto which an integrated circuit (semiconductor chip) is attached. The inlay is then sandwiched between a paper facestock and an adhesive layer to form a self-stick RFID label. " ...

... "Via SmartCode: SmartCode Corp. beats any price for EPC Gen 2 Inlays for orders of 1 million - SmartCode prices EPC Gen 2 Inlays at 7.5 cents for quantities of 1 million and 7.2 cents for orders exceeding 10 million: The EPC Gen 2 Quickstart™ Program aims to accelerate the mass adoption of EPC Gen 2 solutions. Under the EPC Gen 2 Quickstart™ Program, SmartCode Corp. will offer the lowest cost EPC Gen 2 inlays at a price of 7.5 cents in orders of 1 million inlays or more and 7.2 cents in orders of 10 million or more. SmartCode Corp. EPC Gen 2 Quickstart™ Program is available for orders received until the 1st of January 2006. The delivery schedule can span throughout 2006. " ...

Low Price RFID Reader: Research Driving

RFID tag prices are dropping. Reader pricing is expected to follow. Kelly Mills explores recent research on cost trends in RFID technology, such as tags and readers.

Low Price RFID Reader: Research Driving: Via Australian IT: Research to lower price of RFID tag ...

... "Over the next three to five years prices for UHF tags and readers are likely to come down 60-70 per cent, with the price of an RFID reader at less then 100 euro, the 2005 LogicaCMG RFID Hardware Survey says. " ...

Competitive market for RFID readers is showing lower price trends:

... "Applied Wireless Identifications (AWID) is dropping reader prices by about 70% to transform the market landscape. For the first time, a Generation 2 RFID reader, including four antennas, has fallen under the $1,000 price barrier. RFID technology depends on tags being read automatically by receptors known as readers, which are typically sold separately from the antennas they need in order to function. AWID is revolutionizing the marketplace by offering the MPR-3014 reader as production units for $1,000 each, and including four circular polarized antennas at no extra cost. MPR-3014 reader development kits go for $1,600; and the MPR-1510 reader module production units sell for under $400 each, with development kits at $700. " ...

... "Via Internet Week: RFID Readers: Read Right: Most UHF readers cost from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the features in the device. Companies may also have to buy each antenna separately, along with cables. Antennas are about $250 and up. The price of readers is expected to fall as companies purchase them in large volumes. " ...

... "Via ZDNet: Static over RFID: We're seeing a downward trend in prices, and that's one of things driving adoption, said Jeff Richards, president and chief executive of R4 Global Solutions ... " ...

Hosted RFID Compliance Program Expands ...

Hosted RFID Compliance Program Expands: SEEBURGER Announces Partners for IDnet Hosted RFID Compliance Service; Printronix, NCR & Venture Research To Participate ...

Seeburger expands its partner ecosystem for hosted RFID compliance ...

... "SEEBURGER Inc. announced that Printronix Inc., NCR Corporation’s Systemedia Division, and Venture Research Inc. have agreed to provide products and services as a part of IDnet, SEEBURGER’s first-of-its-kind hosted solution for implementing an RFID program to comply with mandates from major retailers and government agencies. IDnet pricing ranges from $350 to $500 a month and will now include specially configured printers and labels with optional tag placement services, enabling SEEBURGER to equip companies with a fast, cost-effective and turnkey online solution. " ...

SEEBURGER is a leading provider of global business integration solutions designed to optimize transactions throughout the extended enterprise by automating trading relationships with all partners regardless of their size and technical resources. Launched in 1986 to provide integration solutions to the automotive industry in Germany, the company today is ranked among the top business-to-business gateway providers by industry analysts, and serves more than 6,500 customers in 35 countries and more than 15 industries through its flagship B2B Gateway and related products and services. SEEBURGER has global offices in Europe, Asia Pacific and North America, including a U.S. office that opened in 1998.

RFID Reader Mobile Workforce Solutions ...

RFID Reader Mobile Workforce Solutions: Everypath and Socket Communications Partner to Deliver Integrated Solutions for the Mobile Workforce ...

Everypath's software supports RFID reader integration for mobile workforce field solutions ...

... "With the combined Everypath MTA and Socket barcode scanning solution, customers benefit from real-time product, inventory and pricing information and the ability to capture accurate data while in the field. Everypath’s MTA applications streamline and deliver data from existing databases within the network directly to handheld devices operated by employees in the field. Socket offers a variety of plug-in and cordless barcode scanning products, providing efficient alternatives to manual data entry via keyboard. Socket’s barcode scanners have been shown to be up to 50 times faster than the manual method and to dramatically improve data accuracy. Everypath MTA software supports Socket’s CF Scan Card – 5 Series, its Cordless Hand Scanner, 2D Scan Card and RFID Reader. " ...

... RFID readers and field force software solutions enable powerful mobile workforce applications.

Everypath is a leading provider of Mobile Task Automation (MTA) solutions to global 1000 companies. Customers and partners worldwide use the Everypath MTA™ to enable field representatives to capture orders, track inventory and serve customers with greater efficiency. By unleashing Everypath’s innovative technology, companies can fuse, miniaturize and adapt their enterprise information assets to help increase revenue, reduce costs and improve responsiveness. Everypath's customers include leaders such as Bayer, Biogen, E*TRADE, NTT, Smith & Nephew, Sumitomo Trust Bank, Toshiba, Wright Medical and Yamaha. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company serves customers in North America, Japan and Europe.

Socket Communications, Inc., the Mobile Connection™ Company, provides a broad range of connectivity and data collection products for mobile devices using Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, CE, XP, and Palm, RIM, and Symbian-based operating systems. These mobile devices include PDAs, Smartphones, Tablet PCs and notebooks that support standard expansion mechanisms. Socket’s Mobility Friendly™ products are feature-rich while promoting ease of use and lead the market with the smallest footprint and the most Battery Friendly® power consumption in their class. Socket’s Development Services team provides hardware developers with solutions using mobilityIC™ interface chips, KwikBlue™ modules with embedded Bluetooth® Wireless Technology, as well as other technologies implemented in Socket’s wide range of products. Socket is headquartered in Newark, California.

EPC Readers for RFID

UT Admin Code R70-960. Weights and Measures Fee Registration.

... "Check-out register means any device that is commercially used in a price verification system at a check-out register. Included are those devices that use Universal Product Code (UPC) scanners, Electronic Product Code (EPC) RFID readers, manual entries, or any current or future use of any device that could be used at the final point of sale as a means for pricing for commercial sales." ...

Pfizer RFID Program Discussed at 3rd Annual Pricing, Reimbursement and Parallel Trade 2005 ...

3rd Annual Pricing, Reimbursement and Parallel Trade 2005

... "Pfizer will address the company's latest proposal to implement the new RFID technology in all their products, to facilitate parallel trade in a more secured environment and to avoid counterfeiting in developing countries. " ...

Checkpoint Systems RFID Applications ...

Checkpoint Systems RFID Applications: Checkpoint Systems, Inc. to Broadcast Fourth Quarter 2004 ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... In conjunction with this release, Checkpoint Systems will host a conference call on the ... Checkpoint is a leading provider of EAS and RFID systems, source tagging ...

... Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CKP), intends to release its fourth quarter 2004 results on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 before the market opens. In conjunction with this release, Checkpoint Systems will host a conference call on the same day at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, which will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet. George Off, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Craig Burns, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, will host the call. ...

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. is a multinational company that manufactures and markets labeling systems designed to improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide value-added label solutions for customers across many markets and industries. Checkpoint is a leading provider of EAS and RFID systems, source tagging, barcode labeling systems, hand-held labeling systems and retail merchandising systems. Applications include automatic identification, retail security and pricing and promotional labels. Operating directly in 30 countries, Checkpoint has a global network of subsidiaries and provides professional customer service and technical support around the world.

Additional resources on Checkpoint Systems RFID applications ...

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. : News : Press Releases : Archives: shelf inventory system, a dual technology EAS/RFID perimeter system, and a ... Checkpoint Systems, Inc.s website is located at www.checkpointsystems.com . ...

Checkpoint integrates RFID with EAS technology: said David Donnan, North America president of Checkpoint Systems. ... rang of passive (battery-less) RFID tags can ... to a distributed computing system involved in ...

Checkpoint & Philips alliance supports RFID: edge tag and reader solutions, Checkpoint Systems will also deliver total system integration services that ... the specific needs of deploying RFID into the ...

Using RFID Data To Improve Customer Sales ...

RFID Data To Improve Customer Sales: Teradata Survey Finds Data Is Driving Technology Investments

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Larger companies are also considering radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology as a means to improve inventory and stock levels as well as to improve ...

... Retail industry managers are dealing with an increasing amount of data by investing more in information technology, according to a survey by Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR). The survey, released at the National Retail Federation's annual conference, also revealed that this trend is expected to continue next year. Among the key areas where additional information technology (IT) spending is being deployed are supply chain, pricing and customer management as well as data warehouse solutions. Larger companies are also considering radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology as a means to improve inventory and stock levels as well as to improve customer and information sales. ...

The Teradata study was conducted by BuzzBack Market Research between Dec. 21, 2004, and Jan. 4, 2005, querying 100 retail executives. All respondents live in the United States and are employed by retail companies with worldwide revenue of $500 million or higher. All respondents hold the position of manager or higher and work in a corporate/general management, finance/strategic planning, operations or technology/IT department. Managers surveyed for represent a range of companies in the retail sector, including: Lowe's, Rite-Aid, Pathmark, Giant Food, Kohl's, Wal-Mart, Abercrombie & Fitch, K-mart, Blockbuster and many others. Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), is the global technology leader in enterprise data warehousing, analytic applications and data warehousing services. Organizations around the world rely on the power of Teradata's award-winning solutions (www.teradata.com) to get a single, integrated view of their business to enhance decision-making, customer relationships and profitability.

Additional resources on customer sales improvement using RFID data ...

RFID - Technologies - Wireless Mobile Computing: as much as they are to the customers who receive ... 1 percent to 2 percent sales improvement attributable to ... commerce systems in response to customer mandates for ...

Profiting from Process: using EPC/RFID to create: of Defense (DoD) or other customers, the program ... gained from efforts to improve sales through new ... Manufacturers who participate in customer-requested EPC/RFID ...

Radio Frequency Identification - RFID Tag: and number, but also track customers by individual ... a system that would ensure accurate customer delivery, analyze consumer sales data, and incorporate ...

Solving the Out-of-Stock Problem: making sure products are available when customers want to ... is out of stock when a customer wants to ... application because the application could improve sales by 2 ...

RFID Accelerator: ObjectStore Trading Accelerator Delivers Real-Time Event ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... ObjectStore(R) products are supporting RFID implementations, and are deployed in industries such as finance, telecommunications and travel, where companies ...

... ObjectStore, a leader in products for real-time data services, and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS), today announced a major update to ObjectStore(R) Trading Accelerator(TM), which provides financial trading houses with real-time market data capture, query and management, integrated with historical market data. With its newly available Event Query Language (EQL), ObjectStore Trading Accelerator allows trading houses to apply sophisticated "what-if" scenarios and analytics on incoming data sources and execute such real-time trading strategies as volume weighted average pricing (VWAP) analysis and program trading. ...

RFID Savi Smart Seal: Technology to Enhance Freight Transportation Security and Productivity - A-2. Event-Driven Tools

From DOT, FHWA Freight Management and Operations ...

... "SmartSeal electronics are being married with both bolt and cable barrier seals and the electronics are available to license by others. The seal combines random codes with a unique tag ID giving high protection against counterfeits, swaps, and hacks. Data storage is variable, 32 to 128 KB. The battery is rated for five years. Range is tunable up to 300 feet. The tags have multi-frequency options, making them more amenable to use across major trading areas. They are also compatible with DoD's 433 MHz RFID reader infrastructure, including those in commercial sea- and airports. An added capability is immediate seal location and status reporting in terminals equipped with a configuration of readers and beacons known in the industry as Real Time Locations Systems (RTLS). Savi reports SmartSeal can be tuned to slot-level accuracy.
Pricing of the seals is about $50 in small numbers; large production runs may reduce the price by over two-thirds. The bolt seals would require a new bolt for each application, but the cable seal should be fully reusable. SmartSeal was announced in November 2001 and initial sales are reported to Futaba, a Taiwanese electronics firm." ...

EAS RFID: Checkpoint Systems, Inc. Announces 2004 Second Quarter Results

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... regard was the recently announced agreement with CVS, which will allow Checkpoint to outfit all 5,300 CVS stores with our industry-leading RF EAS technology. ...

" ... Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CKP) reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 27, 2004. The Company's second quarter 2004 net earnings were $8.4 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $10.7 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, in the second quarter 2003. During the quarter, the company increased its research and development expenses by $3.9 million and selling and marketing expenses by $3.9 million, as compared to the second quarter of 2003. Revenue for the second quarter 2004 was $189.3 million versus $175.7 million for the second quarter 2003, an increase of 7.7%. Foreign exchange had a positive impact on revenue of approximately $7.6 million or 4.3% in the second quarter 2004, as compared to the second quarter 2003. ... "

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. is a multinational company that manufactures and markets labeling systems designed to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide value-added label solutions for customers across many markets and industries. Checkpoint is a leading provider of EAS and RFID systems, source tagging, barcode labeling systems, hand-held labeling systems and retail merchandising systems. Applications include automatic identification, retail security and pricing and promotional labels. Operating directly in 30 countries, Checkpoint has a global network of subsidiaries and provides professional customer service and technical support around the world.

RFID Middleware: IBM Unveils Software to Help Businesses Better Manage Product ...

From Market Wire (press release) ... manage and gain control over product information and to enable increasingly popular initiatives such as radio frequency identification (RFID), global data ...

" ... Approximately 90 days after acquiring Trigo Technologies, IBM is introducing IBM WebSphere Product Center Version 5, middleware designed to help customers develop a central, accurate and comprehensive repository of product information that is synchronized with internal systems and shared across supply chains. IBM WebSphere Product Center enables customers to manage and link comprehensive product, trading partner, location, organization, pricing and promotion information. For example, large global businesses can use IBM WebSphere Product Center to consolidate information about millions of products from multiple legacy systems. The software improves how information is handled throughout an organization, reduces errors, redundant data and manual processes and makes it easier for users, customers and trading partners to access product information. Global Data Synchronization, one of the many initiatives for which IBM WebSphere Product Center is being deployed, is a standards-based process by which manufacturers and retailers can exchange product information. In a September, 2003 AMR Research Alert, Kara Romanow identified a potential $40 billion annual savings in data synchronization. IBM WebSphere Product Center can help IBM customers tap into these potential savings by easing the implementation of robust, production-quality global data synchronization ... "

Walmart RFID: WalMart adding suppliers to RFID tagging system

From Investor's Business Daily ... Commonly called RFID, the system is expected to complement and even replace the decades-old bar-code system that scans products for pricing and inventory. ...

Walmart RFID: WalMart adding suppliers to RFID tagging system

From Investor's Business Daily ... Commonly called RFID, the system is expected to complement and even replace the decades-old bar-code system that scans products for pricing and inventory. ...

RFID and BI: SAS Tags RFID as Intelligence Opportunity

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... in business intelligence, is uniquely equipped to help companies organize, harness, analyze and understand radio frequency identification (RFID) data, as well ...

SAS is the world's leader in business analytics software, delivering the breakthrough technology you need to transform the way you do business. SAS is the market leader in providing a new generation of business intelligence software and services that create true enterprise intelligence. SAS solutions are used at more than 40,000 sites – including 96 of the top 100 companies on the FORTUNE Global 500® – to develop more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; to enable better, more accurate and informed decisions; and to drive organizations forward. SAS is the only vendor that completely integrates leading data warehousing, analytics and traditional BI applications to create intelligence from massive amounts of data. For nearly three decades, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know®. SAS Value Chain Analytics can help retailers and suppliers understand the effects of decisions, not only in the stores but also throughout their distribution channels back to post-production. Information ensures that managers have accurate information about true profitability and provides valuable insight for such things as RFID, CPFR, Factory Gate Pricing or True Landed Costs. Combined with the retail intelligence from SAS solutions, retailers can ensure that they are not only presenting the right product at the right place but delivering it in the right way.

RFID-Enabled Performance Management: Blue Agave Delivers Service Excellence with First, Ready-to-Run ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... Ready-to-use and customized reports that leverage critical retailer data, including RFID and POS feeds on sales, inventory and pricing information, arm ...

Blue Agave develops and delivers Active Performance Management™ (APM), solutions which improve business performance through proactive resolution of immediate operating issues, nonstop performance measurement, and continuous improvement capabilities. APM solutions are designed specifically for consumer goods and electronics manufacturers who are facing ever-increasing pressure to not only increase their operating performance, but also exceed the demands of customers. These customers are the mass merchandisers who now, because of retail consolidation, dictate business terms, demanding higher fill rates, near-perfect on-time delivery and increased satisfaction.

Blue Agave's solutions extend the investments already made in ERP and other business systems, providing companies with the ability to significantly increase key operating results by leveraging the information available throughout the business to identify, understand and resolve problems before they impact customers and the bottom line. With APM, business problems are proactively identified and presented with actionable recommendations. Key performance measures are continuously monitored. Blue Agave's ActiveResponse applications deliver the continuous, consistent detection and resolution capabilities necessary for consumer goods suppliers to get ahead. ActiveResponse applications are uniquely designed to make sense of large volumes of constantly shifting data, leveraging all the information flowing within your business systems as well as RFID feeds and retailer-provided sales and inventory information from systems like Wal-Mart's RetailLink, LowesLink, and Kmart's Workbench.

UCC RFID: EXTOL Completes UCCnet Synchronization Suite 2.3 Certification

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... to help customers achieve rapid compliance with current B2B initiatives and, with the same investment, be ready for the next big e-thing, such as RFID or CPFR ...

About EXTOL International, Inc.: EXTOL International, Inc. is a leading provider of B2B integration application software for the mid-sized enterprise. EXTOL enables companies to exchange and integrate transactions and documents, regardless of form or format, between their applications and those of their partners. The EXTOL Business Integrator is an integration platform for electronic commerce applications including EDI, AS2, XML, UCCnet and the integration and management capabilities required to take full advantage of supply chain functionality. EXTOL equips the mid sized enterprise to succeed by providing the software services needed of initiatives such as EDI, AS2, XML, UCCnet, and some of the new, next big e-things, such as RFID and CPFR. The EXTOL business integration platform includes the integration and management functionality needed to take full advantage of supply chain functionality. For more information go to www.extol.com.

As a subscriber to EPCglobal US, EXTOL will provide support for adoption of the EPC Network and in the creation of industry standards for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Developed by the Auto-ID Center, a unique partnership of nearly 100 global companies and five of the leading research universities in the world that explores the benefits and impacts of EPC technology, the EPC Network enables real-time identification and sharing of information. The Auto-ID Center transitioned to EPCglobal on November 1, 2003. A complete, “Load and Go” UCCnet application for suppliers to implement UCCnet services is available from EXTOL International, Inc., a leading vendor of B2B applications. The software application enables you to enter, validate and synchronize trade item data with UCCnet services in less than an hour. The product is certified by UCC as a complete UCCnet Synchronization Suite solution, packaged with prices beginning at $2,500. EXTOL has taken this move to rapidly expand UCCnet usage to the 80% of retail suppliers who have not yet participated.

The EXTOL Business Integrator for UCCnet™ Services has been certified as a UCCnet Synchronization Suite, compliant with Release 2.3 of UCCnet Services™. The new certification places EXTOL in the first group of UCC-certified Solutions Partners to deliver synchronization solutions to clients, using the latest release of UCCnet Services. The highlights of the new release are inclusion of the revised Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards (VICS) hardlines extended attributes, as well as XML messaging enhancements for pricing and retailer requests for notification.

RFID Advances: Is open source the right move for Sun's Solaris?

From Silicon.com, UK ... server co-development and selling deal with long-time ally Fujitsu, came up with 'per citizen pricing' for some of its software, made RFID advances, updated ...

RFID Software: Sun offers new pricing model for enterprises

From InfoWorld, CA ... well as a directory server. -- New Java System software for managing and storing RFID (radio frequency identification) information.

As chair of both the MIT Auto-ID Center'[tm]s Technology Board and the MIT Auto-ID Center's Software Action Group, Sun led industry efforts to drive RFID/EPC standards. Sun continues to participate and drive those efforts today as part of EPCglobal. Sun is committed to delivering the market leading RFID/EPC standards-based infrastructure for deploying enterprise RFID applications. Enterprises are looking for reliable, available, scalable, manageable and secure RFID infrastructure to help drive efficiencies in their business processes and operations. No one understands mission critical enterprise computing better than Sun. Further, by leveraging Sun's iForce Centers, our customers can be confident that their RFID solution will deliver on their particular real-time business requirements. Sun Microsystems has a long history of grabbing technology "disruptions" and turning them into "disruptive" innovations. The company challenges the status quo, blows up some long-held assumptions and creates revolutionary technology to benefit its customers. Java application, Jini network technology, NFS, and Java XML pack are just a few. Now, enterprises will benefit from the disruptive innovations around Auto-ID technology, being developed by Sun.

Walmart RFID: R4 Global Services Answers the Call for WalMart RFID Compliance

From SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2004-- R4 Accelerate(SM) Solution Enables WalMart Suppliers to Meet Schedule II Pharmaceutical RFID Compliance Initiative Requirements

R4 Global Services(TM) (www.r4gs.com), a leading solutions provider of RFID-enabled technology and services, today announced the R4 Accelerate Solution for Schedule II Compliance to meet the needs of the 18 pharmaceutical suppliers working to fulfill the requirements of WalMart's Schedule II RFID initiative. As of the March 30th compliance target date set by WalMart, a number of suppliers had not met the overall requirements for RFID compliance on Schedule II pharmaceuticals. U.S. DEA Schedule II pharmaceuticals are highly regulated prescription narcotics such as Ritalin and Morphine. The R4 Accelerate Solution is a simplified, pre-packaged suite of hardware, software and services that provides all the necessary components required to meet Schedule II compliance in eight weeks or less...

The pharmaceutical market is one of the most attractive application areas for RFID technology due to the relatively high cost of pharmaceutical product and readily apparent benefits to corporations and consumers. For example, a case of Schedule II pharmaceutical product might cost $40,000 - a high enough price point to justify the cost of RFID technology. Additionally, industry analysts estimate that up to 10% of the U.S. drug supply is counterfeit. Thus, the ability to track and trace pharmaceuticals in the supply chain has the potential to save suppliers hundreds of millions of dollars per year, in addition to saving human lives and reducing overall cost.

"Given the timeline, complex nature of suppliers' systems and necessary configuration required to integrate RFID into existing business processes, some delays in RFID compliance were to be expected," said Ryan Lange, senior vice president of sales for R4 Global Services. "At this point, suppliers are looking for complete, pre-packaged solutions versus components of solutions which are time intensive and costly to deploy. Our work with leading suppliers to WalMart, as well as with Schedule II and generic pharmaceutical product lines, gives us the expertise and vendor relationships needed to deliver an efficient, cost-effective solution to pharmaceutical suppliers. We also wanted to dispel the myth that compliance is a 'million dollar exercise' - we are able to deliver a complete compliance package in under eight weeks for less than $100,000, in many cases, depending on the volume of product being shipped to WalMart."

The R4 Accelerate solution for Schedule II compliance addresses both the short-term need for basic Schedule II compliance with WalMart, and the longer term need of developing a scalable plan of attack and technology architecture for the use of RFID in the pharmaceuticals supply chain. Schedule II RFID compliance has several basic requirements, including:

-- ePC compliant UHF RFID tags, applied at the item level

-- The ability to collect and store RFID tag information for future use

-- The ability to synchronize product data with UCCnet

"We believe the overall move towards the use of RFID in the global supply chain, though in its infancy, remains on track," said Jeff Richards, CEO of R4 Global Services. "There have certainly been challenges along the way, but WalMart is an incredibly efficient and focused organization. Schedule II utilization of RFID is an excellent precursor to overall adoption as the benefits to corporations and consumers start to become apparent."

Pricing for the R4 Accelerate Solution for Schedule II compliance ranges from $50,000 - $175,000 depending on the number of shipping locations involved and the volume of product being shipped to WalMart, as well as all hardware, software and services needed to meet compliance requirements. R4 has developed the offering in conjunction with its key alliance partners, including RFID technology vendors Alien Technology and Matrics. Suppliers purchasing the R4 Accelerate package will meet Schedule II compliance requirements in eight weeks or less.

About R4 Global Services

R4 Global Services is a leader in delivering RFID technology solutions to clients in the Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, Defense and Pharmaceutical industries. R4 solutions enable clients to realize the full benefits of RFID and RFID-related technologies, including increased sales, increased visibility and control, decreased labor costs, and dramatic improvements in key business processes such as inventory management and supply chain management. R4 and the R4 RFID Lab are headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional locations in Michigan, Virginia and New Jersey. R4 is a sponsor of EPC Global. For more information visit R4 Global Services on the Web at www.r4gs.com or send an email to info@r4gs.com.

Alien Cuts RFID Tag Price

From RFID Journal, Apr 1, 2004 ... The EPC tag and reader maker has dropped the price of its Class 1 label to less than 20 cents each for orders of 1 million. By Jonathan Collins April 1 2004 EPC tag and reader pioneer has cut the price of its ALL-9238 EPC Class 1 label to less than 20 cents each for orders of 1 million a cut of between 5 and 10 cents per tag over its previous pricing.

915 MHz RFID Technology

Tags at the 915 MHz frequency allow for much greater read distances from the RFID tag to the RFID reader... 915 MHz RFID tags are targeted for automated identification applications... Pricing for 915 MHz RFID is decreasing as manufacturers increase production rates and gain efficiencies from higher market demand.