 | Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Issue 757 | | Will Smith, Editor |  |
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Editor's Note: Today's top story is the RFID deployment by Portuguese book retailer Byblos Amoreiras at its superstore in Lisbon. The company has applied Gen2 tags to 150,000 items in what it believes is the world's largest single-store item-level retail application.
RFID solutions provider IPICO has announced an order from the South African government for 600,000 UHF tags to be installed in vehicle number plates in the Gauteng province. The company hopes that this initial order could lead to follow-up orders of up to ten million over the next two years alone.
RFID reader module manufacturer SkyeTek announced that its M4 contactless payment reader product has been selected by Data Ltd Inc. for integration in that company's ruggedized tablet PC, a 3-in-1 device that offers barcode scanning, magstripe reading, and contactless payment.
Lastly, note the new classified listing below for the Ferroxtag, a new family of HF RFID tags suitable for operation on metallic surfaces. |
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| RFID Tags & Labels | - Ferroxtag HF tags: Smart on Metal! (site)  | | | Upcoming Events | | - RFID World Asia 2008, 8 to 11 April, Suntec Singapore (site) | | - SCAN & RFID CHINA 2008, June 19-21, Guangzhou, China (site) | | - 5th Annual DoD RFID Summit - Feb 26-27 - Arlington, VA (site) | | - RFID Smart Labels USA - Boston, MA - February 20-21, 2008 (site) | | - 2nd Annual Summit on Healthcare Supply Chain Management (site) | | - Global RFID ROI 2008, 29th - 30th January, Munich, Germany (site) | | - Asset Management Conference & Expo, Jan 22-23, Atlanta, GA (site) | | | RTLS & Active RFID | | 
Sponsored by Ekahau | |
| | - Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how! (site) | | | Employment | | - RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting (site) | | | Research & Whitepapers | | - RFID Marketing Strategies Report from RFID Update (site) | | | Products & Services | | - Tag & SpyTM: NOX Surveillance by SimplyRFID (site) | |
World's Largest Item-Level RFID Application Launches
A new bookstore in Portugal uses RFID to track almost all merchandise in what it indicates is the world's largest item-level retail application in a single store. Retailer Byblos Amoreiras has used Gen2 RFID tags to track 150,000 books, periodicals, CDs, and other merchandise since its new 35,000-square-foot superstore opened in Lisbon in December. The system features a variety of RFID-enabled kiosks, handheld readers, and portals that monitor 2,000 locations in the store.
"This isn't a pilot. Byblos is using item-level RFID as part of running their business. From a technology point of view, it is a complete solution," Gordon Adams of Vue Technology told RFID Update. Vue's item-level RFID management software is used in the system. "As far as we know, it's the largest item-level deployment anywhere in the world."
The system was designed to help customers quickly locate items, and features 40 customer information kiosks throughout the store. Customers can use the kiosks to browse products, see what's in stock, and to be directed to the proper stock locations. The kiosks themselves have embedded RFID readers that help monitor the 2,000 location zones designated throughout the store. There are also 14 RFID-enabled point-of-sale (POS) stations that read RFID tags at checkout. Portal readers monitor doorways, and sound an alarm if they detect a tagged item leaving the store that wasn't recorded at the POS terminal. Byblos also has ten handheld RFID readers that employees use for cycle counting and inventory management.
"Our goal is to combine the most sophisticated means and the maximum attention to detail to provide a superior experience to the customer," Byblos COO Rui Gaspar said in Vue's announcement. "Based on what we have seen in other trials of item-level RFID, we are confident that our investment in RFID will provide the best shopping experience available and ensure that customers can always find the products they need."
Netherlands-based book retailer BGN previously implemented item-level tracking and reported sales increases of ten to 15 percent attributed to the improved ability to find inventory in stores (see Bookstore Item-Level RFID Tagging Boosts Sales).
Byblos creates and applies its own RFID labels, and does not rely on suppliers to provide them. The company uses provisioning software from Vue and printer/encoders from Paxar to encode the EAN bar code number on each item into a Gen2 smart label.
Vue's TrueVUE Platform and TrueVUE Essentials manage RFID data and applications. Portugal's Creativesystems provided systems integration services, using portals from Alien Technology, handheld readers from Nordic ID, and readers from Advanced ID in the kiosks and POS terminals. Creativesystems is emerging as an integration leader for item-level systems in Portugal, having previously worked with Throttleman for apparel tracking in retail (see TAGSYS Announces Two Apparel RFID Deployments) and Vicaima for production tracking (see Alien Looks to Channel, Non-Mandate RFID Adoption).
Byblos plans to open four more RFID-enabled superstores this year and five in 2009. The range of applications and scale of the Lisbon project set the system apart from other retail item-level programs according to Vue's Adams. BGN has also provided item-level tagging systems for the aforementioned BGN and Germany's METRO Group, who last year emerged as the leading RFID adopter for retail (see METRO Unveils Warehouse-to-Checkout RFID System).
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| RFID Tags & Labels | Ferroxtag HF tags: Smart on Metal!
Ferroxtag is a new family of HF RFID tags suitable for operation on metallic surfaces. Ferroxtag's special ferrite antenna was developed using Ferroxcube's years of experience in ferrite technology. The high performance antenna means longer read range with a smaller tag. Visit www.ferroxtag.com | | | Upcoming Events | RFID World Asia 2008, 8 to 11 April, Suntec Singapore
RFID World Asia 2008 is THE event for finding out the transforming power of RFID for your business and its future. Sign up now for RFID Asia Summit 2008, targeted at senior-level executives; to understand and reap the benefits of this new business tool. For more information go to www.terrapinn.com/2008/rfid | SCAN & RFID CHINA 2008, June 19-21, Guangzhou, China
As one of the earliest, most specialized and authoritative exhibitions in China, approved and supported directly from State Ministry, the 8th SCAN & RFID CHINA 2008 will present you the impressive up-dated development and market of RFID technology in rising China. To know more, please go to www.scan-china.com. | 5th Annual DoD RFID Summit - Feb 26-27 - Arlington, VA
If you conduct business with the Department of Defense (DoD), you need to be at the DoD RFID Summit to stay abreast of the latest technology developments and take advantage of the "roll-up-your-sleeves" RFID implementation guidance that will be delivered for DoD personnel and DoD suppliers! Register now at www.DoDRFIDsummit.com. | RFID Smart Labels USA - Boston, MA - February 20-21, 2008
RFID Smart Labels USA 2008; the seventh annual analyst-driven event covers the hot RFID sectors, full technology analysis and market insight. February 20-21, 2008, in Boston, MA. Visit www.IDTechEx.com/USA to find out more and register. | 2nd Annual Summit on Healthcare Supply Chain Management
The 2nd Annual World Congress Leadership Summit on Healthcare Supply Chain Management will present strategic solutions to the challenges of accelerating financial returns, containing costs, implementing information technology, streamlining supply chain management processes and controlling physician preference items. Visit: www.worldcongress.com/supplychain | Global RFID ROI 2008, 29th - 30th January, Munich, Germany
Taking place 29th and 30th January, Global RFID ROI 2008 is bringing together the leading RFID practitioners from a broad cross section of industries that will give you the opportunity of discovering the real ROI behind RFID implementation. View the full programme at http://www.rfid-roi.com/downloadpdfx2.asp and to register, please call 0044 207 202 7558. | Asset Management Conference & Expo, Jan 22-23, Atlanta, GA
How much control do you have over your assets? Failure to manage assets can result in underuse, misplaced items, poor maintenance, increased operational costs, legal liabilities, and financial reporting errors. Attend the Expo and learn to increase asset visibility & life-cycle management, implement process & operational improvement, and explore the newest technologies. www.AssetExpo.com. | | | RTLS & Active RFID | Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how!
Ekahau RTLS (Real-Time Location System) automatically tracks assets and people via your existing Wi-Fi network. Control costs and improve asset management with Ekahau. For more information, visit us at www.ekahau.com. | | | Employment | RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting
Whether your company is looking for the best RFID talent or you have the best RFID talent and are looking for the best RFID employer, RFID Recruiters offers the most focused approach to your objective. To learn how the RFID industry and the RFID job market are evolving, visit www.rfidrecruiters.com | | | Research & Whitepapers | RFID Marketing Strategies Report from RFID Update
Thirty-nine pages of original research on RFID audience perceptions, including 30+ figures of tactics, content & messaging, and recommendations to guide marketing strategy. Also, Top-10 RFID company rankings based on 550+ survey respondents. View the executive summary free, with Top-3 sample rankings. Only $495 Individual License or $795 Corporate License. Available now | | | Products & Services | Tag & SpyTM: NOX Surveillance by SimplyRFID
Find out "Who Took It" and "Where It Is Now" with our "Stealth to Catch the Stealthy" RFID Surveillance systems. Alerts direct to your cell phone. Unprecedented accuracy and court-usable identification. Protect valuable equipment and documents! From the people trusted by more than 2,000 DoD (Department of Defense) Suppliers. Visit: www.SimplyRFID.com |
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RFID Update is the RFID industry daily. Launched in early 2004 to provide timely analysis of RFID industry news, RFID Update publishes editorial briefings every weekday for the growing ranks of top level executives involved in the deployment of RFID. Each issue delivers the breaking news and analysis most pertinent to successful RFID implementations, allowing readers to understand global RFID developments as they happen.
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