Week of 9/2/08

RFID 24-7: Your source for news and trends from the RFID and auto-ID industry

Lead Story

RFID use exploding at HP

Consumer electronics giant Hewlett-Packard is experiencing burgeoning growth in its RFID division. The company expects to consume about 15 million RFID tags this year -- up from the 10 million it used two years ago -- as it offers new commercial services and increases the number of products it tags. If usage continues to explode, HP’s consumption could climb dramatically.

"The ideas that people bring forward to us
are amazing."
Frank Lanza

"If you asked me a year ago I’d have said its not growing as fast as we’d have liked, but now the amount of interest that our customers have on this topic is incredible," said Frank Lanza, worldwide RFID director for HP.

Read full article here

DHL and METRO Group debut largest RFID rollout in France

Beginning this fall, DHL will equip all shipments to 89 Metro Cash & Carry stores in France with RFID tags and track them along the entire supply chain. Some 1.3 million pallets will be fitted with tags annually to monitor the Metro supply chain in the largest RFID rollout in French retail logistics.

Read the company press release

Swiss retailer Manor deploys Reva and Sirit for RFID

Manor has installed RFID equipment at two distribution centers and in department stores in an effort to deliver enhanced operating performance and manageable operations for the largest retailer in Switzerland.

Read the company press release

RFID Security Alliance emerges as new industry resource

New group aims to drive market education and dialog about security and privacy issues surrounding the use of RFID solutions and applications and to foster an environment that leads to the sensible and rapid adoption of secure RFID solutions.

Read the company press release

PeakWorks equips fall protection equipment with RFID; provides full safety traceability

By joining N4 Systems' Field ID Safety Network, an automated inspection and real-time safety compliance management software, PeakWorks can provide safety traceability to distributors, inspectors and end users.

Read the company press release

RedPrairie RFID-enabled WMS improves yard management visibility

By using RFID to track trailers from gate check-in through check-out, customers will be able to reduce the time, cost and uncertainties of managing trailer movements within their campuses.

Read the company press release

Study shows promise for item level RFID in retail environment

New research by the RFID Research Center revealed promising results for item level tagging. Researchers tested three retail scenarios, yielding read-rate percentages at or near 100 percent. Researchers attached passive, UHF, Gen 2 tags to items including shirts, pants, socks, underwear and shoes.

Read the company press release

ThingMagic announces firmware upgrade to Mercury5 embedded RFID readers

The Mercury5 reader upgrade supports improvements to the Gen 2 "Q" optimization algorithm and reduced channel hop time, thereby increasing Mercury5 module read rate performance.

Read the company press release

Issue: 0208

From the Editor

Welcome to RFID 24-7, your source for news and trends from the RFID and auto-ID industry.

These are exciting times for the RFID industry. In our lead story, HP RFID guru Frank Lanza explains that business is booming for the consumer electronics giant’s RFID services division. Also in this issue, learn about two major item level rollouts as retailers around the world continue to embrace item level technology.

We welcome your feedback. Let us know what you think of the issue, and any topics you'd like to see covered in the future.

About the Editor

John R. Johnson is a veteran business and technology journalist with over 15 years of experience covering RFID technology and supply chain topics, first as editor of Warehousing Management and most recently as editor of DC Velocity.
More info