Versatile and Matrics announce RFID joint venture
Matrics have announced a strategic alliance designed to accelerate
the adoption of mobile RFID technology throughout the consumer
packaged goods (CPG) industry and retail supply chain.
Both companies believe that the alliance will allow clients to reduce their RFID implementation costs, as it brings together Matrics' RFID tag, reader, and Versatile's supply chain execution applications. Benefits in adopting and deploying this combined technology, claims Matrics, include improved inventory accuracy and greater distribution efficiencies throughout the supply chain.
By combining Versatile's mobile applications and the Mobiquity enterprise server, Versatile will provide RFID solutions within the four-walls of the supply chain operation. In particular, these RFID solutions will have significant impact in areas such as inventory visibility, load verification, and order pick operations.
Versatile's Mobiquity RFID Implementation Programme will allow customers to manage the inventory and fulfilment process within the distribution centre, verify the product truck load prior to departure, and handle the disposition process at the distribution point.
The integration of these RFID technologies will be two-fold. Firstly, Versatile will combine Matrics' hardware readers/antennas with various manufacturers' rugged mobile devices. Secondly, Versatile will integrate with leading middleware providers for seamless bi-directional access to the Electronic Product Code (EPC) with Versatile's mobile applications, designed specifically for the CPG sector and retail supply chain.
"We are looking forward to being able to offer the market RFID mobility solutions that utilise the strength of Matrics' products combined with Versatile's mobile mid-market software applications," said Robert Polychron, Versatile president. "We believe it is not too early to develop mobile RFID solutions, which will allow the market to benefit from tomorrow's technology today."
Matrics Channels & Alliances director Jeff McKenna said: "Versatile's strength in mobile commerce, together with their strategic view of RFID as an essential component of mobile solutions make this alliance a logical choice in developing applications for this market."
RFID is fast becoming the de facto technology for ensuring speed, efficiency and reliability of data in the supply chain. As a result, full-scale implementation of RFID will be made available to the large number of retailers and suppliers whose objective is to meet industry mandate deadlines, some of which are set for 2005.
Other RFID-based partnerships include the alliance between Sun Microsystems and Capgemini. Both firms recently launched a jointly-developed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution to enable packaged goods companies to comply with RFID mandates issued by a growing number of leading retailers.
Both Sun and Capgemini claim that the RFID solution is unique because it has been designed from the ground up to optimise the full supply chain. The solution addresses business justification and supply chain modelling, as well as expertise in the application landscape at both the enterprise and middleware levels.
Stringent legislation, consumer concerns about food safety and growing pressure from retailers have forced food manufacturers to look at every possible means of ensuring traceability and efficiency throughout the supply chain. RFID is increasingly being seen as the most viable solution.
The importance of the concept is that it recognises the interconnectness of the food industry. It suggests that that closer collaboration between every aspect of the food supply chain is inevitable.
Legislation has been a significant driver. The recent US Bioterrorism Act and forthcoming EU legislation on traceability have added to the pressure on manufacturers to get their house in order and be able to trace products right through the chain. The problem traditionally has been a lack of investment in the food production sector.
This is now beginning to happen on the manufacturing side, through tracking and tracing and through closer collaboration with retailers. Industry experts believe that over the next few years, manufacturers will have achieved significantly tighter control over their processing and packaging operations.
