RR Donnelley and Smartrac to jointly market RFID-based smart packaging and labels

Both companies will bring specific strengths to the collaboration, with RR Donnelley to leverage its unique printed electronics capabilities including customized antenna design and printing, and its position in the labels and packaging markets. RR Donnelley’s CustomWave RFID smart label technology offers longer and more reliable RFID reads, thinner final products that fit up to 30 percent more labels per roll and are more environmentally friendly, and the ability to incorporate RFID technology without compromising the branded communications on products. It also offers a proprietary printed electronics production process that uses fewer materials and steps to build cost-effective smart labels. Smartrac will contribute its extensive chip attach capacity, plus the data collection and processing capabilities of Smart Cosmos, the company's IoT platform.

By leveraging each other's fields of expertise, the companies have developed a unique method for manufacturing RAIN inlays using two distinct components that do not need to be adhered together. This method expands upon current use cases and creates new opportunities for value-added products and services. For example, it provides brand owners a means to simplify their RFID compliance needs by making all product tags, labels and packaging RFID-ready and then enabling them on an as-needed basis. Additional use cases include inventory management, asset tracking, authentication, retail theft prevention, consumer engagement and others.

Dan Knotts, RR Donnelley chief operating officer, said: ‘This agreement leverages the scale and expertise that our respective companies possess, allowing us to bring innovative RFID solutions to customers across many market segments, in whatever form they require. Our joint developments with Smartrac will also enable a wider variety of RFID-based value-added services, helping to broaden adoption of RAIN UHF RFID technology.’

Christian Uhl, CEO and chairman of the management board of Smartrac Technology Group, described the partnership as a ‘collaboration of equals’, and said: ‘This collaboration will not only strengthen and broaden our product portfolio but also boost our company's development abilities and support our transition into a provider of solutions that are based on RFID and IoT technology. In particular, we will take advantage of our joint strengths to drive IoT innovations in smart labeling and packaging.’