First EPC Gen 2 tagged pallets shipped to Wal-Mart

The Educational & Productivity Solutions (E&PS) business of Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) has announced it is the first consumer goods supplier to ship RFID tagged cases and pallets based on the Generation 2 (Gen 2) Electronic Product Code (EPC) specification to Wal-Mart. Starting with a dozen product lines shipped to five distribution centers, TI E&PS, a Wal-Mart next 200 supplier, is tagging cases and pallets of its market-leading graphing, scientific and financial calculators using Gen 2 smart label solutions from Texas Instruments RFID Systems, NCR Corporation and Zebra Technologies.

Initially 12 of TI's core calculator product lines, which represent 100 per cent of the products being shipped to and carried by Wal-Mart, now carry Gen 2 tags. 

Driving to set the standard for best-in-class in international supply chains, TI EP&S is adopting EPC Gen 2 solutions as a platform to facilitate advanced data exchange and processing capabilities on a global basis with its retail trading partners.  Advancements in retail supply chain data exchange processes enabled by EPC Gen 2 will allow TI E&PS to achieve improved product visibility and lower out-of-stocks at the retail store. TI EP&S began its development and implementation of EPC Gen 2 in 2004, deciding to leapfrog legacy EPC Gen 1 solutions which will be phased out in 2006. In building its Gen 2 implementation plan, TI worked closely with retail partner Wal-Mart.

‘TI is ahead of the curve with Gen 2 adoption, and we commend them on being the first to begin Gen 2 tagging of cases and pallets in support of Wal-Mart's RFID expansion plans in 2006,’ said Simon Langford, RFID strategy manager at Wal-Mart.

‘This marks a significant milestone for our business and the industry as a whole,’ said Keith Hodnett, vice president, Texas Instruments and supply chain manager for E&PS. ‘Moving forward, we are prepared to expand our Gen 2 efforts with other retail trading partners when they are ready.’

In July 2005, Texas Instruments RFID Systems began production of its EPC Gen 2 inlays and straps, leveraging its experience in delivering highly reliable, high volume and easy- to-integrate solutions to label converters and printer customers. Proving its success driving interoperability of its tags with leading smart label, printer and reader manufacturers, TI has accelerated Gen 2 market adoption by consumer goods manufacturers and retailers.