METRO Group selects UPM Raflatac for China pilot project

UPM Raflatac, an RFID tag and inlay manufacturer, has announced that it is taking part in the largest retail RFID pilot project in China. The company has been selected by retail giant METRO Group to supply its Rafsec G2 ShortDipole RFID inlays for an innovative pilot scheme that will see products tracked along the supply chain from China to Germany.

UPM Raflatac will provide its EPC Gen2 UHF tags for the METRO Group’s pioneering project ‘Advanced Logistics Asia’. The inlays, converted into four-inch by six-inch labels, by RFID Systems and Supplies Limited (RSS), will be tested at package level using different product categories. The RFID tagged packages will be monitored as they are shipped from the consolidation center in China to METRO operations in Germany. 

‘This is a very exciting time for us,’ commented Edward Lu, UPM Raflatac’s business development director, Asia. ‘Although only at the pilot stage, the potential of this project for us as a company is clearly evident. Being chosen by METRO Group emphasizes both our expertise in supporting large-scale projects and the undeniable quality of our RFID inlays.’

The METRO Group is ‘leading the way in its use of RFID technology to streamline and drive down costs in its supply chain management processes’, according to a statement. The retailer now wants to extend the use of the technology to where the supply processes begin ­with the manufacturer.

UPM Raflatac will work alongside RSS, METRO Group and ADT Hong Kong, Tyco Fire & Security, to ensure the China tests are successful.