Rafsec develops system to automatically apply UHF RFID tags

UPM Rafsec has announced its successful participation in METRO Group’s RFID roll-out and in creating the first automatic pallet labeling device for UHF RFID tags for Nestl. This solution, facilitated by Nestl, was created in collaboration with SATO Deutschland GmbH, a leading manufacturer of label and barcode printers and a specialist in data collection systems (DCS) and RFID.

METRO Group started its RFID roll-out in the first week of November. The mandate means that since November, twenty of METRO Group’s leading suppliers are delivering many of their product pallets with RFID tags.

‘Through its partner network UPM Rafsec has been able to supply the tags utilized by a majority of the 20 METRO Group suppliers,’ comments Samuli Strmberg, business development director at UPM Rafsec. ‘One big factor of success is that UPM Rafsec’s product development team was able to participate in the first site tests and gain precious application knowledge to support its solutions provider partners. The UPM Rafsec Flag Tag we supply with our partners to the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) industry is a printer friendly solution for tagging all pallets with just one type of tag. It is the only shipping label compatible tagging solution available on the market today which functions virtually for all applications.’

Nestl is participating in METRO Group’s broad-based RFID initiative and is now in a position to automatically label pallets of goods intended for the retailer with fully functional UHF RFID tags. UPM Rafsec and SATO engineers carried out intensive tests at Nestl distribution centers in Ldinghausen to develop what is claimed to be the first functional solution for UHF RFID labeling. The new automatic labeling unit is due to go into operation at the Nestl distribution center in Rangsdorf in January 2005.