Hyundai/Kia Motors Group Implements RFID

Hyundai/Kia Motors Group will be implementing RFID to improve the visibility of its automotive parts supply chain controlled by company partner, Glovis. Starting in March, Glovis will begin receiving RFID tagged boxes of automotive parts from more than 200 suppliers. Using RFID and EPC middleware, Glovis will track corrugated cardboard boxes of automotive parts through the major SCM processes, including delivery to the distribution center and final delivery to Hyundai/Kia's overseas factory.

The first phase of the project enlists the support of the South Korean Ministry of Commerce Industry and Energy. Approximately 130,000 UPM Raflatac (www.upmraflatac.com) UHF RFID tags will be applied to parts boxes and packaging cases from five major suppliers. In the second phase of the project, 20 million UPM Raflatac RFID tags will be used annually to track all boxes and containers of automotive parts through the supply chain. The project's scope will also be broadened to include Hyundai/Kia Motor's Slovakia factory as well as another major manufacturing site.

Until now, Glovis has applied barcode labels with shipping marks to the parts boxes, which has made it difficult to automate distribution and acquire real-time distribution information. Occasional human error during repacking is an additional cost burden to Glovis and the manufacturer, due to lead times for re-dispatch any conflicts in production scheduling.

PDC Supplies RFID Wristbands for South By Southwest Festivals

Precision Dynamics Corporation (www.pdcorp.com) will supply Smart Band RFID wristbands for South by Southwest's SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Festivals, which takes place March 9-18 in Austin, TX. This marks the fourth year SXSW has implemented PDC RFID solutions to automate admissions, prevent counterfeits, and improve attendee's overall experience.

More than 36,000 attendees will be present at SXSW festivals and trade shows including conference participants, trade show attendees, and media. Admission tickets will consist of either a PDC Smart Band RFID Wristband or an RFID enabled access badge.

General admissions and volunteer workers will use a Smart Band imprinted with the official SXSW logo. The RFID chip embedded in the wristband contains a unique identification number which verifies the authenticity of the band and is encrypted for increased security. Industry attendees — such as bands, conference speakers, and participants — will use an RFID-enabled badge, also encrypted with a unique ID number, providing admission for special areas.

In 2003, SXSW counterfeit wristbands were sold with a total face value of as much as $500,000. Since the implementation of PDC Smart Band RFID Wristbands, instances of counterfeit activity has been eliminated.

"Smart Band is practically counterfeit-proof. It is nearly impossible to duplicate an RFID chip and then place it on a wristband," says Douglas Bourque, PDC RFID Market Development Manager. "The RFID readers used at the even are programmed to detect fraudulent RFID wristbands eliminating loss of revenue and unexpected overcrowding due to counterfeit sales."

Aside from discouraging counterfeits, the RFID wristbands have added functionality to help enhance SXSW operations. The RFID wristbands have the capability to obtain basic metrics, such as the number of total attendees, dollar amount of purchases made at bars or concession stands, work-hours and break time for volunteers, and more. The wristbands use a passive 13.56 MHz RFID inlet and cannot and do not track the location of attendees.

UPM Raflatac Increases Prodcution Capacity

UPM Raflatac (www.upmraflatac.com) announced that it is doubling the RFID tag and inlay production capacity at its Jyväskylä production plant in Finland. With this capacity increase, the company addresses rapidly growing demand for both HF and UHF products. The additional RFID tag production capacity will be installed and ready for use in March 2007, when UPM Raflatac RFID production plant in Jyväskylä, Central Finland, moves to new, modern premises in the same area. The company also has a plant in North Carolina. Both production plants serve RFID markets globally.

"Our sales have developed positively over the past two years," says Christer Härkönen, Senior Vice President, RFID, UPM Raflatac. "To support growing customer demand, we've decided to increase our production capacity in Finland. With twice the capacity, we'll be able to secure out leading position in the market."

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