Joe White, vice president of engineering for the company's RFID tag business, said Symbol saw opportunities for RFID systems in many industries in the region, including aviation, transport, logistics, container handling, warehousing and distribution, plus retailing.

White and Alan McNab, senior director of product marketing at Symbol, are in Bangkok for the company's regional conference, held with its software partners and system integrators in Asia. The conference is aimed at promoting the use of RFID systems within the region.

"We [Symbol Technologies] have been involved in RFID since September 2004 when we acquired Matrics Technologies, which is a leader and innovator of the RFID products. We see a growth opportunity for the RFID business by taking Matrics' technology to the retail marketplace," White said. As the "world's leading" RFID supplier, Symbol would be able to expand its presence in this region.

McNab said "providing RFID solutions" was one of the company's four main businesses. Symbol has spent US$300 million (Bt11.3 billion) developing RFID and related products hoping it will be the technology of the future for capturing data.

"We have provided rugged mobile computers as well as bar-code scanners at retail stores at the point of sale. We also invented handheld laser scanners for barcodes 27 years ago. We have also manufactured wireless network equipment or 'wi-fi'," McNab said.

He said Symbol earned over $1 billion last year from mobile computers, and $350 million from handheld scanners, $150 million in wi-fi, and $35 million in RFID.

"We are excited about the prospects of RFID technology, particularly in Asian countries. Our customers particularly in manufacturing see a great deal of promise in this RFID technology."

He said that manufacturers, for instance, had applied RFID to track containers and manage the handling of containers through the customs process more efficiently. RFID could also help manufacturers and retailers manage shrinkage, controlling losses and damage to their products.

Compared to conventional the barcode system, RFID needed no line of sight and could read many tags at one time at a distance of 3 to 4 metres. It had an accuracy rate of 85-90 per cent, he said.

"In the US, we serve many manufacturers that supply products to Walmart, such as Pacific Cycle, a bicycle maker," McNab said, noting that Walmart wanted to increase the number of its top suppliers that use RFID to 300 by the end of the year, from the current 127.

In Thailand, two major companies - TNT Logistics and Colestica, an electronics manufacturer - already used Symbol's RFID system and products in their supply-chain management process.

McNab said that according to a study by Walmart, in conjunction with the University of Arkansas, RFID could help increase sales and product availability by 30 per cent, by minimising stock shortfalls.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation