 Checkpoint
Systems Launches Broad Portfolio of Solutions for
Large-Scale RFID Deployments in Apparel Retail
Includes High-Speed Bulk Tag Commissioning, Expanded RFID
Service Bureaus, In-Plant Printing, New RFID Tags for
Merchandise Visibility, Loss Prevention
PHILADELPHIA — Feb. 22, 2012 -- Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CKP),
a leading global supplier of shrink management, merchandise
visibility and apparel labeling solutions for the retail
industry, today announced its expanded and new RFID encoding
solutions and the expansion of its RFID tag portfolio for
apparel brands and their retail partners, as well as
closed-loop apparel retailers and department stores.
Checkpoint’s growing RFID portfolio of hardware, software,
tags, and service and support offerings provides further
value for the increasing number of apparel retailers seeking
to deploy RFID broadly throughout their operations to
increase sales, reduce out - of - stocks, reduce working
capital, as well as enhance loss prevention efforts and
consumer experience.
"We developed these offerings specifically to meet the needs
of retailers and vendors that are scaling their RFID
initiatives," said Per Levin, Checkpoint Systems’ worldwide
president,
Merchandise Visibility and
Apparel Labeling
Solutions. "As apparel retailers increasingly adopt RFID-based
solutions, they are looking for scalable, deployable,
operational solution sets, and we’re particularly proud to
announce this world-class capability to enable their
success."
Expanded, New RFID
Encoding Solutions
Checkpoint now offers suppliers and retailers three ways in
which to uniquely encode tags:
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High-Speed Bulk Encoding: This
solution enables the encoding at a distribution
center (DC) of RFID tags applied
onto multiple items in a single box at operational speed,
significantly reducing the time needed to encode large
quantities of merchandise. Upon reviewing the DC’s existing
operations, Checkpoint implements an RFID system that
addresses the facility’s unique needs. This solution ensures
the fastest and most accurate encoding of Electronic Product
Code (EPC) numbers without the need to open boxes and handle
individual garments. It includes best-in-class hardware and
software to ensure the highest levels of accuracy and
encoding speed. High-speed bulk encoding is under
implementation in multiple locations.
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Expanded Service Bureaus:
Checkpoint now offers RFID
service bureaus in Asia, Europe, Central America and North
America for rapid encoding and printing. With this rapid
turn-around approach, Checkpoint encodes unique EPC numbers,
prints variable data on labels in the company’s own print
shops and ships the labels to suppliers’ tagging locations
world-wide.
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In-Plant Printing: In some
cases, apparel brands and close-loop retailers need
to manage the tagging process from remote locations
that may not have reliable Internet service,
inhibiting their ability to obtain EPC numbers
needed to print and encode RFID on demand. Checkpoint’s new
In-Plant services enable companies to locally manage the
complete process, including number serialization and tag
printing from these sites.
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All of these new products and services work in conjunction
with Checkpoint’s existing
Open EPC Number Management
Solution, an easy-to-deploy, cloud-based software
application that provides complete global EPC number
management.
"Brand owners are looking for the flexibility to decide
when, where and how they manage their item-level tagging
processes across their global supply chains," said Daniel
Bowman, senior product line manager, Impinj. "We’re
impressed with Checkpoint’s leadership in bringing new
solutions to brand owners and pleased that it has chosen
Impinj’s unique source tagging platform with STP encoding
technology for high-performance bulk commissioning."
RFID Finished Tag
Offerings
Checkpoint now offers a complete line of fully integrated
RFID tags offering the branding information, tactile
benefits and loss prevention benefits of existing hard tags
and apparel labels, with the addition of RFID for inventory
management and loss prevention. The new line includes the
RFID Full-Color Graphic Tag, a custom, finished tag
featuring sophisticated, full-color graphics to meet the
branding needs of apparel retailers. These are high-quality
graphic tags retailers are accustomed to, integrated with
RFID. In addition, Checkpoint’s expanded range of RFID Hard
Tags delivers inventory visibility and shelf availability
while leveraging the same tag for deterrence and loss
prevention.
Checkpoint’s line of integrated tags is available in a
variety of form factors, including swing tickets, woven
labels, care labels, pocket tags and hard tags. It offers a
comprehensive range of tag and label formats for
applications such as Merchandise Visibility and RFID-based
EAS, to work with Checkpoint’s existing RFID Overhead EAS
Solution and RFID Pedestal EAS Solution. With these tags,
Checkpoint addresses the apparel market’s growing desire for
integrating RFID and branding onto one tag.
"We are leveraging Checkpoint’s RFID Hard Tag together with
the RFID Overhead EAS Solution to obtain all of the benefits
of traditional EAS," said Frank Albany, director of Asset
Protection, Under Armour. "We see this as a smart investment
that will enable us to prepare for a broader implementation
of RFID to obtain additional benefits beyond loss
prevention, including better inventory visibility and
enhanced shelf availability."
RFID Tag Inlays
Checkpoint now offers three new tags for apparel brands
optimized for use on apparel merchandise: High-Kick, Whirl
and Triumph. With these tags, Checkpoint delivers a broad
UHF portfolio for EPC-compliant tag solutions, addressing
the needs of leading apparel retailers, as well as their
suppliers that are seeking certified, standards-based tags
for greater visibility into merchandise location and
movement and loss prevention.
Checkpoint’s new tags join the company’s existing tag and
label inlay products: the Item-Level Tag, Case and Pallet
Label, Champion Tag, and anti-theft RFID Hard Tags, all of
which are already in commercial use globally. Each RFID tag
is available with its own unique size, shape and performance
characteristics. In addition, each is optimized for use in
certain categories of apparel products such as basics,
denim, intimates and sporting goods.
"Total solutions are a key end-user requirement in RFID
deployments," said Michael Liard, director of RFID at VDC
Research Group, Inc. "Going forward, the availability of
end-to-end systems comprised of best-of-breed offerings will
play a critical role in helping the retail space transition
to widespread deployment."
 All of today’s announced products and services are available
immediately, with the exception of the In-Plant Printing
Solution, which will be available in March 2012. |
