Contact Information: Editorial Contacts: Jim Donaldson Impinj, Inc. 206-834-1091 Email Contact Lynda Kaye Mango Communications for Impinj 650-799-2888 Email Contact
Impinj and METRO Group to Jointly Develop UHF RFID Item-Level Solution for Tagging Garments
High-Performance Readers and Tags to Enhance Garment Inventory Management in Retail Setting
| Source: Impinj, Inc.
SEATTLE, WA and DÜSSELDORF-GRAFENBERG, GERMANY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- March 27, 2007 -- Leading
radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader and chip supplier Impinj, Inc.
and leading German retailer METRO Group today announced that they will
jointly develop a comprehensive UHF Gen 2 item-level RFID technology
solution for tagging high-value garments and accessories.
Impinj, a pioneer in using UHF RFID for item-level tagging and a member of
the METRO Group Future Store Initiative, and METRO Group, one of the most
important international retailing companies, will use Impinj's
GrandPrix™ UHF RFID solution to provide real-time visibility into
Metro's retail garment operations. This platform comprises Impinj's UHF
Gen 2 Speedway™ readers with application-specific near-field antennas
and item-level tags powered by Impinj's Monza™ UHF Gen 2 silicon chips.
"Metro recognizes the importance of adopting a single, global RFID standard
for tagging pallets, cases, and items, and we anticipate a significant
return on investment for tagging high-value garments," said Dr. Gerd
Wolfram, Managing Director, MGI METRO Group Information Technology. "Given
Impinj's pioneering work in developing UHF Gen 2 RFID solutions,
particularly for item-level tagging, and given Metro's leading role in
adopting RFID to improve and streamline retail operations, it is only
natural that we work together to develop a UHF RFID solution for tagging
garments."
"We are pleased to be given the opportunity to provide our technology for
this important UHF Gen 2 item-level RFID project," said Chris Diorio,
chairman and CTO of Impinj. "Item-level tagging has the potential to
significantly improve Metro's retail operations by providing immediate
visibility into the location and status of each and every garment. In this
retail setting, as in all other applications for item tagging, Impinj and
Metro will focus considerable effort on the ROI of item tagging."
Successfully deployed in distribution centers and retail stores worldwide,
Impinj's GrandPrix solution addresses the most important deployment
criteria for supply chain and item-level environments -- high inventory
reliability. Impinj's Speedway reader and Monza chips carry EPCglobal's
Gen 2 Conformance Certification and Interoperability Certification marks,
ensuring conformance to and interoperability with worldwide RFID standards.
The Speedway reader, certified for operation in Europe under the rules of
the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI), also carries the
CE mark, indicating its compliance with all relevant health, safety and
environmental regulations in Europe, and further complies with the European
Union's Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) guidelines.
About Impinj, Inc.
Impinj, Inc. is a semiconductor and RFID company whose patented
Self-Adaptive Silicon® technology enables its two synergistic business
lines: high-performance RFID products and semiconductor intellectual
property (IP). A leading contributor to the RFID standards for high-volume
supply-chain applications worldwide, Impinj leverages its technical
expertise and industry partnerships to deliver the GrandPrix™ solution,
comprising tags, readers, software and systems integration to offer RFID
that just works™. Impinj's innovative IP products, core to the company's
RFID tags, are licensed to leading semiconductor companies worldwide,
allowing them to seamlessly integrate crucial nonvolatile memory (NVM)
alongside analog and digital functionality on a single chip. Impinj's IP
products include the popular AEON® family of embeddable cores, which
provides rewriteable NVM technology in logic CMOS manufacturing. For more
information, visit www.impinj.com.
Impinj, Speedway, Self-Adaptive Silicon, GrandPrix, Monza, "RFID that just
works," and AEON are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Impinj,
Inc.
About METRO Group
METRO Group is one of the most important international retailing companies.
In 2006 the group reached sales of about EUR 60 billion. The company has a
headcount of some 270,000 employees and operates about 2,400 outlets in 30
countries. The operating business is performed by the sales brands which
operate independently in the market: Metro/Makro Cash & Carry -- world
market leader in cash & carry wholesale, Real hypermarkets and Extra
supermarkets, Media Markt and Saturn -- market leader in consumer
electronics centers in Europe, and Galeria Kaufhof department stores. More
information at: www.metrogroup.de.