RFID Inside Track- July 2008 - Ship2Save Interview

1. What does Ship2Save do?

In operation since 2001, Ship2Save designs and implements innovative RFID solutions for the transportation, manufacturing, warehousing, sea freight, retail, consumer goods, aerospace, natural resource and automotive industries. Ship2Save's offering includes a core proprietary middleware (Ship2Save Operation Management System), an asset tracking application (Unit in Transit System), and RFID system integration services that incorporate customized software, hardware and formal training into effective business development models.

2. What problems are you solving for customers?

Our solutions revolve around process improvement by enabling automatic data capture in order to eliminate non-value added activities and improve information accuracy and accessibility. The overall result of increased visibility of operational systems enables timely and better decision making, directly impacting our customers' bottom line.

3. How did you come to select Impinj as a partner?

We require RFID hardware to complete our solutions, and as a system integrator we deem it a duty to equip our customers with the best that RFID technology can offer. Every project requires careful selection and testing of various hardware. Recently, Impinj readers were shown to give the best results for the specific project we were working on. We bring value to Impinj by demonstrating the excellence of their product line in the context of our innovative solutions. We feel that our partnership is ideal because both organizations place high importance on teamwork and constant internal improvement.

4. What pilots/deployments are you working on?

A current deployment includes developing a smart cabinet system to authenticate keys at a luxury car dealership. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were lost when thieves created and turned in a duplicate key during a test drive. They later used the original key to drive the car off the lot, often half an hour later that day. The purpose of the system is to prevent car theft without actually confronting would-be thieves, and thereby avoiding insurance increases.

5. Are your customers primarily interested in open or closed-loop applications?

We strongly believe that the full benefits derived from the use of RFID technology will only be achieved via open-loop applications or as some call it, the establishment of an electronic collaborative marketplace. Although economic influencers such as Wal-Mart and the DoD are helping us to move more quickly toward this concept of mutual trust and the resulting total supply chain visibility, businesses are reluctant to take on the associated costs today for a return that may or may not happen. Most of our customers are interested in closed-loop applications because these address more short-term solutions, and therefore bring a faster return.

6. How quickly can a customer achieve ROI in an RFID deployment?

Achieving ROI in an RFID project depends on various factors. The most crucial one is whether the customer has the necessary metrics to quantify pre- and post-deployment costs and benefits. Second, the experience of the integrator and the reliability of the hardware selected ensure that the project is successful. An ROI can occur from as quickly as a few months to a few years depending on the solution's design and complexity.

7. What interest have you seen in case/pallet vs. item-level tagging (or far-field vs. near-field UHF) applications?

There is interest for both levels of tagging. However, there is still a preoccupation with the cost of tagging items at the current price of UHF tags. As a result, case/pallet tagging is currently more prevalent than item-tagging because of the usual concern regarding the enormous variable costs of labels when high volumes are involved. Wal-Mart, DoD, and other influencers have supplier mandates that are contributing to increasing case-level tagging. However, item-level tagging will probably be more prevalent at the retail level, so this market may contribute a second phase of such mandates.

8. What are some misconceptions customers have about RFID?

The biggest misconception we have come across among our customers is that RFID technology can solve anything. We make sure not to overpromise anything, and insist on carrying out a feasibility evaluation before even starting the proof-of-concept. Another misconstrued issue is the impact of the applications on privacy. There is a large amount of misinformation regarding RFID technology use, and its resulting read range and tracking potential.

9. What have you learned from past pilots/deployments?

The biggest lesson learned is that clear communication between integrators and all the stakeholders (client, unions, technology partners, etc.) is crucial for a successful project. We also realize that each solution requires tailoring, because no two processes are alike even when they seem to be at first glance.

10. How do Impinj's chip and reader perform compared to competitors?

Impinj's reader has demonstrated great reliability with consistent tag reads and up time. Our organization also values the unique characteristics of Impinj's chip that include near-field and far-field capabilities. Similarly, the Impinj reader's near-field ability sets it apart from all other competitors.




	INDUSTRY INSIDER: SHIP2SAVE INTERVIEW WITH AMNINDER SINGH Vice President Products & Services 1. What does Ship2Save do? In operation since 2001, Ship2Save designs and implements innovative RFID solutions for the transportation, manufacturing, warehousing, sea freight, retail, consumer goods, aerospace, natural resource and automotive industries. Ship2Save's offering includes a core proprietary middleware (Ship2Save Operation Management System), an asset tracking application (Unit in Transit System), and RFID system integration services that incorporate customized software, hardware and formal training into effective business development models. 2. What problems are you solving for customers? Our solutions revolve around process improvement by enabling automatic data capture in order to eliminate non-value added activities and improve information accuracy and accessibility. The overall result of increased visibility of operational systems enables timely and better decision making, directly impacting our customers' bottom line. 3. How did you come to select Impinj as a partner? We require RFID hardware to complete our solutions, and as a system integrator we deem it a duty to equip our customers with the best that RFID technology can offer. Every project requires careful selection and testing of various hardware. Recently, Impinj readers were shown to give the best results for the specific project we were working on. We bring value to Impinj by demonstrating the excellence of their product line in the context of our innovative solutions. We feel that our partnership is ideal because both organizations place high importance on teamwork and constant internal improvement. 4. What pilots/deployments are you working on? A current deployment includes developing a smart cabinet system to authenticate keys at a luxury car dealership. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were lost when thieves created and turned in a duplicate key during a test drive. They later used the original key to drive the car off the lot, often half an hour later that day. The purpose of the system is to prevent car theft without actually confronting would-be thieves, and thereby avoiding insurance increases. 5. Are your customers primarily interested in open or closed-loop applications? We strongly believe that the full benefits derived from the use of RFID technology will only be achieved via open-loop applications or as some call it, the establishment of an electronic collaborative marketplace. Although economic influencers such as Wal-Mart and the DoD are helping us to move more quickly toward this concept of mutual trust and the resulting total supply chain visibility, businesses are reluctant to take on the associated costs today for a return that may or may not happen. Most of our customers are interested in closed-loop applications because these address more short-term solutions, and therefore bring a faster return. 6. How quickly can a customer achieve ROI in an RFID deployment? Achieving ROI in an RFID project depends on various factors. The most crucial one is whether the customer has the necessary metrics to quantify pre- and post-deployment costs and benefits. Second, the experience of the integrator and the reliability of the hardware selected ensure that the project is successful. An ROI can occur from as quickly as a few months to a few years depending on the solution's design and complexity. 7. What interest have you seen in case/pallet vs. item-level tagging (or far-field vs. near-field UHF) applications? There is interest for both levels of tagging. However, there is still a preoccupation with the cost of tagging items at the current price of UHF tags. As a result, case/pallet tagging is currently more prevalent than item-tagging because of the usual concern regarding the enormous variable costs of labels when high volumes are involved. Wal-Mart, DoD, and other influencers have supplier mandates that are contributing to increasing case-level tagging. However, item-level tagging will probably be more prevalent at the retail level, so this market may contribute a second phase of such mandates. 8. What are some misconceptions customers have about RFID? The biggest misconception we have come across among our customers is that RFID technology can solve anything. We make sure not to overpromise anything, and insist on carrying out a feasibility evaluation before even starting the proof-of-concept. Another misconstrued issue is the impact of the applications on privacy. There is a large amount of misinformation regarding RFID technology use, and its resulting read range and tracking potential. 9. What have you learned from past pilots/deployments? The biggest lesson learned is that clear communication between integrators and all the stakeholders (client, unions, technology partners, etc.) is crucial for a successful project. We also realize that each solution requires tailoring, because no two processes are alike even when they seem to be at first glance. 10. How do Impinj's chip and reader perform compared to competitors? Impinj's reader has demonstrated great reliability with consistent tag reads and up time. Our organization also values the unique characteristics of Impinj's chip that include near-field and far-field capabilities. Similarly, the Impinj reader's near-field ability sets it apart from all other competitors. © 2008, Impinj, Inc.	JULY 2008 VOL. 2 ISSUE 2 Impinj RFID Acquisition Hospital EMI Report View Inside Industry Insider Did You Know? 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