Where Is the Tipping Point?

Finding the Forest Amid the Trees

Many mainstream business journalists seem intent on dismissing radio frequency identification technology because it hasn't transformed the multitrillion-dollar supply chain overnight. They seem oblivious to the fact that RFID is spreading into every corner of the global economy, as reflected by these recent headlines from RFID journal's Web site.

Berliner Wasserbetriebe Gets RFID Tagging Project Flowing
German utility tracks equipment at 17,000 locations.

Anticipating ROI, Rewe Expands Its RFID Deployment
European food retailer to receive 3,000 tagged pallets per day.


The Eastern U.S.'s Fourth-Busiest Port Embraces RFID
South Carolina State Ports Authority tracks shipping containers.

Unirope RFID-Enables Inspections for Industrial Slings
The Canadian provider of slings used by cargo-lifting cranes tracks the maintenance and safety-inspection process.

U.S. Military Ramps Up Adoption of Satcom-RFID Kits
The military combines RFID and satellite communications to track and manage supply shipments in the field.

Moscow Metro Tries RFID-Enabled Ticketing
The transit agency looks to improve efficiency and reduce ticket fraud.

Discover Teaming With Motorola on NFC, Mobile-Banking Trial
U.S. consumers use their mobile phones to make payments and more.

Pfizer Prepares for Viagra E-Pedigree Trial
The drugmaker will document RFID-tagged bottles of Viagra as they move across the supply chain.

Florida to Require RFID Tagging for Some Exotic Pets
The state will require owners to implant LF tags in non-native reptiles.

RFID Tidies Up Distribution of Hospital Scrubs
A Norwegian hospital uses RFID to track work garments, saving labor costs while improving inventory accuracy.

Mitsukoshi and Shiseido Test Tagged Cosmetics
The Japanese companies aim to create the "department store of the future."

Wisconsin Ups RFID-Adoption Incentives for Cattle Growers
To encourage the use of RFID tags for the vast majority of the state's livestock, Wisconsin is covering 50 percent of the tags' cost.

South African Railroad Switches to Passive RFID
The region's largest rail operator will track its fleet of 80,000 freight railcars.

Mexican Bus Company Fights Tire Theft With RFID
The tire-tracking system could also improve tire maintenance.

Greek RFID Pilot Collects Garbage
The city of Aspropyrgos is tracking refuse bins to manage the process.