Motorola & Toppan To Produce Smart Business Forms

Motorola And Toppan Forms Sign Memorandum Of Understanding To Produce Smart Business Forms And Labels

Motorola, Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding with Toppan Forms Co., Ltd., Japan's largest business forms manufacturer, to jointly develop and market "smart" label solutions incorporating Motorola's breakthrough BiStatixt radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The new paper-based solutions - which are scheduled to become commercially available early in 2000 - will contain information that can be read and modified through a wireless interface, making the smart labels and forms an ideal tool for the tracking and efficient routing of materials.

The BiStatix tags and readers in conjunction with forms and labels by Toppan Forms provide a cost-effective solution for companies seeking to improve their business operations in the area of tracking objects, monitoring inventory and other supply-chain related processes.

"We are pleased to combine our experience and know-how in the field of business forms and label applications with Motorola's unique BiStatix RFID technology to provide best-in-class solutions for the market," said Hajime Okubo, Planning Division IC Product Development Group Manager, Toppan Forms. "We expect that our customers within the transportation, retail, access control and other markets will embrace the benefits that this versatile and flexible solution provides them."

Because BiStatix RFID technology uses silicon and printed ink, BiStatix smart labels can be created more effectively than earlier generations of RFID technology-enabled labels, which required the incorporation of a costly metal coil and resonant capacitor. Furthermore, BiStatix smart labels can be read after being folded, crumpled and even ripped, and are also fully disposable.

Additionally, BiStatix tags can be printed easily on paper and other non-conductive surfaces and integrated into existing printing processes. When integrated into the Toppan Forms labels and forms, Motorola's BiStatix RFID technology is uniquely positioned to add value to applications that currently use bar coding. BiStatix tags can be read without clear line of sight and are not rendered unreadable by the effects of moisture, dirt, dust or paint. In addition, while bar code technology is "read-only," BiStatix RFID technology is read/write capable, meaning that the data it contains can be changed, updated and/or locked.

"This agreement with Toppan Forms affords Motorola the opportunity to help improve the way companies do business in the Asia Pacific region, integrating BiStatix RFID technology into everyday forms and labels such as baggage tags, parking lot tickets and inventory control labels," said Francois Dutray, Motorola vice president and general manager, Worldwide Smartcard Solutions Division.

Toppan Forms Co., Ltd. is Japan's leading business forms solutions provider. Toppan Forms offers a wide range of printed products and services to its customers, and has the leading share in the growing data print service market. Toppan Forms is also rapidly expanding its presence in the information management service market in Japan using Internet and other electronic applications. Consolidated sales in Fiscal Year 1999 were 175.8 billion yen. The Toppan Forms Internet address is http://www.toppan-f.co.jp.

Motorola is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 1998 were $29.4 billion.

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