Labeling and AIDC pioneer predicts first year sales to hit ¥10 billion

Japan - SATO Corporation today announced its improved industrial traceability system, called “Trace Eye”. The Trace Eye system has been developed to fulfill the needs of manufacturers who need to be able to check the status of the products in real-time. Trace Eye is structured to manage the entire production process from the start to warehousing and delivery.

SATO’s Trace Eye system first collects all real-time information related to the production process including inventory and internal warehousing management. It then sends the gathered information to the production plant, warehouse, and distribution center, facilitating improved traceability as the product passes through the various stages from manufacturing to delivery. The system is structured to fill the tracing requirements of not just the production facility, but also at warehouse and distribution center levels.

Trace Eye is particularly relevant to food and beverage manufacturers who are faced with shelf-life constraints. Japanese beverage maker, Ito En, says it is seriously considering implementing SATO’s “Trace Eye” system within its processes, as it seeks to expand its product range to become a global player in the beverage industry.

The Trace Eye system is capable of tracking all the raw materials used during the manufacture of food and beverages - in accordance to Japan’s rigorous Food Hygiene Law (May 2003), the procedure of product refining, storage, delivery date as well as the quantity needs to be stored. “Trace Eye” collects all this information, processes the details and converts it into electronic data so that this information can now be traced and shared within the organization.

This system is an extension of SATO’s AIDC expertise and technology and SATO’s reputation as a leader in labeling and printer applications. SATO’s history of AIDC success and experience not only expedites the process of implementing this new traceability system for its customers but also, at the same time, improves on customizability, consequently reducing the implementation lead-time.
Trace Eye has four primary configurations and is priced from ¥80,000 to 250,000 (US$730 – 2,281). SATO has set a sales target for the first year (together with printer, label and related equipment sales) at ¥10 billion.

About SATO International
SATO International, previously known as Barcode SATO International Pte Ltd (BSI), is the global sales headquarters of SATO Corporation. Japan-based SATO Corporation is a world leader in automatic identification products including barcode printers. SATO International was incorporated in 2001 to oversee and support sales, marketing and customer service activities at all group member companies. SATO International is the driving force behind SATO Corporation’s global branding strategy and expansion into new markets and territories by initiating new product launches, in addition to identifying and securing new strategic partnerships to expand its comprehensive AIDC business outside of Japan. More information on SATO International can be found at www.satoworldwide.com