April 11, 2005 – SATO Corporation today announced it has partnered with UPM Rafsec to offer global RFID tagging solutions. The SATO FlagTagSolution™, an industry proven solution, is an example of ongoing cooperation between the two companies. The SATO FlagTagSolution allows customers to achieve industry leading performance by using a low cost, RFID label embedded with a UPM Rafsec inlay in SATO RFID printers to encode, verify, and print the UPM Rafsec FlagTag™.

This EPC-compliant RFID solution propels RFID read and write performance to new standards of reliability. “With the FlagTagSolution, SATO can now offer globally the same high read rates as achieved by German retail suppliers,” said Vic Barczyk, SATO International’s VP of RFID Business Development. “The design of the FlagTag™ allows any user to achieve a world class read performance without the need for expensive, specialized RFID inlays designed for application on specific materials. The FlagTagSolution can be used on pallets, cases, metal drums, liquids, or aluminum cans without compromising read performance”.

The FlagTagSolution is designed to be used with the SATO CL-408e on-demand, RFID-enabled printer, as well as SATO’s S-Type print engine for automatic print and apply solutions.

For more information, contact SATO America at www.satoamerica.com.

About UPM Rafsec
UPM Rafsec is a world leading RFID tag manufacturer and pioneer of the ePC standard, specialized in low-cost and high-volume production.

With its multi-disciplinary expertise in the fields of RF technology, materials and production processes, the company has the broadest and most comprehensive in-house know-how and capabilities for RFID tag design and manufacturing.

UPM Rafsec, headquartered in Finland, is a part of UPM, a EUR 10 billion company listed on the New York and Helsinki stock exchanges and one of the world’s largest paper producers, employing 34,000 people worldwide.