Brussels - SATO, a global leader in barcode printing, labeling, and EPC/RFID solutions, has developed an automated pallet labeling solution using UHF RFID tags for Nestlé. After full analysis and site surveys of Nestlé’s distribution centers in Lüdinghausen and Rangsdorf, Germany, SATO, in collaboration with UPM Rafsec, a producer of RFID tags, and Nestlé, a leading food manufacturer, has successfully designed and installed a solution meeting Nestlé’s UHF RFID labeling requirements.

SATO has been actively involved in RFID technology, recently introducing the industries first, complete multi-protocol EPC-compliant RFID solutions offering. SATO also fully supports the Uniform Code Council's (UCC) Electronic Product Code (EPC) initiatives and was appointed METRO Group’s Gold Partner in June 2004.

METRO Group realized its RFID initiative in the first week of November. Since then, twenty of METRO Group’s leading suppliers are delivering many of their product pallets tagged with SATO RFID solutions.

Nestlé is participating in METRO Group’s RFID rollout and has now taken RFID to the next pilot level by automatically labeling pallets of goods with fully functional UHF RFID tags.

“SATO is delighted about this partnership with Nestlé and UPM Rafsec. SATO has been participating in METRO’s Future Store initiative since the beginning, which has allowed us to gain the valuable application knowledge that is necessary for developing the automated (print and apply) pallet labeling solution based on SATO’s well established S-type print engines using UHF RFID tags” said Andreas Kolb, RFID Business Development Manager from SATO. The SATO automatic pallet labeling solution is supplied with the UPM Rafsec “Flag Tag” to the Fast Moving Consumers Goods industry, allowing tagging of all pallets with just one type of tag. This solution virtually functions for all potential shipping label applications in the market today.

The new automatic pallet-labeling unit is due to first go into operation at the Nestlé distribution center in Rangsdorf in January 2005.

About UPM Rafsec
UPM Rafsec is the world leading RFID tag manufacturer and pioneer of the EPC standard, specialized in low-cost and high-volume production. Established in 1997, UPM Rafsec has the broadest and most comprehensive in-house know-how and capabilities for RFID tag design and manufacturing. UPM Rafsec is headquartered in Finland with global sales network. For more information please see www.rafsec.com

Contact:
SATO
Paola Rydman
Leuvensesteenweg 369
1932 Sint-Stevens-Woluwe – Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 788 80 00, Fax: +32 (0)2 788 80 80
E-mail: paola.rydman@sato-europe.com