News in Brief

Consolidation in the Track and Trace Sector

The increasing trend towards consolidation in the track and trace industry continues with the announcement that Movilitas has been acquired by Engineering USA, bolstering the group’s industrial digitisation division.

Movilitas, which is based in Germany, has been active in the last few years developing track and trace platforms for pharmaceuticals and other medicinal products. Along with product tracking and tracing, Movilitas also offers digital twinning – the creation of a digital representation of a physical object – as well as supply chain security, asset performance management and warehouse management services.

Engineering USA – the North American unit of Italy’s Engineering Group – is focused on digitising the lifecycle of industrial products and processes. According to the company, the Movilitas takeover will strengthen its position in life sciences, a sector where Movilitas is strong. It will also boost its position in Industry 4.0 technologies – the continuous automation of manufacturing and industry practices using digital technologies such as machine learning, big data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) – as well as its presence in key markets including North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

The acquisition was driven in part by the ongoing disruptions hitting global supply chains as a result of the pandemic, with knock-on effects on the supply of a broad range of products and particularly semiconductors, according to Engineering.

That disruption has prompted companies to look into strategies to keep supply chains flowing, including logistical considerations like bolstering inventory, diversifying suppliers and finding substitute materials and processes, as well as technological tools like digitisation to create smart and efficient supply chain ecosystems.

Other notable examples of acquisitions taking place in the traceability sector include Markem-Imaje’s buyouts of Blue Bite and Systech in 2020 and 2021 respectively; Antares Vision’s acquisitions of rfXcel in 2021 and the assets of Adents after it went into administration in 2020; and Optel Vision’s takeovers of GeoTraceability in 2018 and Verify Brand in 2017.

More recently, this month, Optel, a multinational with its headquarters in Quebec, Canada, announced the acquisition of the pharma track and trace division of the Körber Group, formerly known as Traxeed, based in Germany.

Hungary’s ANY Security Printing to buy Romania’s Atlas

Hungary-based ANY Security Printing has signed an agreement to acquire Romanian forms production and personalisation services provider Atlas for €1.37 million ($1.55 million).

The deal was signed by ANY Security Printing through its Romanian subsidiary Zipper Services, the company said in a press release. The closing of the transaction is subject to approval from the relevant Romanian authorities.

ANY is one of the largest security printing companies in Hungary and Central and Eastern Europe, and majority owner of Zipper Services. It produces passports, ID and bank cards, secure documents, tax stamps and security labels, along with security inks and fibres, paper additives and portable verification devices.

Chinese Patent for MotifMicro

Brand protection specialist YPB has been awarded a patent in China for its MotifMicro™ smartphone-readable anti-counterfeit technology, adding to patents already awarded in the US.

MotifMicro combines a proprietary covert tracer based on rare earth elements that are invisible to the naked eye with digital authentication technologies, allowing items to be checked using a regular unmodified smartphone. It can read authentication marks on both flat and curved surfaces, making it accessible to a wide range of products, according to YPB.

The company recently launched an extension of MotifMicro – called MultiSec Shield – aimed at the document security market, and in particular ID documents and drivers’ licences (see AN October 2021).

HID Global Launches Ultra Small RFID Tag

HID Global, perhaps best known for its personal identity solutions, is also a leader in RFID tracking solutions, and has recently launched LinTRAK® XS, an ultra-small RFID UHF RAIN® transponder designed for discreet insertion into small textile items.

The transponder is an extension of its LinTRAK ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags for linen management, the miniature form factor option making it ideal for attachment onto textile products and personal clothing such as those worn by residents in nursing homes and care facilities, as well as in the hospitality industry and for dry-cleaning applications.

The LinTRAK XS tags measure only 30 x 10mm and consist of a soft and thin polyester label compliant with Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Level 1. They can be easily sewn directly on the product, in a hem, or fixed under a thermo-adhesive patch. LinTRAK XS is designed with the latest generation of integrated circuit (IC) – Impinj’s Monza M730. In addition, it provides exceptional mechanical resistance and read performance in high-density environments where several tagged items are densely packed together.

According to HID Global, when combining LinTRAK XS with HID Global’s RFID hardware infrastructure and cloud linen management software, laundry professionals in nursing homes benefit from a complete linen and garment track and trace solution that prevents garment losses (a source of emotional value for elderly people), optimises washing cycles, and improves efficiencies in distribution and inventory.

The HID LinTRAK portfolio includes five RFID UHF tags designed to identify, track, and manage laundry and textile assets efficiently through their lifecycle in hospitality, healthcare, and other commercial industries. Special features include heat-sealing capability, usability in all types of magnetic resonance imaging systems and reel form factor to enable source-tagging during the linen manufacturing process.

HMRC Awards Track and Trace System to Dentsu

The UK tax authority, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has appointed Dentsu Tracking, part of Dentsu International Switzerland, as the provider of the standalone track and trace system for tobacco products. The contract is for five years. Dentsu will therefore replace the current provider, De La Rue, who won the previous contract in 2019, also for five years.

The system will be implemented in accordance with the UK Tobacco Products Regulations, and also enables the UK to comply with the WHO FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (notably Article 8). The system will go live on 1 July 2022.

Dentsu describes itself as a world-leading expert in the digital transformation of supply chains to fight illicit trade and tax evasion. Other notable customers include Amazon, Breitling, Head, TagHeuer, Chopard, GS1 and Coca Cola.