Press Release - RFID Solution

KINNELON N.J. - (Private Distribution) - Eagle Consulting & Development is pleased to announce a new module for its RF Express™ for QAD Enterprise Applications solution. As the leading provider of online, real-time automated data collection (ADC) and bar coding solutions to users of QAD Enterprise Applications worldwide, Eagle’s new module offers an RFID solution that is fully integrated with the QAD system and provides EPC Wal-Mart GTIN pallet- and GTIN case-level compliance.

Many experts see RFID technology as the next generation after bar coding. With Eagle’s years of experience in bar coding, it’s no surprise that the company has been preparing to meet its customers’ RFID needs as they evolve. According to Bill Paone, Executive VP of Sales and Marketing, “When Wal-Mart, the DOD and retailers like Marks and Spencer began setting timetables for suppliers to implement RFID, Eagle was preparing too. Although item tagging may still be years away, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, says that it will ask all suppliers to tag pallets and cases by the end of 2006. Eagle can help its customers today to meet the EPC Wal-Mart required GTIN format, ensuring that our customers will have the tools and technology they will need in time to meet the requirements of key supply chain partners.”

To provide some background, RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, an automatic identification technology that is similar to bar coding but uses radio waves to capture data from RFID tags, rather than optically scanning bar codes on a label.

RFID tags consist of an integrated circuit (IC) attached to an antenna. (Some tags can be as small as a grain of rice.) Data is stored in the IC and transmitted through the antenna to/from an RFID reader using radio waves.

EPC™ (Electronic Product Code) is the next generation of product identification after bar codes, which are currently used by more than 1 million firms in more than 140 countries. In short, the EPC is a hierarchy-based “license plate” that uniquely identifies objects in the supply chain. It allows for a variety of different existing number systems, including GTIN (Global Trade Identification Number) and more.

Eagle’s new module is built upon the company’s existing Finished Goods "Pallet Id" functionality and allows QAD users to link the Wal-Mart required EPC 96-Bit RFID Tag Data in "GTIN Pallet" and "GTIN Case" format. Using customer-supplied EPC Data for "EPC GTIN Manager Number" and "EPC GTIN Item Reference Number," the Eagle RFID transactions will print the RFID GTIN Pallet and RFID GTIN Case labels.

Once the EPC GTIN data is linked to Eagle’s "Pallet Id," then either piece of data (i.e., "Pallet Id" or EPC GTIN Data) can be used to perform RF Pallet Move transactions and RF Pallet Pick to Sales Order transactions.

Additionally, the Eagle "Post Pick/ PackList Report" can include the EPC GTIN data details for every EPC Pallet (linked to an Eagle "Pallet Id") and every EPC case linked to that EPC pallet.

About Eagle
Eagle Consulting & Development is the leading provider of online, real-time automated data collection and bar coding solutions to users of QAD Enterprise Applications worldwide. Eagle provides "plug-and-go" solutions at approximately 3,000 sites for 800+ QAD customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.eaglecondev.com or contact Bill Paone at +1-973-838-5006 ext. 119. RF Express™ for QAD Enterprise Applications is a trademark of Eagle Consulting & Development.

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