Bairstow Lifting Products Co., Inc., a leader in fabricating and distributing custom rigging supplies and fall protection solutions, has implemented an innovative RFID inventory inspection and certification tagging solution designed by UPM Raflatac and Marnlen RFiD. The solution equips Bairstow with two cost-effective, durable RFID applications for metal and non-metal products that can be integrated into the company’s existing tagging system, reducing the cost and complexity of offering RFID-tagged goods as a value-added service to its customers.

Beginning in February 2010, Bairstow will affix HF RFID tags to all of the products it manufactures, providing its client base with an efficient, accurate way to conduct inspection and certification processes. The company also intends to offer the custom-designed RFID tags and inlays for sale to its customers.

“Adding RFID tags to our merchandise enables our customers to inspect and certify our rigging and fall protection products easily and accurately, guaranteeing that they will be used in an appropriate manner,” says Carey Hanson, Sales Manager, Bairstow Lifting Products Co., Inc. “We serve safety-conscious industries, such as construction, power generation and utility operations, industrial manufacturing and fire and rescue services. Preserving the integrity of our customers’ fiscal operations and protecting employees who engage in hazardous work is of paramount importance to our company.”

The solution leverages UPM Raflatac’s HF MiniTrack RFID tags and two customized, low-profile, small-format tags developed by Marnlen RFiD that affix to existing tags and Bairstow’s metal and non-metal rigging and fall protection solutions. Since Bairstow’s products experience repeated usage, the RFID tags are designed to withstand physical degradation, shock, UV radiation, temperature variability and moisture. Both tags provide exceptional rigidity and adhesion, enabling the RFID tag to be mounted to a wide variety of surfaces including polyester, nylon, rope, wire and steel; the metal application uses special materials to preserve RFID tags’ readability.

“By designing a value-conscious, high performance solution that works within a company’s existing environment, UPM Raflatac and Marnlen RFiD made the adoption of RFID technology a reality for Bairstow Lifting Products,” says Jan Svoboda, Sales and Marketing Director, Americas, RFID, UPM Raflatac. “Many companies could use this approach, reaping rewards from RFID’s ability to drive cost and waste out of critical processes without having to make drastic changes to existing operations.”

Customers can use handheld RFID readers to scan tags in the field, streamlining the certification process and eliminating the physical paperwork and human error associated with manual processes. They also can integrate data into their backend systems, improving asset tracking and equipment uptime.

“Marnlen RFiD and UPM Raflatac designed two RFID applications that deliver superior performance within unique operating constraints,” says Rod Coward, Manager, New Product Development, Marnlen RFiD. “Our approach is designed to bring the benefits of RFID to underserved markets: complex industries that generate smaller volumes than those traditionally associated with this supply chain technology.”

About UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac, part of UPM’s Engineered Materials business group, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of self-adhesive label materials and the world’s number one producer of HF and UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and inlays. UPM Raflatac has a global service network consisting of 14 factories on five continents and a broad network of sales offices and slitting and distribution terminals worldwide. UPM Raflatac employs 2,600 people and made sales of approximately EUR 1 billion (USD 1.4 billion) in 2008.

Further information is available at www.upmrfid.com.