RFID Vendors

As the market for radio frequency identification (RFID) matures, RFID Vendors and suppliers are optimistic about the industry’s future and have great confidence that their products and services can solve problems across multiple vertical and application markets. At present, there is no monopoly on RFID innovation. Some of the largest and smallest RFID Vendors are making significant technological innovations to support current, emerging, and future applications.

However, many RFID Vendors agree that the overall growth and adoption of RFID will be uneven across economic and vertical markets. Suppliers also indicate that while the industry has grown over the last three years, much of the growth came from traditional, established applications. RFID manufacturers have proven that the technology can work in many applications and end users have a better (yet incomplete) understanding of how RFID technology can benefit them. There are many different RFID Vendors with different areas of expertise. Some specialize in certain areas such as animal, asset and vehicle tracking or supply chain systems.

RFID could be considered the redheaded stepchild of automatic identification and data collection technology. And, end users don't want to work with RFID Vendors because of their redheaded, freckle-faced progeny. RFID Vendors must develop effective strategies in the immediate future to meet the specific requirements of Wal-Mart and their suppliers. Perhaps one of the biggest detractors from the success of RFID technology is the RFID Vendors themselves. A lack of standards in the industry has led to competitors trying to quash one another all in the name of their own welfare. As a result, the technology has suffered. Without this internal conflict in the industry, RFID's foothold in the marketplace could be much stronger.

RFID Vendors “Tracking” Down Opportunities, Expanding Beyond the Supply-Chain: A variety of issues and interests ranging from tighter inventory control and increased supply chain management capabilities to homeland security are driving tremendous interest in RFID technology. Wireless Data Research Group's report RFID Vendors “Tracking” Down Opportunities, Expanding Beyond the Supply-Chain provides a snapshot of the market as it currently stands, while also looking forward to assess how well the coming developments will match user wants and needs.

The RFID Vendors “Tracking” Down Opportunities, Expanding Beyond the Supply-Chain report will explore the RFID landscape by examining the current state of the technology, including the outstanding issues that threaten to slow its adoption. The study looks to provide a deeper understanding to users and developers of RFID technology about the successes and limitation encountered with the current iterations of available products; using those findings to synthesize the requirements to address emerging opportunities and expand and penetrate new markets.

RFID Vendors “Tracking” Down Opportunities, Expanding Beyond the Supply-Chain report provides market analysis and assessments that are useful for vendors, network operators, investors and end users seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and competing interests involved in this market. For systems vendors, the RFID Vendors “Tracking” Down Opportunities, Expanding beyond the Supply-Chain report provides an overview and assessment of competing product offerings currently available as well as an estimation of the overall opportunity in the next 5 years.

For integrators, the discussions with end users and product vendors provides insights into the prospective solutions as well as a better understanding of what is in demand based on end user experience. Investors will benefit from the market sizing and vertical market breakouts as well as the financial analysis of the RFID value proposition. Finally, end users can gain a more thorough understanding of product offerings and capabilities as well as the economics of using RFID to improve operational efficiency.

RFID Vendors are Getting Smarter: In an emerging market where standards are still being defined, it pays to be flexible. And that's exactly what vendors of RFID technology are offering with new products slated to arrive in 1999: flexibility for the end user. Some businesses are already using RFID as a tool that delivers a solution to problems in the supply chain.

Yet many users are still adopting a wait-and-see attitude toward RFID. These users prefer to remain on the sidelines until they can be assured that they won't be locked into a closed, inflexible RFID system. Indeed, analysts say that the advent of global standards will help further the adoption of RFID as an end-to-end supply chain solution. The problem there is that different countries have different regulations concerning frequencies and power emission. RFID Vendors are responding to these concerns with a variety of initiatives and products that offer flexible solutions.