Motorola South Africa has announced the certification of its EPC Gen 2 RFID products for use in the country, by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
This makes it the first local vendor able to offer end-to-end integrated supply-chain management solutions based on this extremely sought-after technology.
“The availability of suitable UHF frequencies delayed the ratification of RFID in South Africa,” says Mark Kelly, country manager and director for Motorola Southern Africa.
“We have been ready for some time to launch in South Africa and we immediately submitted product for ICASA Type Approval once suitable frequencies were released for RFID,” he says.
“Companies in South Africa with supply-chains that stretch across international borders can now implement a common RFID standard for tags and readers; one of the core benefits of adopting an international standard.”
Companies that can benefit from the conformity of this local standard with the European standard include distributors and wholesalers of complete products, motor manufacturers, industrial manufacturers and organisations in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) space.
“However, companies that could derive value from RFID need to realise that it is not the cure-all solution for their supply-chain challenges,” Kelly cautions.
“While there are undoubtedly areas of benefit, such as streamlining labour intensive tasks and preventing bottlenecks, RFID relies on sound underlying business processes to be effective.”