RFID Pilot: IBM And TAGSYS Team On Serialization Pilot Kit For Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

IBM and TAGSYS recently unveiled an integrated offering to help pharmaceutical manufacturers rapidly pilot and use RFID technologies for item level serialization in their packaging operations. Serialization is the first step towards compliance with California's drug pedigree regulations and the basis for improved supply chain performance.

As of January 1, 2009, all prescription drugs being sold in the State of California must bear a unique identifier that can be used to track products throughout the supply chain, making it easier to identify counterfeits and prevent them from reaching patients. The new IBM and TAGSYS offering provides the hardware, software, and services needed to validate the performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of RFID for this purpose.

The Serialization Pilot Kit offered by IBM and TAGSYS will be available in December. It includes:

• Tags: 50,000 High Frequency (HF) TAGSYS tags, converted to the customer's label specifications and ready to be applied to the product for item level serialization; and 1000 Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags for case level serialization.
• RFID Hardware: TAGSYS HF reader stations (based on the new L400 Long Range Reader) with integrated diverters that can be easily added to a packaging line, HF/UHF stations for associating items to cases, and a UHF RFID printer to print case labels.
• Software: The IBM WebSphere Premises Server software to manage the RFID data capture process, associate items with production run data, and generate serialization reports.
• Services: The necessary services to install and configure the system for optimal performance.

This offering can be deployed in under four weeks for $125,000. With it, pharmaceutical manufacturers can learn how easily and quickly RFID can be applied in packaging operations, evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the technology at production speeds, and make an informed choice on their path to item level serialization. Since the hardware is provided for the duration of the pilot, clients can use RFID with minimal risk and expense.

TAGSYS will provide customers with the same expertise and architecture used in its Six Sigma Performance Program, a quality-of-service program that guarantees fewer than four failures in one million read opportunities. IBM's depth of experience in systems integration and its robust software platform ensure that customers get a proven solution that is rapidly deployable.

"This is an excellent way for pharmaceutical manufacturers who need to track their products through the supply chain to evaluate RFID for item level serialization," said John Del Pizzo, pharmaceutical track & trace solutions executive for IBM. "TAGSYS's expertise in delivering Six Sigma Performance to pharmaceutical manufacturers and its migration path to the upcoming EPCglobal Version 2 HF standard help take the technology risk out of the equation."

"IBM's relationships with the world's leading pharmaceutical manufacturers give it the business insight customers need to get up and running with RFID quickly and without disrupting normal operations," said John Jordan, president of worldwide operations, TAGSYS.

The Serialization Pilot Kit can be upgraded to IBM's full Solution for Pharmaceutical Trace & Trace. The full solution automates event capture by integrating into real-time operational systems, incorporates receiving and pick-pack-ship processes for distribution centers, and leverages IBM's WebSphere RFID Information Center's new ePedigree feature to meet California pedigree requirements and enable supply chain optimizations.

For more information on IBM and its RFID solutions, visit: www.ibm.com/solutions/businesssolutions/sensors

About TAGSYS
TAGSYS is the global leader in item-level RFID infrastructure. TAGSYS provides RFID systems and tags for end-to-end item-level tracking that automates labor-intensive processes, authenticates and safeguards goods, and enables real-time inventory and asset visibility. With a proven track record of delivering Reliable, Accurate and Secure (R.A.S.) RFID systems and tags, TAGSYS has deployed over 100 million tags and 60,000 reader systems to over 500 customers in more than 40 countries. TAGSYS RFID solutions are currently being deployed in a range of highly specialized vertical markets that include pharmaceutical, fashion apparel, libraries, and textile rental. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts with offices and R&D Centers in France, in Pennsylvania and in Hong Kong. More information on TAGSYS can be found at www.TAGSYSrfid.com

SOURCE: IBM and TAGSYS