IBM Introduces Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Printer to Complement Its Comprehensive RFID Portfolio

IBM Infoprint(R) 6700 Family Offers Cost-Effective RFID Solution, Thermal Print Options

Continuing to deliver on its $250 million investment in RFID technology and building on its industrial print portfolio, IBM today announced the Infoprint 6700 R40, an RFID-capable printer designed to help customers reduce costs, improve reliability and streamline supply chain operations.

With the introduction of the Infoprint 6700 R40, IBM will offer comprehensive, end-to-end RFID solutions that include hardware, software, support and services. Whether customers are seeking a single output solution, or a robust supply chain management system, they can rely on IBM to deliver a customized solution to meet their individual business needs. With its ability to print both traditional bar codes and RFID verified tags(1), the Infoprint 6700 R40 is a scalable solution that can be used in current supply chain infrastructures and then be upgraded to RFID technology when needed.

"RFID technology can offer significant advantages in supply chain management," said Doug Oathout, vice president, IBM Printing Systems Division. "We're helping clients make the transition to RFID with a printer that can help lower costs, improve inventory operations and more closely link suppliers and retailers."

Improving RFID Reliability and Efficiency

RFID printers are an important component of the supply chain. If tags are printed inaccurately, products may not be delivered. To improve reliability and efficiency of the supply chain, the Infoprint 6700 R40 can verify each RFID tag before any mission-critical information is encoded on the chip or printed on the label. If a tag is faulty, the printer can move to the next tag and continue output without operator intervention, eliminating the unreliable tag. This enhanced reliability can help customers reduce lost revenue due to returns, distribution errors and missed schedules. As customers continue to operate in an on demand business environment, IBM offers solutions to help them accurately and reliably deliver information to the right places at the right time to ensure operational efficiencies.

To help customers ensure information is quickly and accurately processed for the supply chain, the Infoprint 6700 R40 employs an IBM POWER microprocessor to deliver the robust performance necessary to rapidly transfer information to each RFID tag. This information includes manufacture date, destination, product shelf life and location, inventory data, product handling details and much more. Using the POWER processor, the Infoprint 6700 can perform certain operations as much as 60% faster than previous IBM models.

The Infoprint 6700 R40 can quickly and easily integrate with existing operating systems or ERP infrastructure environments. It can also seamlessly integrate with IBM WebSphere software to provide a real-time view of the entire RFID supply chain from a single location. The comprehensive IBM solution can share supply chain information between the printer and the network to update the status of inventory, shipping and tracking details.

Infoprint 6700 Family Functionality

IBM also announced two additional members of the Infoprint 6700 family. The Infoprint 6700 R60 and R80 offer rugged print solutions that can produce high quality 6-inch and 8-inch bar codes, respectively.

The entire family of Infoprint 6700 industrial printers comes with one of the largest ribbon capacities on the market today so the printer can produce greater volumes of output with less operator intervention to effectively lower the total cost of printing. The printers are capable of printing up to 10 inches per second for faster throughput and users can also easily change print heads to produce 203 dots per inch (dpi) or 300 dpi depending on the image quality required for the print job.

Additional functions of the Infoprint 6700 family include:

--  Connectivity -- Operators are offered a broad range of connectivity
    options including Ethernet, wireless, coax/Twinax, serial and parallel
    ports without sacrificing performance.

--  Manageability -- Using the Printer Management Utility (PMU), operators
    can quickly and easily manage and configure multiple printers through an
    intuitive user interface. Infoprint 6700 models also offer powerful remote
    management capabilities to deliver the highest levels of efficiency.

--  Flexible Media -- Customers can choose from three models to produce 4-
    inch, 6-inch or 8-inch output depending on the needs of their supply chain.

--  Bar Code Validation -- The Infoprint 6700 models also offer optional
    barcode validation to help ensure output is accurate and reliable.
    

IBM plans to offer the Infoprint 6700 R40 at an entry level price of $3,025, with RFID upgrades for a total cost of $5,525 and the Infoprint 6700 R60 and R80 at $4,399 and $6,475 respectively. The entire line of printers is scheduled to be available September 9, 2005. For more information, contact an IBM representative or visit ibm.com/printers.

About IBM Printing Systems Division

With more than 40 years' experience helping customers with print solutions, IBM Printing Systems Division specializes in output solutions for the on demand era. IBM is helping customers link electronic information with the various forms of output choices that businesses need today, while allowing them to improve operations, reduce costs and maximize business value. A leader in production print solutions, print-on-demand technologies, distributed print technologies, one-to-one marketing initiatives and print management software, IBM Printing Systems' offerings include printers, software, consultation, systems integration, supplies, service and support. For more information visit ibm.com/printers

Notes

(1) With optional upgrade

Distributed by Market Wire