Omni-ID Adds Mitsubishi Electric as Strategic Partner to Further Expand Its Asian Presence

Global Technology Leader Will Resell Omni-ID's Line of RFID Tags and Services to Its Customers


FOSTER CITY, CA--(Marketwire - March 9, 2009) - Omni-ID, a leading innovator in passive ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, today announces it has added Mitsubishi as a key reseller and strategic partner in Asia. Under this agreement Mitsubishi will resell Omni-ID's line of innovative RFID tags and services to customers in the Japanese market.

This strategic partnership is further indication that the RFID industry in Asia is primed for rapid expansion. According to projections by Frost & Sullivan, the passive UHF tags market in the Asia Pacific region is forecasted to capture the largest market share of RFID tag volume. This growth is largely due to ratification standards and recent technology enhancements introduced over the last few years which offer real business value to end users.

Recognizing this attractive growth opportunity, Mitsubishi sought an RFID vendor with innovative solutions and a true understanding of customer needs. With its patented and patent-pending technology, dedication to meeting customer requirements and focus on innovation, Omni-ID was a clear choice for Mitsubishi.

"While the Asia-Pacific market has been slower to adopt RFID technology, we expect it to strengthen by 2010 and then grow annually onward," said Richard Sebastian, research analyst of Automatic Identification - RFID, APAC, for Frost & Sullivan. "This will be further boosted by growing understanding on this technology's potential backed with the expected time for signs of recovery from the current economic downturn where end-users will be more optimistic to proceed with an RFID initiative."

Mitsubishi will offer its customers Omni-ID's three standard passive UHF RFID tags that provide near-perfect readability rates on, off, or in the presence of metals and liquids, as well as a service bureau and a unique on-site, on-demand commissioning solution:

  • Omni-ID Tags:
    • Omni-ID Prox™ is Omni-ID's smallest and most precise RFID tag, best suited for high value IT asset management and other specialist applications;
    • Omni-ID Flex™ offers a medium read range that effectively crosses over to a wide range of applications including tracking laptops and PCs; and
    • Omni-ID Max™ offers the longest read range and is most commonly used for tracking conveyances and other assets.
  • Omni-ID Service Bureau offers end users and systems integrators with a one-stop shop for RFID tags, label design and data programming.
  • Omni-ID On Demand™ offers customers the unique ability to print and commission mount-on-metal RFID tags on site to dramatically simplify RFID systems integration and is first available for the Omni-ID Prox.

"At Mitsubishi, we are committed to finding strategic partners that meet our standard of superior technology and acute understanding for customer priorities," said Yasuhide Shibata, Manager, IT Solutions Marketing Department for Mitsubishi Electric. "Omni-ID fits those criteria perfectly with its world-class technology that has raised the bar in the RFID industry and constant drive to respond to customer needs. Mitsubishi customers will benefit greatly from the products, research and vision of Omni-ID."

This agreement comes on the heels of a flurry of Omni-ID activity in the Asian market. The Company raised $15 million* in Series C Funding to accelerate its expansion in the market, announced its official presence in the region and recently was awarded the 2009 Asian Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Award for the passive RFID tag market.

"In the face of these challenging economic times, Omni-ID maintains an unwavering commitment to growing its presence in Asia and extending the benefits of our innovation to the region," said Tom Pavela, President and CEO of Omni-ID. "Our partnership with a global leader such as Mitsubishi is a critical step in paying off on that commitment, and we are excited at the prospects of bringing our leading technology to Mitsubishi customers."

*Please note, the funding was raised in the U.K. in the amount of £10M.

About Omni-ID

Omni-ID is one of the world's leading innovators of passive ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Through its patent-pending revolutionary technology Omni-ID "cracked the code" to overcome the problems traditionally associated with RFID, enabling a broad range of new applications that improves accuracy and efficiency in asset tracking, logistics and supply chain management. The company's family of versatile RFID tags works reliably in the harshest environments -- including on and off metal and liquids -- and excel in real-world proving grounds, demonstrating their value in today's most challenging business applications. With major offices in Foster City, Calif. and in the UK, Omni-ID's mission is to drive the widespread adoption of RFID technology as the optimal tracking and identification solution. For more information, visit www.Omni-ID.com.

About Mitsubishi Electric

With over 80 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TSE: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. The company recorded consolidated group sales of 4,049.8 billion Japanese yen (USD $40.5 billion**) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008. For more information visit http://global.mitsubishielectric.com

**At an exchange rate of 100 Japanese yen to the US dollar, the rate given by the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2008

Contact Information: Contact: Chris Iafolla SHIFT Communications (617) 779-1857