Toronto, ON, Canada and Chelmsford, MA, USA – April 15, 2008 – Sirit Inc. (“Sirit”) (TSX: SI), a leading provider of radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology, and Reva Systems, the leading RFID network infrastructure provider, announced today that METRO Group is deploying Sirit’s INfinity 510 UHF RFID reader and Reva’s TAP 331 appliance as part of the recently announced expanded rollout at METRO Group’s Real brand hypermarket stores. The 200 Real locations will be equipped with Checkpoint portals powered by Sirit readers at the loading doors to track incoming goods. Reva’s RFID network infrastructure will be installed at each location to provide device management and data processing.
Sirit’s INfinity 510 readers will be used to track pallets and cases as they arrive at the stores to improve supply chain efficiency. Reva’s TAP 331 appliances will be used to manage the distributed network of RFID installations, to produce accurate data from each site, and to provide rapid operator feedback during logistics operations. This 200-location rollout builds on last October’s successful implementation during which Sirit readers were deployed at 100 Real hypermarkets and Reva TAPs were installed at all RFID-enabled facilities.
“We believe in providing exceptional customer service, and that starts with having the right items in the right places at the right times,” said Dr. Gerd Wolfram, managing director of MGI METRO Group Information Technology. “RFID is a powerful tool for improved inventory management which will have a positive impact on customer experiences at our Real stores. Reva and Sirit deliver the RFID infrastructure we can rely on today and in the future to build even more value for our customers and operations.”
“METRO Group’s decision to expand their RFID program to another 200 stores is a clear validation that today’s technology meets enterprise requirements and that the operational benefits are real,” commented Frank Mild, vice president of EMEA for Reva Systems. “Reva’s RFID network infrastructure provides the manageability, data accuracy and ease of deployment that Metro needs to move forward with RFID at this number of sites. And, the combination of Sirit’s high performance readers and Reva’s scalable RFID platform creates value at these locations immediately which is extremely important to the Real management team.”
METRO Group has been a pioneer in the use of RFID in the retail industry since 2004 when the company announced it would begin using RFID throughout its supply chain to improve inventory visibility and to enhance the customer's shopping experience. Both Sirit and Reva Systems have been involved in METRO Group’s RFID activities from the outset, having been involved in the Future Store Initiative, several pilots, and now the Real expanded roll-out.
“METRO Group is certainly an influential factor in the overall adoption of RFID technology and we are pleased to be a part of their on-going expansion,” stated Tony Sabetti, vice president, RF Solutions for Sirit. “The INfinity 510 continues to exceed its ‘best-in-class’ reputation in terms of reliability and performance for all of our customers. We have shown that reader performance does impact the speed and accuracy of data acquisition and ultimately the overall success of any RFID implementation. Both Sirit and Reva are excited that our customers place great confidence in our products to deliver outstanding performance that leads to improvement in their business processes and a positive return on investment.”
“The use of RFID in retail supply chains continues to expand globally,” says Michael Liard, research director for RFID & Contactless at ABI Research. “METRO Group is leading European retail supply chain adoption efforts, having demonstrated a strong commitment to RFID technology. In addition, METRO Group’s Real hypermarket program extension highlights the need for reliable, scalable end-to-end partner-based solutions in complex supply chain environments.”
For more information on Sirit and Reva Systems, visit www.sirit.com and www.revasystems.com
About Sirit
Sirit Inc. (TSX: SI) is a leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology worldwide. Harnessing the power of Sirit’s enabling-RFID technology, customers are able to more rapidly bring high quality RFID solutions to the market with reduced initial engineering costs. Sirit’s products are built on more than 14 years of RF domain expertise addressing multiple frequencies (LF/HF/UHF), multiple protocols and are compliant with global standards. Sirit’s broad portfolio of products and capabilities can be customized to address new and traditional RFID market applications including Supply Chain & Logistics, Cashless Payment (including Electronic Tolling), Access Control, Automatic Vehicle Identification, Near Field Communications, Inventory Control & Management, Asset Tracking and Product Authentication. For more information, visit www.sirit.com.
About Reva Systems
Reva Systems develops RFID network infrastructure products that enable customers to rapidly deploy scalable solutions in any environment. Reva’s Tag Acquisition Processor (TAP) products facilitate improved system performance, manageability and accuracy while significantly lessening implementation time and complexity. Reva products are delivered by a global network of partners and deployed worldwide by enterprises leveraging innovative RFID applications to generate value in diverse industries. For more information, please visit www.revasystems.com
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Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Sirit to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties impacting Sirit's business which are discussed in the section entitled “Description of the Business – Risks Factors” in Sirit’s Annual Information Form dated March 14, 2008 as filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada via SEDAR. Although Sirit has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Sirit does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, further events or otherwise.
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