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By Lorna Hopkin | July 8, 2025
Zebra RFID Forum Part One - Could This Finally be the Year of RFID?
In the world of technology, the expectations for RFID to become a game-changer have been clear for decades. Yet, as Nuno Miguel Guimarães from Sensormatic highlighted during Zebra’s inaugural RFID Forum in Prague, the industry has long heralded each year as “the year of RFID.”
The question remains: why is now different? The answer lies in a convergence of factors that are turning potential into reality. With less than 0.4% of connectable items currently connected, the RFID market is poised for unprecedented growth across sectors like retail, manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare.
One of the driving forces behind this transformation is the evolving consumer expectation for faster, more predictable, and transparent delivery services. As Rusty Redecker from Avery Dennison pointed out, supply chains must now become more responsive and technologically sophisticated to meet these demands.
Consumers expect more. They want more predictable, faster, and transparent delivery, which is prompting supply chains to become more responsive and technologically advanced.
Data will drive the future. It is driving us now! RFID technology, with its ability to provide real-time data, plays a crucial role in this evolution. Ralf Kodritsch from NXP underscored this point by stating, “We have created more data in the last three years than in our entire history.” This explosion of data generation, paired with advanced analytics, empowers businesses to make better, faster decisions.
Labor is in short supply. And it is getting more expensive. Which means people need to be more effective at keeping costs down and meeting customer expectations.
Sustainability matters. No longer a nice to have in business, sustainability is a measure of success. It builds greener logistics that benefit the planet and increases efficiency that fuels the bottom line.
Sustainability is a critical accelerator. As businesses strive to reduce their environmental footprint, RFID technology emerges as a vital tool for building greener logistics and enhancing operational efficiency. Bosch’s Harald Ziegler shared an inspiring example with the development of a 100% recyclable RFID Kanban card, demonstrating RFID’s potential in creating sustainable solutions.
Katarzyna Pokwicka-Croucher from Ecopolplast built on the sustainability message, spotlighting the integration of RFID with digital product passports for her recycled tire and recycled plastics product. RFID enables the creation of a digital twin of products, providing accessible data on origin, batch, and environmental impact—vital information for consumers and businesses alike.
Discussing RFID applications upstream from the tire recycling process, Pierre Guinault, Michelin with partner Miika Pylvänäinen, Beontag presented on the different tags that can be used to identify tires throughout their lifecycle. They looked at how it supports recycling, and how it integrates with a Digital Product Passport.
Dirk Bansemur from Euro Plant Tray added to this narrative by illustrating how RFID is used to manage reusable plant trays, reducing landfill waste in the horticultural industry.
Our RFID Forum made it clear that the convergence of consumer expectations, data proliferation, labor shortages, and sustainability imperatives is finally setting the stage for RFID to shine. As industry players collaborate and innovate, the potential for RFID to transform operations and drive efficiency is immense. Stay tuned for Part Two of this post, where we’ll explore more real-world applications and the cutting-edge technologies that are propelling RFID into the spotlight.
