The winners of the RFID Journal LIVE! 2025 conference and exhibition will be unveiled at the event, scheduled to take place from May 6-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The prestigious 2025 RFID Special Achievement Award is set to be presented to Dr. Antonio Rizzi, a full professor of logistics and supply chain management at the University of Parma’s Industrial Engineering Department.
RFID Journal, the foremost source for comprehensive news and insights into radio frequency identification (RFID) and other Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, has revealed the finalists for this year’s RFID Journal Awards.
This year’s entrants showcase a diverse array of projects, ranging from intricate and large-scale initiatives to more manageable implementations, all demonstrating how RFID and IoT solutions have emerged as the preferred technologies for companies seeking to enhance visibility in their supply chains, attain operational efficiencies, and boost customer satisfaction.
Finalists from around the globe are set to take the stage at LIVE! 2025, coming from countries including Italy, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Many of these finalists will share their valuable experiences with conference attendees.
The formal announcement of the winners will occur at 1:00 PM PDT on Thursday, May 8, during the RFID Journal LIVE! 2025, held at the Paris Hotel and Conference Center in Las Vegas, NV.
End-user companies were nominated across six categories, with the finalists listed below:
**Best RFID or IoT Implementation (Other Industry)**
– *Idaho National Lab*, one of the national laboratories of the United States Department of Energy, applies RFID technology for tracking mixed and hazardous waste containers, providing crucial inventories for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) waste storage areas.
– *Selmark*, a global lingerie and apparel brand, has reported 30 percent gains in picking, shipping, and receiving efficiency by tagging products at the source, installing RFID printers, and tracking items seamlessly through the supply chain with RFID readers.
– The *United States Marine Corps* developed the Marine Corps Platform Integration Center (MCPIC), a system designed to provide asset visibility by enabling equipment inventory tracking through tagging of mission-critical equipment. This initiative has successfully shortened inventory times from weeks to mere hours, yielding significant increases in inventory accuracy and labor cost savings in the millions.
**Best Retail Implementation**
– *Arctic Spa*, a manufacturer of hot tubs and all-weather pools, has successfully employed an automated, real-time RFID solution at 14 corporate retail stores and its central distribution center. This implementation has facilitated a 95 percent improvement in inventory tracking, a 40 percent reduction in manual labor costs, optimized store operations, and greatly enhanced customer service.
– *Carter’s (Canada stores)*, a market leader in children’s apparel, has deployed an effective RFID solution across 187 Canadian retail locations. This has enabled staff to locate items more quickly, drive sales, and boost overall efficiencies across various retail processes.
– *C&A*, a prominent international private-label fashion retailer, successfully implemented RFID technology across more than 1,220 stores in 17 European countries, in addition to their Distribution Centers. The results include optimized customer experiences, standardized processes, improved stock data accuracy, and enhanced merchandise availability and visibility.
**Best Healthcare or Food Implementation**
– *Brigham Young University*, a private research university in Provo, UT, leverages RFID in their Chem Stores, dramatically improving the auditing process for chemicals across the campus.
– *Nutriza AgroIndustrial de Alimentos S/A (Friato)*, a leading Brazilian poultry products company, utilizes RFID to autonomously control employee working times and breaks. In adherence to Brazilian labor laws, which limit cold-working periods, Friato’s system employs RFID tags to identify employees, ensuring compliance through individualized tracking of work periods.
– *Sentara Health*, a not-for-profit healthcare organization, has ingrained RFID technology at Norfolk General Hospital—a 500-bed facility within a 12-hospital network. This setup tracks hazardous compounded medications in sterile compounding rooms, ensuring waste reduction, enhanced patient care, and improved staff satisfaction.
**Best Manufacturing or IoT Implementation**
– *Cepheid*, a leading PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test kit manufacturer, has successfully integrated RFID technology to boost supply chain velocity and enhance operational efficiency, solidifying its leadership in PCR test development and manufacturing.
– *Cummins*, an engine and power supply company, has adopted RFID-based Returnable Transport Items (RTIs) to significantly reduce packaging waste resulting from its manufacturing operations.
– *Kannegiesser*, a provider of industrial laundry technology, implements RFID to sort items accurately based on customer or item types. This real-time capability autonomously separates articles with malfunctioning tags, thus eliminating manual sorting and order preparation processes altogether.
**Best Supply Chain/Logistics Implementation**
– *Brooks*, an American sports equipment company known for high-performance sneakers and apparel, uses RFID-enabled tags at its distribution center during pick-pack operations. This ensures customer orders are matched accurately before shipments, with shipping labels printed only if the carton audit passes, achieving 100 percent shipping accuracy.
– *Maersk*, a reputable logistics and supply chain firm, has integrated an RFID-based drone solution in a high-volume warehouse to ensure precise inventory capabilities. This advancement allows operational teams to concentrate on strategic initiatives, leading to heightened efficiency and service excellence.
– *Shifflet Brothers Enterprises*, a trusted freight hauler for the U.S. West Coast’s electric utility industry, utilizes RFID technology for real-time asset tracking, streamlined yard management, and improved inventory management from receipt to final delivery.
**Best RFID/IoT/AI Implementation**
– *ESAN (Eczacıbaşı Industrial Raw Materials Company)*, one of Turkey’s foremost industrial mineral producers, has introduced an AI-driven traffic management system at the ESAN Balya Lead-Zinc Mine. This centralized system optimizes underground traffic flow, predicts congestion, and dynamically adjusts signals while enhancing safety and operational efficiency by minimizing vehicle interactions.
– *SniperAction Photo, LTD*, an automated photography service for outdoor adventures, employs RFID to capture photos and video of guests riding a waterslide that winds through the Costa Rican jungle.
– *United Parcel Service (UPS)*, a global shipping and logistics management firm, continues to pioneer technological advancements by adopting Internet of Things solutions and integrating cutting-edge technologies such as digital twins, data analytics, IoT/RFID, and Generative AI to enhance operational efficiency, sustainability, and overall customer satisfaction.
**RFID Special Achievement Award**
The 2025 RFID Special Achievement Award will honor Dr. Antonio Rizzi, an esteemed professor of logistics and supply chain management at the University of Parma. Dr. Rizzi is the founder of the university’s RFID Lab, a distinguished research center dedicated to advancing research, training, and services for various stakeholders, including technology providers and end users.
Under Dr. Rizzi’s guidance, the lab has made significant contributions to the Italian RFID sector and is recognized as a global center of excellence.
A fervent advocate for auto-id technologies and data sharing—including RFID and IoT—Dr. Rizzi has generously contributed his knowledge and expertise at numerous conferences, including RFID Journal LIVE! for nearly 20 years.
Debbie Hughes, RFID Journal’s former Editorial Director of Events and current consultant, said, “It’s Antonio’s turn to be honored. I know that I speak on behalf of the entire RFID industry in congratulating him for his extraordinary contributions and his unstoppable enthusiasm for the technology.”
**Best New Product Award**
The Best New Product Award will be presented to the company that showcases the best new RFID, IoT, NFC, or related technology product or service during RFID Journal LIVE! 2025.
To qualify for this award, the product must have been introduced after April 11, 2024. The top five finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 2.
These finalists will undergo an evaluation onsite by a team of three judges, led by founding RFID Journal.com editor, Mark Roberti, during scheduled demonstrations at the event.
The Best New Product will be awarded at the RFID Journal Awards Ceremony on May 8.
This year’s RFID Journal LIVE! event is poised to feature an array of tags, readers, software, and services from a variety of manufacturers.
Nine industry-specific and how-to tracks will be conducted, focusing on how RFID and IoT technologies are employed in various sectors, including retail and apparel, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, as well as addressing business drivers beyond merely improving inventory accuracy and exploring the latest technological applications.
Sessions will also cover sustainable production practices using Digital Product Passports, alongside guidelines from GS1 US aimed at aiding the healthcare, food service, and retail industries in effective RFID implementation.
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