Stew,
Here is an older article that explains some of the uses and contracts that Symbol have with regards to their 2D technology. The uses for this are limitless and I sure hope TRKR will get even a small piece of the pie.
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For All Bank Drafts In China
Partnership with Local Chinese Company Expected to Lead To
Extended Business with National Government
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 10, 1999) -- Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: SBL), today
announced that PDF417, the two dimensional bar code symbology developed by
Symbol has been selected to secure all bank drafts throughout China and will be
delivered in partnership with the Tianjin Guard Group. The initial contract is valued at
several million dollars to assemble and market Symbol's two-dimensional bar code
equipment.
Guard is the leading provider of security and anti-forgery systems and solutions to
companies, government agencies and organizations throughout China. Guard is
majority-owned by the Nankai University, one of the most prestigious universities in
China, and has devoted a lot of time and resources in the development of new
innovative products with Nankai playing an important role by providing all
intellectual sources of research and development.
The company has been strongly endorsed and supported by the Chinese
Government and has provided its systems and solutions to various government
departments, including the Finance, Revenue and Public Security Bureaus. As part
of the agreement, Guard will market a number of Symbol products, including
hand-held laser scanners that read two-dimensional PDF417 bar codes; various
Symbol portable terminals; and PDF417 card readers. Delivery of products has
already begun.
The Central Bank of China is printing PDF417 bar code symbologies on the reverse
side of bank drafts, using anti-forgery ink to identify each transaction. Each branch of
the Business Bank in China is being equipped with Symbol's scanners. Millions of
local and international bank draft transactions occur each week in China.
"This joint venture with Symbol will help the Chinese government bring 2D bar code
applications to the next level, " said Li Zhong Hai, Deputy General Director of the
State Bureau of Technology Supervision. "Two-dimensional bar code technology is
being included as an important project in the Government's ninth five-year Plan,
which was set up by the Chinese government in 1995 to aid in the development of
China's information technology."
"We're seeing solutions involving PDF417 ? everything from government ID
projects to the building of infrastructure ? steadily increasing throughout China,"
said Tomo Razmilovic, President and Chief Operating Officer, Symbol Technologies.
"Symbol has the correct partners and products in place to take advantage of this
national investment in PDF417."
"Our company's total projected 2D market potential for the next few years is estimated
to be around $100 million dollars," said Mr. Li Mingzhi, Chairman of the Board of
Guard. "We selected Symbol because of its leadership in developing cutting edge
products and believe that with its expertise and resources we will be able to help to
further decrease counterfeit trade."
Use of bar code equipment in China has expanded since 1991, when China became a
member of the International Numbering Association, which establishes standards
and promotes use of international article numbers systems, or EAN. After years of
evaluation and examination, PDF417, the two-dimensional symbology developed by
Symbol, was approved as China's National Bar Code Standard. This standardization
has significantly increased the number of PDF417 applications in government and
non-government organizations in China, for applications such as bank drafts, drivers'
licenses, military ID cards, manufacturing, transportation and logistics and others.
"Guard selected Symbol because of the superior breadth of Symbol's solutions, as
well as our technical performance and advanced technology," said Peter Chan, Vice
President/General Manager of Symbol Technologies, Asia Pacific Division. "Symbol
offers solutions that work at a high level of quality and we're looking forward to
building our professional relationship with Guard to service the growing markets in
China."
About PDF417
Developed by Symbol Technologies, PDF417 is a high-capacity symbology, which
allows more than one kilobyte of information to be encoded in less than one square
inch of space. The information can be decoded and quickly accessed through
traditional laser scanning, similar to retail bar code scanning. An entire database,
such as shipping manifests, instruction sets or driver's license information can be
encoded and quickly decoded with PDF417.
About Symbol Technologies
Symbol Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in wireless and Internet based mobile
data management systems and services. Symbol provides its customers unique value
with innovative solutions utilizing application-specific information appliances, data
and voice wireless networks, and bar code and data capture scanning. Symbol and its
global network of business partners provide wireless LAN and WAN mobility
solutions from the enterprise to e-commerce for industries including retail,
transportation and distribution logistics, manufacturing, parcel and postal delivery,
healthcare, hospitality and education. Symbol's broad range of information
appliances are in use by business and consumers from the factory, to the office and
in the home. Information is available from Symbol symbol.com. and
1-800-722-6234. |
