Pittsburgh, PA, May 7, 2024 – AIM, the leading industry association with over 50 years of innovation, standards, and solutions in automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technologies, is thrilled to announce the winners of its highly anticipated 2024 Case Study Competition. This annual event recognizes trailblazing individuals and organizations that have developed groundbreaking solutions contributing to the advancement of digital identification technologies worldwide.

The winners, chosen from a pool of exceptional submissions, represent the pinnacle of innovation and excellence in their respective categories. Each case study exemplifies the transformative impact these technologies have in diverse industries, showcasing real-world applications that drive efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.  This year’s winners are RFID Brasil, Wiliot, iTRACE Technologies, and SAIT. These companies were selected based on the categories of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Internet of Things (IoT), Automatic Identification & Data Capture (AIDC) and Blockchain respectively.

RFID Category Winner: RFID Brasil – Their winning project focuses on revolutionizing PET bottle recycling through the strategic implementation of RFID technology. By leveraging RFID tags on PET bottle bales, the project enhances traceability, transparency, and accountability throughout the recycling journey. This innovative approach significantly improves recycling efficiency, reduces waste, and promotes resource optimization, aligning with global sustainability goals.

IoT Category Winner: Wiliot – They emerged as the winner in the IoT category with their groundbreaking ambient IoT Visibility Platform. The platform addresses misshipment challenges for an online retailer, delivering real-time tracking and eliminating manual scanning errors through battery-free IoT Pixels affixed to shipping boxes.

AIDC Category Winner: iTRACE Technologies, a two-time winner, claimed victory in the AIDC category with their exceptional project in collaboration with Rolls-Royce Aerospace. The project addresses the critical challenge of safeguarding the aerospace and defense supply chain from counterfeit parts. Employing a unique, secure identifier resistant to cloning, iTRACE seamlessly integrated this technology into Rolls-Royce’s manufacturing process. After rigorous testing from the Rolls-Royce cyber security team, the iTRACE 2DMI® Two-Dimensional Marking Identifier proved highly effective with authentication tests consistently identifying genuine parts and rejecting clones and copies. Additionally, iTRACE successfully implemented the 2DMI® marks on production dot peen machines, ensuring comprehensive protection throughout the supply chain against counterfeit parts and components.

Blockchain Category Winner: SAIT – also a two-time winner, served up SAIT’s Wineability™ integrated solution in the Blockchain category for addressing challenges faced by wineries, including bottle distribution tracking and compliance with labeling legislation. By utilizing RFID technology and QR codes, Wineability™ facilitates comprehensive traceability from the winery to customer tables, enhancing transparency and value throughout the supply chain.

“These outstanding case studies exemplify the power of innovation and collaboration in driving positive change within the industry,” said Mary Lou Bosco, Chief Executive Officer of AIM Global. “We congratulate the winners for their exceptional achievements and their contributions to advancing technology and sustainability.”

Winners will be honored at industry events later this year and will have the opportunity to present their winning case studies to industry peers. To learn more about the winning case studies and download them, visit the Case Study Competition web page.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact AIM’s headquarters by email at info@aimglobal.org or call +1.724.742.4470.

About AIM

AIM is the trusted worldwide industry association for the automatic identification industry. For over half a century, AIM has provided unbiased information, educational resources, and standards to providers and users of AIDC technologies. AIM membership offers access to insider perspectives on trends and opportunities, advocacy, and community engagement. Visit www.aimglobal.org for more information.

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AIM Welcomes New Board Members

Honeywell and BlueStar Designate New Appointees

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | April 30, 2024 | AIM, the leading industry association and global authority for more than 50 years in innovation, standards, and solutions in barcode, biometrics, IoT, NFC, RFID, RTLS, and RAIN, proudly announces the appointment of two new board members.

 The newly appointed board members bring a blend of seasoned leadership, rich experience, and diverse perspectives to the forefront. With their varied skills and backgrounds, they are poised to make significant contributions to the board. Their terms officially kicked off the first quarter of this year.

Kelley Wood, Honeywell

Kelley Wood, an industry researcher and the senior global marketing manager for Productivity Solutions and Services at Honeywell. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing strategy, customer experience design, and process optimization, Wood is well-known for her ability to provide customers with actionable insights, resources, and solutions to optimize work processes and improve customer experiences. Her focus is on helping businesses enhance customer service and increase worker productivity through Honeywell’s industry leading solutions. Several industry publications and papers have cited her work on labor experience and management.

Mark Fraker, BlueStar

Mark Fraker, Chief Technology Officer of BlueStar, leads the company’s global innovation strategy, leveraging external partnerships across all technologies and business verticals. He is responsible for the short and long-term strategic planning for technology, product, and data solutions roadmaps supporting BlueStar’s global business goals and objectives. Since joining BlueStar in 1999, Mr. Fraker has held several positions, including 18 years as the Global VP of Marketing, and led the company’s global marketing strategies; he was responsible for the integrated strategy and development of BlueStar’s public relations, channel product marketing, marketing intelligence and research in developing into a solutions-based distributor. Mr. Fraker is BlueStar’s Global Executive Team member and serves on the BlueStar Board of Directors. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) for six years and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“We welcome the addition of two new members to our board, each offering a unique blend of expertise and perspectives,” stated Mary Lou Bosco, CEO of AIM, Inc. “Our commitment to assembling a diverse board and leadership team, reflective of various industry insights, remains steadfast, and our latest board appointments exemplify this dedication.”

For more information, biography, or photos, contact AIM’s headquarters by email or call +1.724.742.4470.