Hong Kong RFID specialist SML is working with UK firm PervasID to bring high-accuracy, hands-free UHF RFID visibility to the retail market.

The partnership aims to offer retailers and brands granular real-time information on stock levels, extending their tangible returns from adopting RFID.

PervasID provides high-accuracy UHF RFID readers for automating inventory and asset tracking. The two companies will work together to deliver a combination of PervasID’s passive RFID reader technology and SML’s Clarity enterprise software to drive higher profits for retailers.

“As the retail RFID market continues to demand innovations to serve customers more effectively, we see a growing synergy between hands-free and handheld RFID in stores and distribution centres and we see PervasID’s technology leading this innovation,” said Dean Frew, SML CTO. “With the adoption of item-level RFID rapidly growing and with a large portion of those retailers running on our Clarity application platform, we see the addition of the disruptive PervasID technology to our portfolio as being a key part of servicing our customers with enhanced returns on investments.”

Sabesan Sithamparanathan, PervasID CEO, added: “We are delighted to be combining our innovative technology with SML’s global network and scale to help bring these innovations to retailers around the globe. The biggest single challenge for all sizes and types of retailers is how to accurately and cost-effectively manage products inside their stores. The combination of the offerings from our two companies delivers unparalleled hands-free, real-time visibility capabilities.”

He said the results drove tangible improvements to the bottom line in the form of reduced losses, but also stock management and insights and more efficient ecommerce picking and packing.

“We’re excited to see the response from retailers,” he said.