Kathrein Expands its Activities in the Area of IoT Solutions

Kathrein acquired the company noFilis located in Ismaning on 1 May 2016. The company develops and sells platform-independent software for integrating RFID/AutoID systems and sensor devices into ERP and SCM systems. As a result of this takeover, Kathrein can now offer RFID hardware and software expertise from one source. At the sector’s world leading trade fair, the RFID Journal LIVE! in Orlando from 3-5 May, the companies will already be making a joint appearance.

Kathrein RFID is the leading producer of professional identification solutions in the area of ultra high frequency technology. The company offers innovative and high-performance RFID hardware such as readers and antennas. This hardware is used for example in vehicle detection, in industry, in logistics and in retail sales.

RFID solutions from one source

“With the acquisition of our long-standing partner noFilis, we will be able to offer full-scale RFID solutions from one source allowing us to consult and care for our customers even better in the future,” says Thomas Brunner, Head of Sales and Marketing, RFID, within the Kathrein Group. The “CrossTalk” software developed by noFilis can be integrated into all current ERP and SCM systems. The platform-independent solution is a world market leader and is certified for integration into SAP among other things. “The flexible integration into different IT environments is a powerful argument on the market,” says Brunner. Kathrein RFID and noFilis have a long and successful history of cooperation in the areas of logistics and supply chain management.
For noFilis the takeover also represents a strategic turning point for the future: “By being integrated into the Kathrein Group, we are benefiting from a renowned brand name and a strong worldwide sales and service network. Now we can position our software expertise on the market even more prominently,” says Patrick Hartmann, Global Sales Director of noFilis AutoID GmbH.

RFID as the underlying basis for the Internet of Things (IoT)

Identifying objects using passive RFID is a key technology required for the Internet of Things: RFID tags supply valuable automated tracking information. The flow of goods and logistics processes can be controlled and managed in this way for example. RFID transponders can be integrated into virtually all objects and the data they deliver can be collected in real time when they pass a read device. In contrast to the barcode, RFID can capture hundreds of RFID transponders at the same time. In addition, RFID tagged objects can be located and tracked.