Intermec Receives 2006 Frost & Sullivan Supply Chain Management Enabling Technology Award For Development of Intellibeam EL10 Laser Scan Engine

A dedication to developing and strengthening supply chain technologies and a special understanding of customer requirements are two of the reasons Intermec Inc. has been awarded the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Supply Chain Management Enabling Technology of the Year Award.

Intermec received special recognition for development of its Intellibeam EL10 bar code scan engine, the only ADC scan engine to use MEMS-based technology.

MEMS, or micro-electromechanical systems, technology is used in mission-critical applications such as vehicle airbag and braking systems. The MEMS-based Intellibeam EL10 laser scan engine provides snappier scanning, faster scans, better recognition and processing of poor quality or damaged bar codes, and solid reliability, compared with earlier laser scanning technologies. Because MEMS-based laser scanners are able to read bar codes up to 40 times as fast as today's legacy equipment, workers are able to capture information more rapidly and efficiently, speeding the flow of information through a supply chain and improving supply chain visibility.

"Intermec's bold use of MEMS technology in its products gives it a distinct advantage over its competition in the supply chain industry," said Frost & Sullivan Research Manager Sath Rao. "This company clearly has an unmatched grasp of customers' needs. It doesn't just look for trends. It successfully anticipates and acts on them."

The Intellibeam EL10 is designed with separate laser emission and collection optics for increased sensitivity and responsiveness, as well as easier scanning of low contrast bar codes. The miniaturisation and solid state properties of the EL10's MEMS technology leads to greater durability and lower equipment failure rates, as well.