Recently, Muehlbauer enhanced its RFID-portfolio with the new converting line and is now able to offer complete solutions for the production of RFID Smart Labels from one source, in addition to the well known turnkey solutions in the business areas of Smart Cards and ePassports.

This strategy has already yielded results. Within a short time, four customers ordered the new production equipment. Semtech RFID Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sino-Tech International Holdings Ltd., as one of the four customers with the manufacturing base in Dongguan, Guangdong, China, is now the first company ordering a turnkey Smart Label production line for the Chinese market from Muehlbauer: A flip chip line for the production of inlays and a converting line for the fabrication of self-adhesive labels or RFID tickets. Semtech RFID Ltd. will be the first company in China to produce inlays, as well as finished Smart Labels, on Muehlbauer equipment.

Thomas Betz, member of the board of Muehlbauer AG and responsible for the Smart Label business area said, “China is a very important market for us. We appreciate very much the opportunity to support Semtech with our long technological experience for the production of Smart Labels. This offer is again proof for us that the new way, acting as a turnkey supplier in the market, is the right one.”

Semtech foresees that the global demand for RFID labels and tickets will start to grow significantly by 2007, and therefore decided to invest in a state-of-the-art production system.

“The choice of Muehlbauer High Tech International is easy because it is the market leader in manufacturing cutting edge equipment for the semiconductor, smart card and smart label industries. A visit to the company's facilities had confirmed the quality of their products and their strong technical support capabilities. We will look to start installation of the production lines in Q1/07.”¯ sai Alphonso Soong, General Manager of Semtech RFID Ltd.

Muehlbauer is a global, independent consultant and manufacturer of turnkey automation solutions for the Smart Card, Smart Label, Semiconductor Backend and Vision industries.