RFID Market Reaches $7.67 Billion in 2012

Cumulative Progress to 2012
At the start of 2012, the cumulative number of RFID tags sold over the last 65 years was 15.1 billion. 20 percent of that number were sold in 2011. In many sectors, particularly airline baggage and post, UHF RFID demand has failed to live up to expectations—by a long way. For several years capacity has far exceeded demand and those involved in UHF passive RFID tag manufacture are still not profitable over the term of their investment in the topic. This led to a significant amount of consolidation from 2007-2009, particularly of UHF tag manufacture. In contrast, most of the companies involved in passive HF tag supply are profitable. However, from 2011 onwards there has been strong growth in passive UHF tag demand with Impinj, Avery Dennison and others emerging as leaders. Others such as Smartrac have been acquiring companies creating a large RFID business.