Industry news

EPD (electrophoretic display) e-paper maker E Ink Holdings (EIH) expects to ship 30-40 million smart tags and display cards in 2016, with cumulative shipments since 2012 expected to reach 100 million units at the end of the year, according to the company, adding that shipments in 2017 will grow 20-30% on year.

Germany-based baggage vendor Rimowa in 2015, via cooperation with Germany-based airline Lufthansa, launched baggage equipped with flexible e-paper-based smart tags supplied by EIH, and smart tag shipments to Rimowa since then have reached 100,000 units, EIH said. Rimowa on December 8 announced cooperation with Taiwan-based airline EVA Airways to offer electronic baggage check-in services based on Rimowa smart-tags and the Rimowa App to save time taken in waiting for check in, EIH noted.

2-, 2.9-, 4- and 7-inch smart tags for retail shelves account for over 50% of smart tag shipments, with Europe being the major market currently, EIH indicated. However, the US and China will be the major source of growth in shipments in 2017, as many large retail chains in the two markets are in talks with EIH.