On completion, VTech will be able to comply with Wal-Mart's RFID request requiring key suppliers and business partners to become RFID-compliant. This will also help VTech improve the efficiency of warehouse operations and management through automation, as well as serving to enhance visibility throughout the supply chain.

According to Alex Kwan, senior supply chain & logistics manager of VTech Telecommunications, the company shipped more than 40 million units of telecommunication products to various major retailers in North America last year.

Intel and Cisco are working together to support EPCglobal Hong Kong's EPCnetwork initiative that will facilitate suppliers, retailers and logistics players to benefit from real-time monitoring through the use of RFID, and to drive adoption of RFID by the various supply chain players through easy-to-implement bundled solutions.

“The pilot participation of VTech in the Hong Kong EPCnetwork initiative is consistent with Intel's vision of the Digital Supply Chain,” said Jon Stine, Intel global industry manager, Retail-Consumer Packaged Goods.

“The PPRD is one of the world's most important manufacturing hubs,” said Fredy Cheung, managing director of South China for Cisco Systems. “To enhance their relationship with major retailers and expand their businesses, manufacturers in the region need to ride the RFID wave. VTech's pilot participation in the Hong Kong EPCnetwork project testifies to the trend whereby the region's manufacturing firms are rapidly transforming themselves by deploying technologies like RFID.”