AXCESS’ Active RFID Solution Utilized by Bechtel to Automate HAZMAT Truck Payload Management
Active RFID Improves Efficiency and Accuracy of Environmental Restoration
DALLAS, TX, May 9, 2005 — AXCESS International Inc. (OTCBB: AXSI.OB), a leading provider of Active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems today announced its wireless tagging system, FleetTagT, is being used by Bechtel Hanford to more efficiently track waste disposal at the U.S. Department of Energy's 586-square-mile Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. The system is used by the Bechtel-led Environmental Restoration (ER) Project team to accurately track low-level and hazardous waste from multiple cleanup sites, many located just yards from the Columbia River, to the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) for permanent disposal.
The ER Project team will manage and transport nearly one million tons of waste in 2005. An average of 200 truckloads, or about 4,000 tons of low-level and hazardous waste are disposed daily at ERDF, and drivers will log nearly one million miles transporting waste in 2005. Each truckload of waste must be identified, weighed and tracked throughout the disposal process. By installing Active RFID tags on the trucks, identification is automatic and waste weight is accurately and efficiently logged into the integrated database that serves the entire project. Before installing the AXCESS system, truck drivers had to get out of the truck and manually key in the driver and truck identification number when entering the weight scales.
"Waste management and transportation is a core process in our work to clean up Hanford's Columbia River corridor,"said Julie Atwood, Waste Operations Project Manager for Bechtel.
"A critical part of this work is being able to determine what the waste is, whether it is acceptable for disposal at the ERDF and accurately track and record waste from cradle to grave."
"While the previous system we used met our customer's requirements, workers had to manually enter, review and correct data throughout the process," Julie stated. "We knew we could improve efficiency and accuracy by automating the process, which will improve our effectiveness in cleaning up the river corridor. We worked with our employees to identify ways to improve performance and reduce costs at each step without increasing risks to workers or adding new staff. Then, we asked our Automation Technology group to customize a system."
"This was an interesting project because we had to tie various technologies together, including web-based software, hand-held computers, barcode scanning, and radio-frequency identification tags. Integration of the AXCESS active tags on the truck cabs and waste containers allows us to automatically identify and track the waste at the scale without drivers getting our of their trucks," commented Steve Teller, Bechtel Automation Technology.
"We are achieving excellent results with the AXCESS products, and onsite support by their professional services group allowed us to meet some critical deadlines." Bechtel made a sole-source purchased from AXCESS based on the unique nature of the Active RFID tags.
"We designed the AXCESS FleetTag system to be integrated into a variety of applications through the use of standard hardware and software interfaces." stated Ben Donohue, VP of Business Development for AXCESS.
"In this case the Bechtel Automated Technology group did a particularly good job of pulling everything together into a common database. This project continues to show the flexibility of the AXCESS system across many industries."
AXCESS' patented ActiveTag RFID product uses small, battery powered tags (generically called "active" tags) that when automatically activated, transmit a wireless message typically 30 to 100 feet to hidden palm size receivers. The receivers are connected via an industry standard interface to existing security alarm equipment or networked on the existing corporate network. Optionally, the tag system can also be used to trigger security video recording and live remote video transmission. The tags are used for a variety of security applications including automatic personnel access to facilities, automatic vehicle access to parking areas and yards, corporate asset tracking and protection, as well as special purpose sensing. Automatic email alerting and paging is offered for rapid response to security incidents.
For further information please contact
AXCESS International Inc.
Jordan Darrow, Investor Relations
+1 (631) 367-1866
Amphion Innovations plc
Ben Austin, Investor Relations
+1 (212) 210-6248
Financial Dynamics UK
Ben Atwell / John Gilbert
+44 (0) 20 7831 3113
About Bechtel Hanford
Bechtel Hanford Inc. (www.bhi-erc.com) is part of the Bechtel Corp. (www.bechtel.com), a global engineering, construction and project management company with more than a century of experience mastering complex projects in challenging locations. Privately owned, with headquarters in San Francisco, the company has 40,000 employees working in 50 countries. In addition to environmental cleanup projects at Hanford and other DOE sites in the United States, Bechtel's work includes defense and aerospace facilities, telecommunications networks, pipelines, oil and gas field development, roads and rail systems, airports and seaports, fossil and nuclear power plants, refineries and petrochemical facilities, and mines and smelters.
About Axcess International Inc.
Axcess International Inc. (OTCBB:AXSI), headquartered in greater Dallas, TX, provides Enterprise Dot™, Dual-Active™ RFID (radio frequency identification) and Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) for asset management, physical security, sensing and supply chain efficiencies. The battery-powered (active) RFID tags locate, identify, track, monitor, count, and protect people, assets, inventory, and vehicles. The patented technology enables applications including: automatic “hands-free” personnel access control, automatic vehicle access control and logistics management, automatic asset management, and sensor management. Axcess is a portfolio company of Amphion Innovations plc (AIM: AMP).
On the web: www.axcessinc.com
About Amphion Innovations plc
Amphion Innovations plc is listed on the AIM Exchange in London under the symbol AMP. Amphion's business is the formation, financing, management and development of life sciences and technology companies, working in partnership with corporations, governments, universities and entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize their intellectual property.
On the web: www.amphionplc.com
