A NEW HI-TECH WAY TO BORROW A BOOK
FE Technologies, a leading supplier of library Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products in Australia, has launched its new facility at South Geelong.
The Fyans St facility employs about 30 people.
Chinese RFID powerhouse Invengo, which dominates the supply of RFID products and services in China and has offices in the US and Europe, recently purchased the firm.
FE Technologies’ new Geelong facility includes offices, a manufacturing and assembly area, a research and development laboratory and a demonstration area.
RFID is a technology that uses radio waves to read data. Unlike barcode technology, RFID does not require line of sight and can be used to read multiple items at one time, so it’s ideal for use in libraries.
Sales director Peter Ferendinos said the firm was born out of a Geelong-based family-owned printing company.
The company branched out into printed RFID labels and found its way to the library market.
In 2007 the firm won the first contract installing RFID equipment at Geelong Grammar School, and now has a similar contract with the Geelong Regional Library Corporation.
Mr Ferendinos said the firm now had contracts with 500 libraries in Australia and New Zealand.
“The technology makes it easy for patrons to check books out of the library,’’ he said. “All the patron has to do is swipe their library card and the books are scanned. It is also able to switch the library security off so the security alarm won’t go off.
“The system also tells patrons if someone else has made a reservation on the book.’’
Mr Ferendinos said FE Technologies now dominated the Australian library market in the supply of RFID products, greatly outstripping its larger European and US-based competitors.
Geelong West and Belmont libraries use the RFID technology, as will the new city library when it opens late next month.