Cartier Selects GenuOne to Enhance Tracking Capabilities of Global Supply Chain


Posted on 27 January 2004

GenuOne TraceGuard Platform will allow Cartier to Support Multiple Tracking Environments, Including RFID
GenuOne, Inc. - January 27, 2004

BOSTON, January 27, 2004 - GenuOne, the leading provider of value chain visibility and security solutions, today announced that Cartier, the renowned French maker of luxury jewelry and timepieces, has selected the GenuOne TraceGuard(TM) platform to enhance the product tracking and authentication capabilities of the company's worldwide supply chain.

Cartier will deploy TraceGuard, the industry's first unit-level product tracking and tracing middleware platform, to create a solution that enables Cartier to monitor and locate timepieces and all material components at any stage of the supply and distribution chain. The system also will be able to authenticate products and parts. The TraceGuard-based solution will form the foundation for Cartier to enhance asset tracking, improve inventory control and get accurate unit level visibility.

"Brand security is an integral part of Cartier's commitment to our clients, who have come to expect a level of excellence in our products," said Bernard Fornas, CEO of Cartier International. "This system not only provides us with a powerful tool to stop product counterfeiting throughout our worldwide operations, but also gives us an effective internal means to track products throughout their lifecycle for the purpose of after-sale services. We are very excited by the possibilities offered by TraceGaurd"

"We are delighted that Cartier has elected to work with us. Like many of our customers, Cartier is keenly aware of the stature of its name and thus places a premium on preserving brand integrity," said Jeffrey Unger, president and CEO, GenuOne. "TraceGuard's robust capabilities and flexibility make it the ideal solution to drive tangible value in Cartier's critical business processes, both in the short term and in the future as its supply chain evolves."

Marc Frisanco, deputy chief, Intellectual Property Counsel, Richemont, Cartier's parent company, observed that the need for greater security has arisen because technology has enabled counterfeiters to produce high-end fakes made in gold and other precious metals which are sold to unsuspecting consumers who believe they are getting a bargain but invariably get cheated.

"Fire often needs to be fought with fire, and the technological edge offered by TraceGuard will help us in our global anti-counterfeiting efforts for Cartier and eventually other Richemont brands," Frisanco said.

About GenuOne
GenuOne is the leading provider of security and visibility solutions for both the consumer and technology value chain. The Company's TraceGuard platform is the industry's first unit-level product tracking middleware platform for RFID systems and other tagging technologies, serving industries such as the technology sector, pharmaceutical market and well-known consumer brands. The Company's acclaimed SourceGuard product, meanwhile, is a cost-effective, comprehensive authentication system designed to enable companies to prevent product counterfeiting. GenuOne was founded in 1999 and is privately funded. Investors include Caledonia Capital, Venfin, William Blair & Co. and Delta Asset Management.