Authentix and One Network Partner to Offer Secure Supply Chain Management for Food and Product Safety

Authentix and One Network create a comprehensive secure supply chain management solution to ensure consumers are getting authentic and safe food products and pharmaceuticals

DALLAS — Authentix, Inc.®, the global leader in authentication, and One Network, a pioneer in community-based on demand supply chain solutions, today announced that they will partner to create a comprehensive secure supply chain management solution to ensure consumers are getting authentic and safe food products and pharmaceuticals. The partnership offers solutions for product authentication, e Pedigree compliance, returns and recalls, as well as detailed product usage data all at a significantly reduced cost from traditional approaches.

For the first time authentication, serialization and supply chain management are being offered in a single solution that can be used to mark and track products individually from producers to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and ultimately the consumers. Every party will have full supply chain visibility, so they will know the exact location and quantities of products anywhere in the supply chain network, and will also be able to verify that the products are authentic and safe for consumer use. This approach is unique and economical because it is being offered as a service, thereby reducing the need for companies to operate and administrate their own tracking networks. It supports the Food Marketing Institute, SQF (Safe Quality Food) and USDA and FDA’s HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) programs.

A 2007 report from Michigan State University’s Food and Safety Department states, “The global counterfeit food threat is estimated at $49 billion.” Globalization and the expansion of the supply chain mean that we need to modernize the way we authenticate and trace foods that end up on our tables and the products we buy at the store. Now Authentix and One Network have addressed this need.

“Open your wallet and look at anything of value. Your cash, checks and driver’s license all have serialized identification numbers and both overt and covert security features,” says Craig Stamm, CFO and Executive Vice President, Corporate Business Development, Authentix. “Anything that poses a safety risk and anything of value should be protected through the combination of authentication and serialization features.”

At the point of manufacture, products protected by the Authentix/One Network secure supply chain management solution will be marked with a barcode printed with inks containing covert nano-particles that will be used to authenticate the product. Through this solution, products are able to be located and identified anywhere in the supply chain network. With this unprecedented level of visibility, companies and consumers can be assured that the products are tracked all the way from manufacture to consumption. This level of authentication and visibility is critical when food or product safety has been compromised so as to facilitate swift and comprehensive recalls. The solution also allows information about the product to be tracked as well. For example, expiration dates can be tracked and monitored to ensure that expired products are never sold to consumers and replacements are replenished to retail outlets to avoid stockouts when the expired product needs to be pulled from the shelf.

“The current cost of authentication and tracking with current systems is impeding many companies. With our Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution we are able to offer these capabilities at a significantly lower cost. We are able to authenticate each individual unit, no matter where it is in the value chain,” said Greg Brady, Chairman and Founder, One Network. “We are creating a community of users through our network, offering not only visibility but additional supply chain services such as replenishment and transportation capabilities.”

The Authentix/One Network partnership will make an immediate impact and improvement in the safety of food, consumer products and pharmaceuticals. The solution is customizable to meet each client’s specialized needs. It’s designed to help fight counterfeiting, product diversion and piracy.

About Authentix

As the global leader in authentication solutions for brand protection and excise tax recovery, Authentix® is on the frontlines of the battle against counterfeiting and smuggling. Authentix offers a wide array of world-class solutions that are based on innovative nano-scale engineering and mass serialization so that brand integrity can be preserved as products move through the supply chain. Authentix’ solutions safeguard consumers from harmful products and prevent profits and tax revenues from being lost to illegal activities, such as terrorism. With clients including Fortune 500 companies and national governments, Authentix has recovered over $5 billion in lost revenues in the last 5 years in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical and medical device, tobacco, spirits, and consumer goods industries. In addition, our expertise in the fields of security documents, currency and homeland security applications helps to protect the very fabric of our society. For more information, please visit www.authentix.com

About One Network

One Network is a pioneer in community-based on-demand supply chain solutions.

One Network brings together supply chain partners, within and across multiple enterprises, in a community for the purpose of sharing and leveraging information. Through complete supply chain planning, execution, and visibility, community members are able to eliminate process latencies, reduce operating costs, and better align supply with demand. One Network can help you achieve your goals ranging from customer-driven strategies to product safety and security to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

One Network has skills operating very large, proven industry-specific networks and applications. One Network Software-as-a-Service or SaaS spans procurement, manufacturing, deployment, distribution, transportation, retail, demand, inventory, order management, spares, and data management.

One Network is one of the fastest growing cloud computing companies with more than 7,000 companies on the network spanning retail, consumer products, high-tech, defense, and logistics. For more information, please visit www.onenetwork.com