Kayode Aladesuyi, Chairman & CEO, EarthSearch

How is your organisation involved with RFID technology?
EarthSearch started as a GPS services company. Our first product was targeted at parents with teenaged drivers. We moved into the commercial space next, to help companies track their trucks. We noticed that many of our customers had more problems with the cargo in their trucks than with the trucks themselves.

In particular, we worked for a small inventory company in Georgia, and their problem with cargo and assets really intrigued us. That is when we began the journey of making GPS and RFID communicate. Both have advantages and limitations. RFID can track at an individual item level, but cannot manage distances. GPS can track things over large distances, but cannot handle the precision of individual items. We realized if we combined them, or created wireless communication between GPS and RFID, we could have an amazing solution.

Did you succeed?
Yes, our combined GPS/RFID products and solutions went live in the 4th quarter of 2010.

How did the market react?
Well, there was some resistance at first – people doubted, they couldn’t believe that such a small and unknown company as ours could produce something like this. But we just continued to talk to as many customers as possible, and we showed them the solution in action, and now the market is really enthusiastic. The reaction is incredible, in fact.

What advantages does it bring to your customers?
As global competition intensifies, many manufacturers are finding local competition is also becoming more intense. It’s one thing to be able to predict sales at a Walmart or a Target. But it’s another challenge altogether to manage demand visibility and inventory at independent retailers like “mom and pop” stores or 5-store chains. With our technology, manufacturers just tag their products and set a minimum acceptable level of inventory for stores like that. As soon as the quantity drops below the minimum level, an alert is sent and the manufacturer can have a salesperson contact the store to drive sales of the product. This can really allow a manufacturer to increase their competitive edge, control costs and boost growth.

Did you build your solutions on standards?
Yes, of course. We use GS1 EPCglobal standards. It’s the only way to be sure that the solution is compatible across the supply chain. It also adds credibility and legitimacy to our offer.

What is your vision of RFID in the coming years?
I see RFID in every single facet of human life within the next ten years. The potential is just explosive. The integration of GPS is just the beginning. We’ll be seeing lot of creativity in the development of applications and services using wireless communication between GPS and RFID.


EarthSearch is a global company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. They are establishing a leadership role in their industry by delivering cutting edge applications of GPS/RFID and sensor technology. Read more at www.earthsearch.us