NewPage Awarded Patent for Paper-Based RFID Product

STEVENS POINT, WI—April 12, 2012—NewPage Corp. has been awarded U.S. (8,096,479) and Canadian (CA 2678556) patents for PointTrac TT, a new paper-based substrate for printed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) labels. The substrate offers RFID label manufacturers the ability to combine variable analog information (printed via thermal transfer) with advanced RFID chip technology. This technology facilitates low-cost production of printed paper RFID labels when compared with traditional multilayer plastic film substrates.

RFID uses a wireless non-contact radio system for the transfer of data for automatic identification and tracking. PointTrac TT has special dual functionality built in so that printed barcodes on the label face can be read with a line of sight optical device or by using an out of sight electronic device.

“The NewPage PointTrac TT technology will allow RFID chips to become more widely used in shipping, tracking and transactions by making conversion to this technology more affordable,” said Jim Sheibley, director of Specialty Business and Product Development.

PointTrac TT is available with third-party chain-of-custody certifications, providing customers with high performance RFID products, while maintaining a level of both sustainable and renewable attributes.

About NewPage
NewPage is the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America with $3.5 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2011. NewPage is headquartered in Miamisburg, OH, and owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. These mills have a total annual production capacity of approximately 3.5 million tons of paper.

Source: NewPage.