SAVI Co US - CONTROL AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES HELLAS AEBE

D-G:  Mr. Pesmatzoglou.  RFID is a very new concept. How have you entered these type o endeavors?

A:  New and advanced  technologies were always in my interests. The reason could be my studies, or my previous practices and experiences. But in any case these technologies triggered  always and still trigger my interests. Thus being informed, somehow, that the TAXI union is searching for a new technology to monitor the illegal TAXIs ( electronic identification ) we searched possible alternatives and we concluded to RFID. It took me to much reading, and searching before finalizing my thoughts and propose a solution. But this was part of my job and the company’s I am working for  Control and Advanced Technologies Hellas tel: +30 210 995 1651 ) .  We are dealing with technological applications such as Fleet Management for the vehicles, UDS ( monitoring road accidents  or the “black box” for the vehicles ) , GPS applications , etc.

D-G: Which is your first application in RFID?

A: As I have mentioned initially , I was triggered by the electronic identification of the TAXIs. We were lucky to be awarded that application and more we have completed it on time and now works for almost two years with out problems , all over Greece. This was the initial application. It was really an innovating application and one of the biggest in this technology Europe-wise.

D-G: And then what else ?

A: Then we tried to accumulate knowledge and to use it in other areas . We were lucky again discussing with Aspropyrgos municipality for a Fleet Management issue to receive a question on how they could monitor the garbage collection procedure. It is worthy to mention here that Aspropyrgos employs  high standards personnel in technical issues and they knew practically what they wanted from us.  So we developed our second major application, in RFID, to monitor the Garbage Collection Procedure which was received with enthusiasm from the news papers, magazines , internet sites, etc. Even well known magazines in US ( such us RFID journal ) contacted us and included an extended summary of this application in its electronic pages . After that we were contacted by several companies and organizations - from many countries abroad such as Bulgaria, Italy, Ghana, etc -    for discussions and future cooperation .  We were invited and thus visited Poland to propose a RFID system for monitoring pharmaceutical products, we did, last month, successfully  a pilot ( for the garbage collection procedure ) in Saudi Arabia, and so on. In the mean time we participate at agroup with University of Athens , Technological Institute of Piraeus and 3M Hellas, for the development of a RFID application for vehicles, we are in the ruminant monitoring applications via RFID etc.

D-G: Coming now to military applications. How happened to be involved there too ?

A: Discussing with companies on RFID issues and applications we made a contact with SAVI Co US. They are really big in military applications and practically the biggest company for such applications at NATO armed forces. We are their representatives in Greece for more than a year now. It is evident that new technologies are a must for the armed forces. Especially if their application has to do with interoperability, safety, cost savings etc. Till now US DoD, UK, NATO , Spain,  Sweden, Australia, Denmark, and other countries have RFID monitoring applications. Interoperability is necessary.

D-G: What about the Greek Military applications. Have they moved ahead as abroad ?

A:  Unfortunately not !. We have already presented the concept at several meetings , shows, daily events, we have participated at exhibitions , etc  but decisions are delayed. The point is that we see other NATO countries ( and not only )  to move ahead quickly and our country to continue using papers and pens. The contradiction is that the officers are interested in applying these technologies. They understand their usefulness  , they believe in the technology, they see the interoperability part, but they do not decide themselves.  But as long as we delay, as country,  to adopt such solutions we are left behind Europe and our allies will move fast with out us. 

D-G: Can you give us some examples of the areas RFID can be used in the armed forces?

A: Certainly this is an easy question to be answered. Almost in any part of the supply chain procedure, in service monitoring and management of machines and devices , in warehouses , in the safety of transportation of armaments, ammunitions, devices, vehicles, it can be used to monitor the expiration dates of the ammunitions,  in monitoring the entrances and the exits from areas and in many many more other areas. One very big added valeu too is the real time communication of the data and the needed information where ever you want to get them.

D-G: How confident are you for the future fate of these applications in Greece ?

A: I am,   really and honestly.  If I was not I wouldn’t have try it even till the way we are now. We see that the responsible officers are interest. The obstacle is that they cannot decide alone. But in general I can’t see any reason why if something is useful and widely accepted, not to be used in Greece?

D-G: Thank you , Mr. Pesmatzoglou , for your time indeed , and the conversation we had with you and we wish you good luck with your applications , your endeavors and your r efforts.

A: It is I who thank you for the opportunity you extended to me to discus such critical issues and this type of technology.

Thanks very much