When Size Matters - Avery Dennison Launches Compact NFC Inlays For Retail Packaging

Avery Dennison today announced the introduction of ultra-small form factor versions of two of its popular NFC products, AD Circus Mini NTAG213 and AD Microblock ICODE SLIX, anticipating demand for ever-smaller tagging options in the retail, packaging, pharmaceutical and beauty sector.

The redesigned inlay versions offer a high-performance solution in retail packaging applications where space is at a premium. The round format AD Circus Mini NTAG213 measures just 16mm (0.63 in) in diameter and is predestined for customer experience applications, while AD Microblock ICODE SLIX, with dimensions of 8 x 8mm (0.31 x 0.31in), is primarily designed for authentication and brand protection use cases.

“NFC allows consumers to interact with brands in a way that goes beyond the point of sale, and to provide useful information about a product: what it is made of, how to use and how to recycle it. By being able to access this information with just a tap of a phone, it supports a more conscious approach to consumer goods production and consumption,” said Max Winograd, vice president, atma.io and connected products, Avery Dennison Smartrac.

Winograd continues: “Intelligent packaging for consumer products continues to demand smaller inlay designs that are seamlessly embedded into packaging and devices. Product designers want finished goods which drive digital interactions, and this objective is accomplished with these smaller yet powerful inlays. These two new additions to our portfolio give brands excellent options to build digital twin experiences for their product lines.”

AD Circus Mini NTAG213 is available in wet and dry formats, and AD Microblock ICODE SLIX is available in wet format. The inlays are compliant with ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management, which ensure a reliable and state-of-the-art product that meets a variety of application needs, especially in the retail environment. Representing both NFC Forum type 2 and type 5 inlays, Circus Mini and MicroBlock offer the highest performance standards and quality in a uniquely small form factor, reinforcing the company’s market leadership in NFC inlays.

In anticipation of growing market demand for smaller inlay sizes for expanded and general intelligent packaging applications, the new form factors add flexibility to the company’s product offerings. With one of the industry’s widest portfolios of NFC products, coupled with global scalability and the agility to respond to market demand, Avery Dennison Smartrac plans to continue to broaden its portfolio by introducing reduced form factor versions of more NFC-certified inlays in the future.