VERNON HILLS, Ill., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Zebra Technologies
Corporation (Nasdaq: ZBRA), a global leader in specialty printing and
automatic identification solutions, has announced that Vail Resorts, the
leading mountain resort operator in the U.S. dedicated to providing
exceptional experiences to their guests, selected Zebra's new P330i UHF RFID
card printer/encoders and custom-designed UHF cards to create RFID-enabled
identification cards for use with Vail Resorts' "easy scan" system. The new
system is designed to provide instant authentication of lift pass holders at
the company's ski resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in
Colorado and Heavenly in Calif., and Nevada.
"We're always looking for new ways to enhance the experience for our
guests, and the 'easy scan' system is designed to do just that," said Robert
Urwiler, Vail Resorts CIO. "We've been very happy with the Zebra printers we
already use in our operations, and we are confident that the new P330i UHF
RFID card printer/encoders will provide the performance we need to fulfill our
goals."
Vail Resorts will use handheld RF scanners to detect lift passes through
skiers' coats, providing an easier, more convenient experience without the
need for the swiping or barcode scanning of passes. The new RFID-enabled
system consists of a Zebra Gen 2 RFID card and Zebra P330i passive UHF RFID
card printer, which was selected based on ease of use, speed and reliability.
The RFID-enabled card system was created by the Vail Resorts technology
team and will be implemented for the 2008-2009 ski and snowboard season at all
five ski resorts.
"The P330i passive UHF RFID card printer/encoders, along with the UHF Gen
2 RFID cards we designed, are ideally suited for the lift pass auto-ID
application," said Steve Park, vice president and general manager of RFID at
Zebra. "Providing longer read ranges and unique identification capabilities
that facilitate higher levels of security and authentication, the Zebra
solution will help Vail Resorts continue to deliver on its promise of
exceptional customer experience."
Zebra P330i passive UHF RFID card printer/encoders feature 4 MB image
memory standard and a 16-character LCD display. The printer/encoders are
designed for use with Zebra-designed cards and are also compatible with cards
provided by other manufacturers. Product options include a magnetic encoder,
and built-in Ethernet capability. The printers deliver clear, vibrant color
printing and print resolution of 300 dpi.
The EPC Gen 2 cards used by Vail Resorts include a chip featuring strong
sensitivity and a Unique ID (UID) serial number that cannot be changed or
duplicated, thus protecting against forging or cloning of ski lift passes.
The card's inlay antenna (patent pending) was designed by Zebra specifically
to maximize performance and read range and to enhance security in access
control applications.
For more information about Zebra P330i printers and genuine Zebra
supplies, please call 800-452-4056 or visit http://www.zebra.com.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. is the leading mountain resort operator in the United
States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of
Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado,
the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and
the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The Company's subsidiary,
RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant
properties across the United States and the Caribbean. Vail Resorts
Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction
subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company
traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Vail Resorts company website is
http://www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is http://www.snow.com.
About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation improves customers' business performance
through products and solutions that identify, track and manage assets,
transactions and people. In more than 100 countries around the world, more
than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use innovative and reliable Zebra
printers, supplies, RFID products and software to increase productivity,
improve quality, lower costs, and deliver better customer service. Information
about Zebra and Zebra-brand products can be found at http://www.zebra.com.
Contact Information:
Zebra Technologies Corporation
Media:
Tim Dreyer
+1 847-793-5677
tdreyer@zebra.com
SOURCE Zebra Technologies Corporation