Global retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) is expanding its use of EPC ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID technology at most of its stores, from 80 percent of its general merchandise toward a goal of tagging 100 percent of goods within the next two years.

To hear some tell it, the world will soon be abuzz with small drones that inspect bridges, monitor pipelines, survey crops and help assess damage for insurance claims.

Material handling equipment new orders grew 8.1 percent in 2014 and are forecasted to grow 9 percent this year, and another 7 percent in 2016, according to the latest Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing Forecast released by MHI.

German casual apparel company Marc O'Polo has adopted a radio frequency identification solution to track its products across the entire supply chain, from its distribution center to 86 of its stores throughout Europe. The company finished installing the system at all 87 sites by September 2014, and is now expanding the deployment to include the tagging of products by manufacturers, thereby enabling the retailer to track its merchandise from the point at which they are made.

Dematic Group, a supplier of integrated automated technology, software and services to optimize the supply chain, has acquired FSU Investments Limited, which holds a majority stake in SDI Group, a supplier of garment-on-hanger and flat sorter technology in Europe. Dematic intends to make an offer for the remaining share capital. The purchase of SDI Group Europe will expand Dematic's global order fulfillment offerings in apparel, retail and e-commerce markets.