Datatag to launch anti-theft technology in the US

Datatag, the UK company that runs the UK's CESAR plant identification and registration scheme, said it is planning to launch its theft prevention technology in the US and has trial projects lined up with potential partners before the end of the year.

Kevin Howells, managing director of Datatag, told IRN the company was talking to companies in the US who have knowledge of the main equipment markets - not just of construction equipment - and who can provide the national network required to install the identification tags and provide the necessary support infrastructure, such as scanners.

He says pilot projects are due to be started in Texas involving a construction equipment rental company and several manufacturers and that initial trials will be focused on the US States that have the worst theft problems, with Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and California ‘leading' the table.

Datatag tags are already being fitted onto equipment by JCB in its Savannah, US, facility and by John Deere in the US for some agricultural equipment.

The anti-theft and identification system involves both visible and hidden technology. On the outside of a machine, the company fixes tamper-proof plates with identification numbers which ensure that the equipment can be identified and traced.

In addition, a glass tag the size of a grain of rice can be installed inside the machine containing a unique code that can be scanned, while microdot identification can be applied to any surface on the machine, making it difficult for criminals to locate and remove them all.

The technology aims to make it easy for police authorities to identify equipment, and for the very visible stickers to act as a deterrent to thieves.