Peter Collins, president and CEO of A2B Tracking Solutions in Portsmouth talked with Providence Business News recently about his business. A2B principals developed the first barcode tracking solutions over fifty years ago; today the company uses barcode and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Over the last 20 years, A2B has worked with thousands of bar code and RFID users around the globe, including the Federal Aviation Administration and companies such as United Parcel Service and Walmart, all of which needed help with labeling and item tracking systems. The military remains A2B’s largest customer. Using laser etching and computer technology, the company gives every military item a unique and durable label that stands up to combat conditions and extreme weather. Once they are marked, assets can be tracked using software developed by A2B Tracking Solutions.
PBN: In a brief paragraph, can you explain what A2B does and who your customers are?
COLLINS: At A2B we’re experts at tracking physical assets and inventory in highly regulated environments where best practices are imperative and everything depends on accuracy. We put asset control in our customer’s hands by deploying scalable cloud-based software anywhere on the globe to track and trace assets throughout their lifecycle. Whether it’s military assets, medical devices or critical energy or transportation equipment, customers know they can depend on A2B for practical solutions that harness powerful barcode and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to ensure data accuracy and total asset “visibility.” A2B serves a broad range of commercial enterprises and public sector organizations, from small and large scale manufacturers to government agencies and the military.
PBN: Who is your largest customer, and is that customer typical of the enterprises you work with?
COLLINS: For the past five years, the “largest customer” ball has bounced among all branches of the armed services. There are years when A2B’s largest programs are with the US Navy and other years when it’s the US Air Force. Currently we are in the beginning stages of providing A2B tracking technology to one of the largest armored fighting vehicle programs in the US, for the US Army. That said, A2B’s typical customers have been commercial organizations that support the United States Government by supplying products using A2B tracking technology.
PBN: What kinds of industries are looking for what you can provide?
COLLINS: A2B is the premier provider of barcode and RFID technologies for Defense and Aerospace industries. We’re the best at deploying technology in the toughest environmental conditions that one can imagine. These industries are highly regulated which plays well to our technology and software designs. A2B’s ability to support large enterprises as well as small businesses has led us to naturally serve other industries such as industrial manufacturing, universities, research institutions, energy, healthcare and other federal and state governments.
PBN: How do you market this kind of technology?
COLLINS: These are tough markets to crack. It’s been more than 10 years that we’ve been pursuing these markets but it’s paid off. Since asset tracking systems market is so specialized, we’ve made it our goal to be the faster and better than the larger companies that are attracted to these markets. My favorite story is when A2B was faced with competing against Lockheed Martin. Our technology was better but Lockheed had the household name among other big company advantages. How do you compete with a household name? You prove that being nimble, reactive, and faster wins the game. Now our technology is light years beyond Lockheed’s technology and they’ve since divested their stake in this market.
PBN: Is A2B growing? Why (or why not)? And where do you see the company in five years?
COLLINS: Sequestration (government budget cuts) hurt. Yet that change opened the door for new technology: RFID. This technology has hit a fever pitch over the past 2-3 years for asset tracking applications because it provides an even greater savings and improved accuracy over and above the use of barcode. It’s also more challenging to implement correctly, creating significant demand for us.
A2B’s investment over the past two years will reap significant gains in the upcoming five years since the use of RFID to track and provide intelligence to assets is just beginning. We are building on A2B’s cloud-based tracking software which now leverages barcode and RFID and sets the stage of tracking and monitoring products, equipment, and items around the globe. This growth has already created demand for skills and talent at A2B to support software developers and solution engineering.
