Passive RFID and bar coding leader agrees to acquire WhereNet Corp. for $126 million in cash to gain access to active RFID technology used to track high-value assets in industrial manufacturing and distribution applications.

Automaker's North American unit calls on WhereNet to provide real-time locating system hardware and software to help streamline in-bound supply and outbound delivery processes.

New initiative by Savi Networks will enable manufacturers, logistics services providers, and shipping companies to use auto-ID technology to monitor the movement and status of goods through 31 shipping terminals operated by Marine Terminals Corp.

RFID-based offering eliminates the need to tag every container and provides intelligence to prevent storage bottlenecks and keep goods flowing off the dock and into the warehouse.