Lockheed Martin forms Savi Group for supply-chain technology

Filed in archive Research on November 22, 2006

Lockheed Martin Co. has converted an acquired RFID startup, Savi Technology Inc., into the Savi Group, an independent organization within Lockheed Martin that will use sensor nets to provide real-time information management for supply-chain data-collection tasks.

According to EE Times, former Savi Technology chief executive Vic Verma will lead the Savi Group, and a key executive within Lockheed's intelligence systems business, Ron Nakamoto, will become chief operating officer of Savi.

The latter appointment makes sense, given Savi's efforts to win fleet-management and cargo-security contracts with the Department of homeland security, and with two Defense Department organizations, Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Transportation Command.

Savi also will take its integrated RFID systems to commercial customers and port operators. The intent, Verma said in a statement, is to track and manage shipments "every step along the way as they move through global supply chains from point of origin to destination."

Savi Technology previously had a joint venture with Hutchison Port Holdings, a relationship for port management that will be leveraged by the new Savi Group. Also joining the Savi Group will be Jerry Lindstrom, former vice president of business development and strategy for Lockheed Martin's integrated systems and solutions group.