Three Square Market To Implant Employees With Micro Chips To Enable Micro Market Purchases

Three Square Market (32M) will implant employees with chip technology on Aug. 1, enabling them to make purchases in the company break room micro market, open doors, log into computers and use the copy machine. A chip will be implanted between the thumb and forefinger underneath the skin.

The company expects more than 50 employees to be voluntarily chipped. 32M is partnering with BioHax International, based out of Sweden, on the implants.

The company will use radio frequency identification technology (RFID), which uses electromagnetic fields to identify electronically stored information. The chip implant uses near-field communications (NFC), the same RFID technology used in contactless credit cards and mobile payments.

While in existence for over a decade in the American workplace, the international community began to embrace micro markets only a few years ago.

“We foresee the use of RFID technology to drive everything from making purchases in our office break room market, opening doors, use of copy machines, logging into our office computers, unlocking phones, sharing business cards, storing medical/health information, and used as payment at other RFID terminals,” said 32M CEO Todd Westby. “Eventually, this technology will become standardized, allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.”

“When working with our operators over in Europe, we came across a company of chipped employees at BioHax International, and the concept of using RFID with micro markets quickly grew,” said Tony Danna, 32M’s vice president of international sales.

“We see chip technology as the next evolution in payment systems, much like micro markets have steadily replaced vending machines. As a leader in micro market technology, it is important that 32M continues leading the way with advancements such as chip implants,” said Westby.

“Europe is far more advanced in mobile and chip technology usage than the U.S., and we are thrilled with the growth opportunity this enhancement will bring to us,” said Patrick McMullan, 32M chief operating officer. “Thanks to our market partners in Sweden, we met this innovative company, and look forward to working with them to take our market share to another level.”

32M envisions this technology to help it grow its other self-checkout businesses.

“We see this as another payment and identification option that not only can be used in our markets, but our other self-checkout/self-service applications that we are now deploying which include convenience stores and fitness centers,” said McMullan.

Employees will be chipped at the 32M inaugural “chip party” hosted at their headquarters in River Falls, Wis. on Aug. 1, 2017.

For more information visit www.32market.com.

VENDING YELLOW PAGES DIRECTORIES:

Call us at 1-800-956-8363 to POST YOUR COMPANY, or QUESTIONS?