According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the global installed base of connected vending machines reached an estimated 5.8 million units in 2022.

North America represents the largest share of these machines, closely followed by the Rest of the World markets. Both are estimated to have installed bases of around 2.1 million each.

In Europe, the installed base of connected vending machines is estimated to have reached around 1.5 million units. Berg Insight forecasts that the number of connected vending machines worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.4 percent to reach 12.3 million units by 2027. As a result, the global penetration rate will reach 75.7 percent at the end of the forecast period.

The global connected vending solution market is served by a variety of players. Many of the leading providers are specialised technology companies offering connected vending telemetry and cashless payment solutions. US-based Cantaloupe is established as the clear leader in terms of installed base with more than 900,000 connected vending machines, mainly in North America.

Other leading technology suppliers include Crane Payment Innovations, Nayax, Ingenico and Televend (INTIS). The latter has continued to show significant growth and is clearly established as a top player on the European market. MatiPay, Vianet Group and Vendon are additional examples of technology players with relatively significant installed bases in Europe. In China, InHand networks holds a prominent position and is estimated to have installed its solutions in close to 300,000 vending machines by the end of 2022.

“The number of connected vending machines continues to grow and has now reached very high levels, particularly in North America”, said Felix Linderum, IoT Analyst at Berg Insight.

In Europe and the Rest of the World markets penetration levels are still modest but growing. Overall, cashless payments continue to be the main driver for adding connectivity in vending machines.

“This development was further reinforced by the Covid-19 pandemic”, continued Mr. Linderum.

He adds that because of the pandemic, there has been an accelerated adoption of cashless and contactless payments as users seek versatility, convenience and safety to a larger extent than before. Outside of North America and Europe, the main driver for growth is the growing installed base of connected vending machines in China. While stringent lockdowns enforced during the Covid-19 pandemic led to a slowdown in the country, there has been a noteworthy surge in the number of vending machines in China over the past few years. Berg Insight anticipates that the country is poised to emerge as a key player in the connected vending space.

Mr. Linderum concluded:

“Mobile payments and remote management of multimedia content are basically standard on the vending machines in China. Facial recognition technology is also a growing trend and enables pay-with-your-face functionality.”

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Delivering 24/7 convenient access to fresh, local produce helping consumers to make sustainable choices.

Global technology company Glory, has today announced the launch of a new Internet-of-Things enabled vending solution with Germany’s largest railway operator Deutsche Bahn.

Passengers at two busy stations in the Munich area will now be able to select fresh, locally sourced produce, either in advance via a web app accessible through their smartphone or directly at the machine.

The first of its kind at any railway station in Germany and branded “Zugvogel” by Deutsche Bahn, the Glory solution combines IoT-enabled hardware with cloud-based software. The connected nature of the solution allows not just convenient consumer ordering through the app, but remote monitoring of the temperature within the refrigerated unit and sell-by dates of the individual items to ensure freshness, together with detailed stock levels to maximise availability of popular products while avoiding waste.

With increased consumer interest in understanding more about their food choices, details of ingredients. allergens and the source of the items available are displayed both through the app and via a large screen on the machine. As part of heightened focus on sustainability and environmental impact, food traceability is becoming more important for many consumers and every product purchased through the Zugvogel machines can be tracked backed to the original, local producer.

When talking about the solution Dominik Cipa, Director of Innovation at Glory Global Solutions said:

“We are delighted to be working with such a globally recognised company as Deutsche Bahn on this project. Our combined cloud-based software and internet of things hardware delivers a complete solution responding to the increasing consumer desire for convenient access, 24 hours a day seven days a week, to fresh locally sourced food choices.”

“With the ‘Zugvogel’ products, travellers and residents can eat healthily, support local producers and thus contribute to a sustainable lifestyle. This particularly benefits commuters who can provide themselves with a healthy meal ‘to go’ on their way to work or on their way home. With this service, we want to make the stations more attractive for our guests and thus win more people for the environmentally friendly railway,” said Deutsche Bahn’s Mareike Schoppe, station manager for the stations in Munich and the surrounding area.

Following the initial two installations, Deutsche Bahn is planning to deploy further units at stations in Munich City and potentially across Germany.

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Berg Insight, the leading IoT market research provider, today released a new market report covering the connected vending machine market.

The global installed base of connected vending machines reached an estimated 4.2 million units in 2019. North America represents the largest share of around 2.0 million of these machines, whereas the corresponding number for the European market is 1.1 million. The number of connected vending machines in other parts of the world totalled an estimated 1.1 million units at the end of 2019, mainly in Japan, China and Australia.

Berg Insight forecasts that the number of connected machines worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.3 percent to reach 8.9 million units by 2024. As a result, the global penetration rate will reach 52.0 percent at the end of the forecast period.

The global connected vending solution market is served by a variety of players. Many of the leading providers are specialised technology companies offering connected vending telemetry and cashless payment solutions.

“USA Technologies is following the acquisition of Cantaloupe Systems in 2017 clearly number one in terms of the installed base and has now more than 1.0 million connected vending machines”, said Adam Bjorkman, IoT Analyst, Berg Insight. He adds that other leading technology suppliers include Crane Connectivity Solutions, Ingenico Group, Nayax and Televend (INTIS). Vianet Group, Vendon, MatiPay and InHand Networks are additional examples of technology players with relatively significant installed bases. “InHand Networks is an interesting case due to the prominent position in China”, continued Mr. Bjorkman.

The number of vending machines in China has grown significantly in the last few years and Berg Insight expects the country to become a major player in the connected vending space.

“Mobile payments and remote management of multimedia content are basically standard on the vending machines in China. Facial recognition technology is also a growing trend and enables pay-with-your-face functionality”, concluded Mr. Bjorkman.

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SUIC and iDrink have completed the installation of one hundred units of iDrink IoT smart beverage vending machines in bars and restaurants in four smart cities in Taiwan: Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung.

Cities that are leading in both technological capabilities and local implementation, as Taiwan is highly ranked in taking the lead in “smart city” development.

SUIC and iDrink are taking advantage of the up-trend in the global demand for intelligent dispensing solutions in several industrial segments including public entertainment, theaters, fun zones, restaurants and retail outlets, pubs, KTV’s, hotels, supermarkets, corporate offices, hospitals, airports, cafeterias, etc. driven by modern urbanization and digitization in virtually everywhere in the Asia Pacific. iDrink IoT smart beverage vending machines adopt smart technologies, including its own Drink Coin crypto and iCloud cloud computing management system, that help these enterprises with iDrink IoT machine safety, augment for easy vending of their beverages, enhance customer engagement, and thereby drive sales and profitability.

Recent market studies show that the intelligent vending machine market is expected to exceed USD30 billion by 2024, and the food and beverages segment comprises the highest demand.

“iDrink IoT smart beverage vending machines, Drink Coin, and iCloud cloud computing management system form a flexible, economical, and resilient single network architecture, providing value to businesses and consumers.”

iDrink IoT machines sales are at an average of 20 to 40 cups daily per machine, each machine generating sales revenues of TWD60,000 to TWD120,000 per month, and these 100 machines are expected to provide gross profits of TWD 36 million to TWD 72 million each year.

iDrink Self-Service Food Ordering Machines, POS Systems.

SUIC and iDrink teams have developed a digital payment dedicated mobile app that transmits information using ultrasound as a technology protocol with multi-factor authorization and unique identifiers for faster-tokenized payments of iDrink IoT smart machines for seamless O2O user experience. Ultrasonic communication uses sound to transfer data and works with ~19 kHz frequencies.

At the same time, SUIC and iDrink own over twenty technologies and patents in 20 countries and regions. Thus, the iDrink IoT smart machines can be equipped for use as self-service food and drinks ordering machines in restaurants, bars and other places of business. This self-service app receives ultrasonic waves via customers’ mobile devices, phones, tablets, etc. The businesses, restaurants, shops, etc. do not have to purchase additional equipment to operate this iDrink Self-Service system app as this function can be programmed directly into the iDrink IoT smart machines. These enterprises could save on labor costs in the process, and at the same time, obtain customer data more efficiently and safely, eliminating security concerns and risks of data compromise.

The self-service market is valued at more than USD 24 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 58.41 billion by the end of 2024, registering a CAGR of 16.43% during the forecast period 2019-2024.

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According to a new research report by the market research and strategy consulting firm, Global Market Insights, Inc, the Intelligent Vending Machine Market to hit US$30 Billion by 2024.

The intelligent vending machines market is experiencing high growth due to a rise in the development of the energy-efficient solutions by manufacturers that will help companies to reduce their carbon footprint. Players operating in intelligent vending machines market are developing eco-friendly and recycling vending machines to provide sustainable technologies for reducing the environmental impacts. Some of the major players, including Coca-Cola, are developing smart vending machines that are integrated with these recycling technologies. Moreover, countries including India, China, the UK, and the U.S. have adopted initiatives and policies for reducing the plastic usage. Such regulations are encouraging the development of sustainable vending machines.

Beverage dispensing machines are witnessing a high demand in the intelligent vending machines market and are anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 16% over the forecast timespan due to the increasing consumption of several types of beverages including cold drinks, alcohol, juices, and energy drinks. Some of the major countries that have a high consumption rate of the soft drinks include the U.S., Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. However, the U.S. is among the top countries considering alcohol consumption rates. Retail outlets in these countries are involved in automating their outlets by incorporating vending solutions. They are utilizing these automated technologies to serve different types of beverages to their customers, thereby enhancing the shopping experience. Such factors are expected to drive the intelligent vending machine market growth.

In the intelligent vending machines market, the retail sector accounted for over 15% of the industry in 2017 and is experiencing high adoption due to the increasing transformation of these outlets to the mechanized stores. Retail store owners are incorporating such advanced technologies to provide sophisticated solutions to their customers, which will save the time that they spend in queues. Intelligent vending machiness help customers in gaining information about the features, pricing, and offers & discounts associated with these products. This helps in accelerating the shopping process with a detailed product overview and various payment options. The incorporation of such smart solutions in stores is driving the sales and profitability of the retail businesses, thereby accelerating the market demand.

Increasing applications of smart dispensing solutions at public transport hubs such as airports, railways stations, and bus stands are predicted to accelerate the intelligent vending machines market. The adoption of food & beverage-dispensing equipment in these places is growing rapidly. These transportation hubs are engaged in transforming their manual operational techniques to automated technologies. For instance, the Indian Railways is investing heavily in automation. In June 2018, it installed automatic food vending machines in the Coimbatore-Bengaluru UDAY Express. These machines are operated using a tablet. Moreover, they are planning to install such systems in several other trains in the future, accelerating intelligent vending machines market.

The Europe intelligent vending machines market is rapidly growing owing to the rising adoption of smart technologies for serving customers in several application areas. These machines are allowing customers to change their mode of payment to cashless transactions. Countries including Sweden, Germany, France, the UK, and Italy are developing various initiatives and programs to digitize the payment process. Sweden is a leading country to adopt stringent guidelines for transforming itself into a cashless economy. For instance, in 2013, some of the major banks including Nordea Bank, SEB, and Swedbank refused to hand over physical currency to its customers in over 75% of their branches in the country. Such digital currency initiatives are encouraging the market players to develop advanced solutions that will support cashless payments.

Major companies participating in the intelligent vending machines market include American Vending Machines, Automated Merchandising Systems, Azkoyen Vending Systems, Bianchi Industry SpA, Bulk Vending Systems, Continental Vending, Evoka Group, Crane Merchandising Systems, Inc, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., and Sanden Holdings Corporation, among others. These players are competing in the intelligent vending machines market by integrating advanced technologies in their product offerings, which include mobile & internet connectivity, NFC-based payments, and others. Royal Vendors, Inc., a designer & manufacturer of beverage vending machines is offering remanufacturing services to its clients to allow the efficient use of technologies, improve the operating period, and reduce electronic wastes. The growing adoption of these sustainable technologies in several industrial segments will propel the market.

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Telit’s ME910 LTE IoT category M1 module offers enhanced coverage.

Telit, today announced that it is showcasing the Nayax cashless payment solution, VPOS Touch, which uses the xE910 family of cellular IoT modules, during the Venditalia event from June 6-9 in Milan, Italy.

Nayax, a global leader of cashless payment solutions, has integrated the compact ME910 cellular IoT module, providing vending machine operators with wireless cashless payment services. As a solution installed in each vending machine, Nayax accepts all forms of credit, debit, prepaid and postpaid cards, mobile payment apps, QR code scans and can be used in contact, swipe and contactless transactions. Nayax’s platform provides a complete solution for cashless payments, telemetry, management suite and consumer engagement tools, designed to improve productivity and increase sales for operators.

Nayax has been using Telit’s modules and connectivity services for the last 4 years, moving from 2G modems to the 3G UE910 module in Europe and the 4G Cat1 LE910 module in the USA. The ME910 allowed Nayax to swiftly migrate from 3G to 4G LTE Cat M1 networks.

The ME910 module is a member of Telit’s best-selling xE910 family and can easily be applied as a pin-to-pin replacement for existing devices based on the family’s modules for 2G, 3G, and LTE Categories 1, 3 and 4. Industries that demand lower costs, increased security and extended product lifecycles now have more options with the Telit ME910. The longevity of the LTE Cat M1 standard and extensive feature set make the ME910 an ideal solution for new and existing applications such as connected sensors and meters.

Tomer Lavie, Sr. Vice President Sales EMEA, Telit, said:

“The deployment of ME910 under 4G Cat M1 networks allows a longer effective lifetime for battery-powered devices, and relatively low costs for powering, connecting, and maintaining devices—making mass deployment and management possible.”

“Industries that demand lower costs, security and extended product lifecycles now have more options with the Telit ME910 in addition to certified LTE IoT cellular Cat M1 and NB1 modules.”

“Integrating the Telit ME910 in our cashless payment solutions enables us to provide enhanced communication features for our customers,” said Keren Sharir, Vice President Marketing, Nayax. “Telit ensures our customers receive the necessary data for operating their businesses, improving productivity at every stage of the process. In addition, having access to 4G connectivity keeps Nayax ahead of the competition, and allows our customers to stay competitive in their markets as well.”

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Berg Insight, today released a new market report covering the connected vending machine market. The global installed base of connected vending machines reached an estimated 2.6 million units in 2017.

North America represents the largest share of around 1.3 million of these machines, whereas the corresponding number for the European market is 0.6 million.

The number of connected vending machines in other parts of the world totalled an estimated 0.7 million units at the end of 2017, mainly in Japan and Australia.

Berg Insight forecasts that the number of connected machines worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.2 percent to reach 5.4 million units by 2022. As a result, the global penetration rate will reach 32.2 percent at the end of the forecast period.

The global market for connected vending solutions is served by a variety of players. Many of the leading providers are specialised technology companies offering connected vending telemetry and cashless payment solutions.

“USA Technologies is following the acquisition of Cantaloupe Systems in 2017 clearly become number one in terms of installed base”, said Rickard Andersson, Senior Analyst, Berg Insight.

He adds that other leading technology suppliers include Ingenico Group, Nayax and Televend (INTIS). Vianet Group, Vendon and Vendwatch Telematics are additional examples of technology players with relatively significant installed bases.

Numerous vending machine manufacturers are also active in the connected vending space, either directly by developing proprietary solutions in-house, or by partnering with established vending telemetry and cashless payment solution providers.

“The manufacturer Crane even holds one of the leading positions from a global perspective through Crane Connectivity Solutions with a total of 400,000 connected machines”, continued Mr. Andersson.

In line with developments observed on other M2M/IoT markets which have reached a higher level of maturity, Berg Insight estimates that this space also will be dominated by a few multinational players having global installed bases of hundreds of thousands of connected vending machines.

Mr. Andersson concluded:

“The milestone of one million connected vending machines on the same platform is expected to be surpassed already in 2020.”

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Sierra Wireless Smart SIM and AirVantage® IoT Platform to enable digital transformation of the world’s largest vending network.

Sierra Wireless today announced that International Vending Alliance (IVA), the largest global network with 1.9 million vending machines in more than 70 countries, has selected Sierra Wireless’ Smart SIM and AirVantage® IoT Platform to revolutionize vending service delivery.

One hundred million customers interact with IVA vending machines daily, but the vending experience has remained largely unchanged for the last 25 years. IVA’s smart “black box” solution, powered by Sierra Wireless IoT Services, is transforming the vending industry by enabling new business models and customer experiences, including cashless payment, touch screens, targeted advertising, online monitoring and more efficient management.

Martijn van den Hazenkamp, CEO of IVA, said:

“To compete with consumers’ ever-increasing digital expectations, the vending industry needs to reimagine how we interact with our customers.”

“IVA’s global network has been actively involved in the creation of a new smart vending solution that will change how vending machines operate so that data can be used to drive sales and customer satisfaction. We teamed up with Sierra Wireless, a global leader in IoT, to develop the vital connectivity and data collection requirements in the solution. Working together, we will modernize the vending experience.”

Sierra Wireless’ Smart SIMs offer global coverage, allowing IVA to use a single SIM across its worldwide network. The SIMs are integrated with the AirVantage IoT platform to manage subscriptions and connectivity and to monitor connectivity services. By connecting and collecting data from its retail assets, IVA can now provide transformative services, such as preventative maintenance, restocking optimization, automated merchandising, advertising, loyalty programs and more.

“IVA’s solution is a wonderful example of how IoT technology can breathe new life into industries that are facing new competitors and shifting consumer preferences,” said Marc Overton, Senior Vice President and General Manager, IoT Services, Sierra Wireless. “This data-driven vending experience, designed around Sierra Wireless connectivity services, allows IVA to innovate and deliver a completely new experience for customers and more efficient management for operators.”

IVA’s solution integrates Sierra Wireless IoT services with Smart Retail Solutions B.V.’s platform for the Retail, Hospitality, Beverage, and CPG industries.

“Combining our platform with Sierra Wireless’ IoT services allows us to provide a 24/7, flexible connectivity solution to the IVA network,” said Adrian Whelan, Director & Co-Founder, Smart Retail Solutions B.V. “We chose the Sierra Wireless solutions due to its ease of use and robustness, and the team involved has been extremely helpful with designing the solution.”

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Berg Insight, the world’s leading M2M/IoT market research provider, today released a new market report covering the connected vending machine market. The global installed base of connected vending machines reached an estimated 1.51 million units in 2015.

The first solutions for including connectivity in vending machines became commercially available more than two decades ago. It has however taken years for the technology to gain the interest of mainstream vending operators. Today, global penetration is still relatively modest and Berg Insight estimates that only around 10 percent of the world’s 17 million vending machines are connected.

The market has however gained momentum in recent years as more and more vending operators have started to deploy cashless payment systems and vending telemetry solutions at a larger scale.
Demand for cashless payments has so far been a main driver for connectivity in vending machines. Vending telemetry is however anticipated to have a more transformational effect on the industry as these solutions enable vending operators to substantially improve their operational efficiency.

North America is estimated to represent around 0.80 million of these machines, whereas the corresponding number for the European market is 0.20 million. The number of connected vending machines in other parts of the world totalled an estimated 0.51 million units at the end of 2015, mainly in Japan and Australia.

Berg Insight forecasts that the number of connected machines worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7 percent to reach 3.6 million units by 2020. As a result, the global penetration rate will reach 20.3 percent at the end of the forecast period. Leading solution providers include Crane, USA Technologies, Cantaloupe Systems and Nayax which all have more than 100,000 connected vending telemetry and cashless payment solutions each.

The connected vending machine market is currently affected by a number of trends that are foreseen to positively impact technology uptake and innovation among the solution vendors.

Rickard Andersson, Senior Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“The business case for vending telemetry continues to improve in line with technology advancements and decreasing costs of both equipment and connectivity services”.

He adds that cashless payments is similarly a strong driver for adding connectivity in vending machines. Mobile wallet services can enable new opportunities beyond mere payments such as mobile-enabled advertising and marketing programs that can boost customer intimacy. Other recent developments in the unattended vending space include the growing popularity of so-called micro markets.

As micro markets are expected to continue to grow at the expense of traditional vending machines, the vending telemetry and cashless payment solution providers will inevitably face a diminishing addressable market in their primary segment. This development on the other hand presents opportunities for innovative solution providers to also cater to the needs of micro market operations. Front-running players such as Cantaloupe Systems have already embraced this opportunity.
“Other solution providers are expected to follow suit and increasingly serve the promising micro market segment in 2017 and beyond”, concluded Mr. Andersson.

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Collaboration provides retailers with increased security for mobile payments and addresses credit card fraud deadline.

Today, Ingenico Group and Intel Corporation announced a collaboration to combine Intel technology and Ingenico Group secure payment acceptance for the Internet of Things. The companies will jointly develop a mobile tablet that supports EMV1 and NFC payment functionalities, a standard required by banks to help prevent credit card fraud.

Today, banks are responsible for fraudulent activity on credit cards, costing them US$14 billion in 20132. By October 2015, banks will require retail merchants to upgrade their POS equipment to support EMV chip cards. If they do not, the retailers will be responsible for recovering the funds if fraud should occur.

Under the collaboration, Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions will be combined with Ingenico Group payment acceptance capabilities in mobile and future solutions in the United States and Canada, beginning with the jointly developed mobile tablets based on the Intel® Atom processor.

This will pave the way to a broader set of initiatives and value-added services to address other worldwide devices for the Internet of Things, including intelligent vending machines, kiosks and digital signage.

“We are very pleased to enter a collaboration with Intel, deploying secured payment acceptance into new connected devices,” commented Philippe Lazare, chairman and CEO, Ingenico Group. “This is a great example of how innovation can simplify the purchasing experience and further enhance the merchant-consumer relationship.”

“Bringing secure payment into connected devices will root our payment acceptance expertise in the Internet of Things.”

“The shift in liability this October will be a major milestone in the United States for banks and credit card companies, but especially for retailers,” said Doug Davis, senior vice president and general manager, Internet of Things Group, Intel.

“Intel and Ingenico Group are working to bridge the retail experience and security gap while also making sure devices are easy to deploy and manage so we don’t create new burdens for the merchants.”

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The global installed base of connected vending machines grew by 18.4 percent to 1.16 million units in 2014.

Around 0.56 million of these machines have been installed in North America, whereas 0.15 million of the machines were located in Europe. The number of connected vending machines in other parts of the world was 0.45 million, mainly in Japan and Australia.

Berg Insight forecasts that the number of connected vending machines worldwide will grow at a CAGR of 18.5 percent to reach 2.7 million units by 2019. As a result, the global penetration rate will reach 15.3 percent at the end of the forecast period.

The connected vending market has gained momentum as vending operators have started to deploy cashless payment systems and vending telemetry solutions at a larger scale. The main market driver is currently cashless payments, which has become more and more important as the world moves from coins and bills to electronic payments such as credit cards and mobile wallets. Vending telemetry solutions are expected to have a more transformational effect on the industry in the coming years.

Lars Kurkinen, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight, said:

“The availability of machine data in real-time coupled with state-of-the-art software platforms make it possible for vending operators to reach entirely new levels of operational efficiency.”

“Vending operators that learn how to benefit from the real-time availability of vending machine data in the best way will have the highest chances of prospering in the vending industry in the next decade”, concludes Mr. Kurkinen.

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The number of cellular M2M connections in the retail industry reached 18.4 million worldwide in 2013, according to a new research report from Berg Insight.

Cellular M2M technology enables devices such as POS terminals, ATMs and ticketing machines to be used at new locations where fixed line connectivity is unavailable or impractical. The technology has a more transformational effect on markets such as vending and parking, where machine operators need to reorganize their operations in order to benefit from the availability of real-time information. Berg Insight forecasts that the number of cellular M2M connections in the global retail industry will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6 percent during the next five years to reach 33.3 million connections in 2018. Shipments of cellular M2M devices for retail applications will at the same time increase at a CAGR of 6.5 percent from 6.6 million units in 2013 to 9.1 million units in 2018.

POS terminals constitute the largest device segment and accounted for almost 90 percent of all cellular M2M connections in the retail industry at the end of 2013. The market for wirelessly connected POS terminals is however relatively mature, and most of the market growth is driven by the increasing use of electronic payments in emerging markets. In contrast to this, the adoption of cellular connectivity is still in a very early stage in the vending machine market. Only 7.4 percent of the 6 million vending machines in North America are connected and similarly just 2.9 percent of the 3.8 million vending machines in Europe are connected.

Lars Kurkinen, Senior Analyst, Berg Insight, says:

“Vending is the largest untapped market for wireless M2M in the retail industry.”

He adds that the North American market has recently entered a strong growth phase and is forecasted to reach 1.14 million connected vending machines by 2018. Europe is expected to enter a similar growth phase during 2014–2015, which will drive the number of connected vending machines to 0.4 million units by 2018.

“Every vending machine will eventually be connected, but costs for the wireless M2M hardware and subscriptions still need to come down significantly before this vision becomes reality”, Mr Kurkinen concludes.

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Vending machines automatically reorder when low filling level is reached | Solutions package monitors current cash inventory and raises alarm on burglary attempts | Cashless payment by cell phone attracts wider customer groups.

Deutsche Telekom will present its new M2M commerce solutions at the vending machine trade fair Eu’Vend from September 19 to 21 in Cologne, Germany. In hall 9 at stand D-010, Deutsche Telekom will demonstrate innovative solutions which enable vending machine operators to better monitor and operate their sales machines and to convert to cashless payment by cell phone.

Jürgen Hase, Vice President, M2M Competence Center, Deutsche Telekom explains:

“We offer vending machine manufacturers and operators future-proof solutions based on M2M. With these solutions, they can monitor their equipment, increase their productivity and increase sales. Also cashless payments at the vending machines with an NFC-enabled cell phone will be possible in the future.”

Deutsche Telekom’s innovative M2M solutions simplify not only the processes, but also have a direct impact on sales and profits. For example, vending machines can automatically reorder when low filling levels are reached, thus enabling the vending machine operator to optimize the refilling process. The solutions package also monitors the current cash inventory and raises alarm if there are any burglary attempts. This results in a considerable reduction in downtime due to faulty machines or empty product shafts.

All existing machines can be upgraded quickly and easily with a corresponding module. The module transfers the collected vending machine data to a Vendon server via a mobile communications connection in Deutsche Telekom’s high-availability network. Vendon is a Deutsche Telekom solutions partner. The data is processed and can then be displayed on the vending machine operator’s PC via web browser or it can be processed further by using corresponding enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Vending machine operators can also compare the data collected to draw further conclusions in order to optimize locations for example. Measures to promote sales such as price adjustments can be carried out remotely and their impact can be recorded online.

Deutsche Telekom will also demonstrate a further step into the future of mobile payment: Existing vending machines can be upgraded to enable cashless payment using an NFC-capable cell phone. This means that it will always be possible to buy softdrinks even if you are out of cash, with bonus programs and even social vending (campaigns via social networks such as Facebook or Twitter) being possible in the future as well.

Today, Deutsche Telekom is one of the leading international providers of M2M services as a result of its long-term experience and it sees machine-to-machine technology as a central growth area. For this reason, the company has relied from the outset on an international partner program, which today counts more than 600 companies from 56 countries. Together with partners in lending and banking, Deutsche Telekom is developing solutions in the area of payment for simple and secure payment by cell phone using NFC technology.

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With thousands of cellular connected cashless vending machines in use throughout Europe, the US and Africa, installations now to accelerate in Scandinavia.

Telit Wireless Solutions, a leading global provider of high-quality machine-to-machine (M2M) modules and value-added services, today announced that its M2M cellular modules used by Nayax, a world leader in cashless and telemetry systems, are to enable cashless services for vending machines operated in Scandinavia by Selecta Nordic.

Nayax’s Nayaxvend Cashless Payment solution, which integrates Telit’s GC-864 Quad V2 compact module, provides vending machine operators with wireless cashless payment services. As a solution installed in each vending machine, Nayaxvend is compatible with all forms of credit, debit, prepaid and postpaid cards, and can be used in contact, swipe and contactless transactions. The Nayaxvend Cashless Payment solution provides a wide array of alerts and notifications that can be sent by SMS or email.

Selecta Nordic operates vending machines in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The combined Nayaxvend-Telit solution has already been installed in 200 vending machines in Scandinavia, with additional machines slated to be equipped with it in the coming months.

“Using the cashless solution helps us increase revenues and decrease operational costs,” said Catherine Sahlgren, Managing Director, Selecta Nordic.

“The cashless payment system eliminates sales barriers, such as the lack of coins and change, and provides us with better control of the vending machines.”

The Telit GC864 product family is one of the smallest GSM/GPRS quad-band modules with industrial connectors on the market. With its ultra-compact design and extended temperature range, the GC864-QUAD V2 is the perfect platform for medium-volume M2M applications and mobile data devices. Additional features, such as an integrated TCP/IP protocol stack and a serial multiplexer, provide extended application functionality at no additional cost.

Nayax Card Reader and M2M Control Device[/caption]“The installation of Nayaxvend with Telit’s modules in Selecta Nordic’s vending machines is another example of how M2M communications can help people make better use of machines in public places, while also bringing business benefits to equipment operators,” said Dominikus Hierl, CMO at Telit.

“This latest vertical M2M application proves once again the societal benefits of having real-time information delivered wirelessly to decision-makers, providing them comprehensive understanding of specific situations so they can productively move forward with confidence.”

“We chose Telit’s modules due to their very high performance and reliability, enabling us to provide our customers with best-in-class solutions at the forefront of technology,” said Yair Nechmad, Nayax’s founder. “By applying our high data security standards, we assure the strongest protection for the data transferred from the vending machine.”

According to Nayax, the US vending machines market comprises 5 million machines with annual sales totalling $22 billion. The number of vending machines in Europe is 4 million, generating annual sales of $10 billion.

Nayax solutions have been installed in thousands of vending machines scattered throughout Europe, the US, UK, Africa and Scandinavia.

As the industry’s only technology company dedicated solely to M2M, with its wireless module technology and newly launched value-added services, Telit enables solution providers to easily create and manage their M2M applications reducing total-cost-of–ownership (TCO) necessary to operate and support user-applications while ensuring highest quality and reliability.

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Global partnership to increase revenue through M2M connectivity

Everything Everywhere, the UK’s biggest communications company, and Nokia Siemens Networks have announced a partnership that will offer vending machine owners the opportunity to increase revenue and reduce costs through remote stock monitoring, increased customer interaction and multiple payment methods.

Through the international partnership, vending machines will be linked to Nokia Siemens Networks’ VendMe* application and installed with Everything Everywhere SIM cards, connecting them to both the UK’s largest 3G network and France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom’s international footprint.

This connectivity will allow vendors to monitor stock levels remotely and plan efficient replenishing of machines without the need to make site visits – offering environmental as well as efficiency and productivity benefits for fleet management teams.

Vendors will also have access to new ways to engage potential customers, through sending targeted messages to those people in the vicinity of a smart vending machine, and even interacting with customers and their contacts through their social networks of choice.

Once customers are at a smart vending machine, they will not need cash to make a purchase, but can take advantage of Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, through Orange Quick Tap from Everything Everywhere, or NFC-enabled cards. Contactless payments are also possible through Reverse SMS and Chip & Pin, meaning the risk of leaving cash in machines is reduced, while the convenience to customers is increased.

The solution was this week awarded Cloud-Based Vending Innovation award at the Global Telecoms Business Innovation Awards. The smart vending machines will be piloted during summer, with commercial roll-out expected to take place later this year.

Marc Overton, vice president Wholesale and M2M at Everything Everywhere said, “Vending is just one of many areas where we are offering innovative services outside the traditional telecoms remit. There is great potential for M2M technologies to provide companies operating internationally in all sectors with instant access to data, making businesses run better and improving the customer experience.”

“In Nokia Siemens Networks, we have a global partner that shares our focus on developing cloud-based applications to address the needs of all markets and customers, however far they may sit outside the traditional telecoms space,” added Marc.

Bernd Gross, head of the M2M business line at Nokia Siemens Networks said, “Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to driving the benefits of M2M applications into different industries by developing solutions that address a wide variety of requirements seamlessly and cost-efficiently.”

“This partnership with Everything Everywhere means that we can offer our customers a reduced time to market of up to 60%, and with half-a-million vending machines across the UK and many millions more around the world, we see a great opportunity to use mobile broadband and our customer experience management expertise to offer an improved experience to people.”

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Danish startup NextM2M is to provide the world’s first reverse vending recycling machine for domestic light bulbs with global mobile connectivity.

NextM2M has developed a unique, web based management platform, which together with one-step global access to more than 400 mobile networks in 200 countries makes it easier and more economical to develop and deploy new machine-to-machine solutions.

This innovative solution is utilized by UK-based Reverse Vending Corporation Ltd who developed a reverse vending recycling machine for the safe collection and recycling of domestic light bulbs and batteries.

The patented reVend recycling machine is the first domestic light bulb recycling machine of its kind in the World and will be marketed globally.

The leading international retailer, IKEA of Sweden, is the first to install the light bulb reverse vending recycling technology in its stores in the UK and will install a significant number of machines in IKEA stores throughout Europe, including the UK, Germany and Denmark.

The new range of light bulb recycling machines from reVend will benefit the environment, help increase recycling rates and assist companies and organizations in complying with recycling targets and environmental recycling regulations.

“NextM2M has enabled us to provide connectivity in our unique light bulb reverse vending recycling machines that can now be deployed anywhere in the world,” says Steve Stothard, Senior VP and Chief Technology Officer at Reverse Vending Corporation.

“Their extensive network with at least two operators in each country is a guarantee of a professional service for our customers, and the unique NextM2M Management Platform makes handling and administering a vast number of connections easy and uncomplicated. NextM2M has an extensive knowledge and expertise within M2M markets and technology, which makes them an ideal partner for Reverse Vending Corporation“, added Stothard.

Henrik Hansen, Vice President, Sales and Business Development, NextM2M, states

“Vending machines and reverse vending machines are very typical of the growing use of machine-to-machine technology.”

“At NextM2M we have worked intensively to develop a management platform and integrated billing systems that meet the requirements of system integrators, software developers and manufacturers involved in M2M projects.
Because you have complete control of the SIM-cards and the usage from start to finish, you do not have to worry about excessive airtime costs. We are a one-stop supplier of global connectivity to over 400 networks, which means that a solution can be developed once and then implemented anywhere at any time without the need for technical alterations.”

“The collaboration with Reverse Vending Corporation is supporting the position of NextM2M as a global partner for the innovative technological community“, comments Mads Winblad, Chairman of the NextM2M board.

“It proves our ability to deliver flexible, reliable and cost efficient connectivity on a global basis. We are looking forward to continuous cooperation with Reverse Vending Corporation and many other developers of M2M solutions“.

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