The French group AIR LIQUIDE (industrial gas: FF 42.9 bn turnover in 1999, with a workforce of 29,000) and GEMPLUS (smart cards: FF 4.8 bn turnover in 1999, with a workforce of 6,300) have set up a joint-venture called ATHELIA SOLUTIONS, held equally, responsible for developing a new-generation traceability service. This service, based on the use of electronic labeling, allows mobile objects both inside and outside a company to be traced.