CANTON, Mass., July 19 -- Robotic Vision Systems Inc. has signed an agreement with Tokyo-based Tohken Co. Ltd. to cross-distribute two-dimensional (2-D) bar code reading equipment. The companies will join forces to create a bigger market for unit level traceability and direct part marking, technologies that do away with the need for labels and the problems and cost associated with them, said RVSI.Tohken will get the exclusive distribution rights in Japan for RVSI's MXi handheld imager and similar software and DMx Verifier + software for verifying Data Matrix marks. Tohken also gets general rights to sell these products in other parts of Asia. RVSI's Acuity CiMatrix Division gains the sole rights to sell a variety of Tohken's 2-D imagers, including its most advanced imager, the THIR-3000H, in North America. This agreement brings the world's two leading 2-D bar code companies closer together, said Pat V. Costa, chairman and CEO of RVSI. More than any other company, Tohken and RVSI understand and believe in the revolutionary impact Data Matrix can have on tracking and tracing products. Each company builds products tailored to different applications within the 2-D market; now those products will be available from a common source. We look forward toworking with Tohken to build this market.