Jul 18, 2007RFID Journal, the world's leading media and events company covering radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, and the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the leading trade association for the apparel and footwear industries, announced today that Avery Dennison will host the invitation-only Leadership Forum, where 40 senior executives from Kohl's, Reebok, Jockey and other apparel and footwear companies will discuss critical issues related to RFID technology adoption in these two industries. The forum will be part of the RFID Journal—AAFA Apparel and Footwear Summit, to be held on Aug. 20-22, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City.
The greatest benefits of radio frequency identification come when apparel and footwear items are tagged at the point of manufacture. But there are many issues to consider when source-tagging with RFID. In the first part of the Leadership Forum, Philip Calderbank, director of global marketing, RFID and security for Avery Dennison's Information & Brand Management division, will address these critical issues:
- How to reconcile SKU numbers with RFID codes
- How to deal with variable color codes and match RFID codes with the proper tickets and labels
- How to attach and apply RFID tickets and labels
- How to overcome the need for carrying a large RFID base-label inventory
- How to coordinate tagging items at several manufacturing facilities
- How to tie all data into an 856 advance shipping notice (ASN)
- How to receive and send all data from the manufacturer back to the retail operation
- How to identify the return on investment (ROI) for the vendor and supplier
The second part of the forum will offer an open discussion in which industry leaders will discuss the issues surrounding RFID adoption in the apparel and footwear sector, including privacy, technology costs and international standards.
"This is a rare opportunity for leaders in the apparel and footwear sector to come together to learn and discuss some of the key issues surrounding RFID adoption," says Calderbank. "The supply-chain benefits of RFID can only be achieved through collaboration, so this truly is an important event."
The RFID Journal—AAFA Apparel and Footwear Summit, open to all executives in the apparel and footwear industries, will feature a keynote presentation by Bill Holder, CIO of Dillard's. Holder will explain the work Dillard's has been doing to determine where RFID can deliver value in the company's supply chain.
Other featured speakers will include:
- Frank Cornelius, RFID project leader at New Balance
- Bridget Chan, CIO of Esquel, a leading cotton-shirt manufacturer, which is using RFID for inventory management, tracking work-in-process and monitoring supply-chain shipments
- Neco Can, cofounder of Industry Standard, an RFID-enabled boutique
- Nick Tentis, managing director at Nick Tentis, a British design company using RFID to enhance the shopping experience
- Götz Pfeifferling, CIO of Lemmi Fashion, a European apparel company that has expanded the use of RFID throughout its operations
- Marshall Kay, RFID practice leader at Kurt Salmon Associates
- Patrick Javick, apparel representative at EPCglobal North America
- Mark Roberti, editor and founder of RFID Journal
"This is truly the must-attend RFID event for executives and technology professionals in the apparel and footwear industries," says Roberti. "It's the only event where apparel and footwear companies in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia can learn from early adopters how to realize the benefits of RFID to improve the way they manufacture, ship and sell apparel and footwear products."
