Aug 07, 2008EPCglobal North America, a not-for-profit, vendor-neutral, user-driven organization supporting the adoption of Electronic Product Code (EPC) technology, has announced that it has added a new Retail Supplier Implementation Track to the conference program of EPC Connection 2008. The event, produced by RFID Journal, is EPCglobal NA's fifth annual conference and exhibition; it will take place Oct. 14-16, 2008, at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Chicago.
The Retail Supplier Implementation Track will focus on helping companies deploy radio frequency identification systems based on EPC standards in the most cost-effective and profitable manner. Among the topics to be covered are:
• Understanding the role of EPCglobal standards in supply chain collaboration
• Integrating EPC into business processes and IT systems
• Meeting retailers' EPC RFID requirements for tagging pallets and sellable units
• Alternatives for managing the cost and complexity of high-volume tagging
• What to do with data from a retail partner
The sessions will be presented by experts from EPCglobal, in addition to leading early adopters. This in-depth, two-day track will follow an introductory preconference seminar, EPC Compliance and Benefits Training, that teaches participants the basics of how to meet retailer requirements, and to utilize EPC data from those retailers to improve replenishment and promotions tracking, as well as how to gain greater efficiencies through improved supply chain visibility.
EPCglobal is also offering a limited number of free consultations to those in attendance. These 20-minute sessions will provide attendees the opportunity to receive personalized advice on how to get the most out of the conference's educational tracks, as well as ask specific questions they might have regarding how to implement EPC technologies and standards.
"We are very pleased to be able to offer additional benefits to attendees of this year's event," says John Seaner, VP and general manager of EPCglobal US. "It's clear attendees want more detailed information on how to deploy EPC systems, and more personalized advice. We are doing everything we can to meet those needs."
In addition, the event will feature educational tracks focused on how to benefit from employing EPC technologies and standards in manufacturing and supply chain operations. These tracks will consist of new case studies and objective end-user presentations from companies across various sectors. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will also host a track, EPC in the Defense Industry, for companies that want to learn from successful RFID deployments conducted by the DOD and its top suppliers.
All attendees will receive a free copy of the Guide to Meeting Sam's Club's RFID EPC Tagging Requirements, produced by RFID Journal and the University of Arkansas' RFID Research Center. This detailed, step-by-step guide will explain what companies need to do to tag sellable units for Sam's Club. Chapters will focus on when and where to tag in a company's operations, as well as how to integrate EPC tagging with a manufacturing line, integrate EPC tagging with back-end IT systems, overcome the challenges of tagging various types of products, and evaluate systems integrators and hardware providers.
"The education we are providing with EPCglobal at the event, and the Guide to Meeting Sam's Club's RFID EPC Tagging Requirements, will dramatically cut the time it takes to comply with retail tagging requirements, even at the sellable unit level," says Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "We've gained a lot of experience since Wal-Mart first asked suppliers to use EPC tags, and now we've distilled that into practical education for those now looking to become compliant."
