EPCglobal NA Announces New Implementation Conference Track At EPC Connection 2008

EPCglobal North America, a not-for-profit, vendor-neutral, user-driven organization supporting the adoption of Electronic Product Code (EPC) technology, announced recently 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, Il.

The Retail Supplier Implementation Track focuses on helping companies deploy radio frequency identification systems (RFID) based on Electronic Product Code (EPC) standards in the most cost-effective and profitable way. 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 Retailer's EPC RFID Requirements: Tagging the Pallet
• Meeting Retailers' EPC RFID Requirements: Tagging Sellable Units
• Alternatives for Managing the Cost and Complexity of High-Volume Tagging
• What to Do With Data from Your Retail Partner

The sessions will be presented by experts from EPCglobal and leading early adopters. This in-depth, two day track follows an introductory preconference seminar, EPC Compliance and Benefits Training, that shows participants the basics of how to meet retailer requirements and use EPC data from those retailers to improve replenishment, promotions tracking and gain greater efficiencies through improved supply chain visibility.

EPCglobal is also offering a limited amount of free consultations to attendees. These 20-minute session will give attendees the opportunity to get personalized advice on how to get the most out of the conference's educational tracks as well as answer specific questions attendees have on 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," said John Seaner, Vice President and GM 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."

The event also features educational tracks focused on how to benefit from using 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 different sectors. The United States Department of Defense is also hosting a track, EPC in the Defense Industry, for its suppliers and others who want to learn from successful RFID deployments done by the DOD and top suppliers.

All attendees will receive a free "Guide to Meeting Sam's Club's RFID EPC Tagging Requirements," being 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 to tag and where to tag in your operations, integrating EPC tagging with a manufacturing line, integrating EPC tagging with backend IT systems, how to overcome the challenges of tagging different types of products, how to evaluate systems integrators and questions to ask 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 rquirement, even at the sellable unit level," said Mark Roberti, Founder & Editor of RFID Journal. "We've gained a lot of experience since Wal-Mart first ask suppliers to use EPC tags and now we've distilled that into practical education for those now looking to become compliant."

Companies interested in attending EPC Connection can register online by going to www.epcconnection.com

About EPCglobal North America:
EPCglobal North America serves subscribers in the United States and Canada fostering the adoption of EPC technology. For more information, visit www.EPCglobalNA.org.

About RFID Journal:
RFID Journal is the leading source of news and in-depth information about radio frequency identification and its many business applications, in print, online and at face-to-face events. For more information, visit www.rfidjournal.com.

SOURCE: EPCglobal