ROI from RFID to Take Center Stage at the Track & Trace Summit

June 10, 2005
October summit to focus on financial benefits from RFID technology

NEW YORK -- Industry Executives to Gather October 17-19 in Miami, Fl, to Hear End-User Case Studies, Industry Thought Leaders, and Industry Associates Discuss the Best Strategies for Generating ROI from RFID.

Manufacturing executives are now focused on deploying RFID technology based more on its potential benefits, rather than retailer mandates, according to recent research from Datamonitor(1). The Datamonitor survey of IT decision makers at 150 of the top 300 manufacturers in Europe and North America found that 60 percent of manufacturers surveyed are already working on RFID projects, and about 90 percent of those surveyed said their next RFID project will be based on systems and data integration.

As these executives and decision makers are now focused on ways to realize a strong return on investment from their RFID initiatives, the Institute for International Research will gather hundreds of industry executives, key decision makers, and business process owners together to hear case studies, identify various tools and technologies, and identify and evaluate strategies for generating a positive ROI from RFID at the first annual Track & Trace Summit, which will be held October 17-19 at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Miami, FL.

The Track & Trace Summit will leverage real-world case studies to help identify the opportunities and address the challenges associated with deploying and managing your RFID programs.

Some of the featured case studies and speakers include:

-- Neco Can, CIO of J. Crew, will discuss strategic solutions to cost obstacles found when deploying RFID technologies, and explain methods for developing systems to increase item visibility throughout the supply chain.

-- Frank Borovsky, Program Director, DigitalWorks, with Honeywell International Inc., Aerospace Engines Systems & Services, will discuss successful strategies to ensure management buy-in & support of RFID initiatives.

-- Mike Meranda, President, EPCglobal, will provide insight into optimizing RFID strategy to ensure compliance with EPC standards

-- Neal Collishaw, Logistics Director at Worldwide Fruit, will present a case study demonstrating techniques for successfully selecting the best opportunities for improved ROI.

-- Herb Markwardt, Senior RFID Manager, Tyson Foods, will discuss innovative methods for expanding pilot programs into enterprise-wide initiatives.

The program features a comprehensive agenda that includes:

-- A full day, multi-tracked Pre-conference symposium: Executing Process Changes To Reap ROI From RFID Rollouts

-- A full-day workshop: The Essentials of RFID: A One-Day Intense Introduction to the RFID World

-- Two full days of conference sessions including keynote presentations on the direction of the industry and key lessons learned from pilot programs; real-world case studies featuring leaders from manufacturing, retailing, and healthcare; and interactive panel discussions featuring industry leaders, academics, and legislative experts.

-- Six independent business strategy and technical tracks for a targeted learning experience across two days

Industry leaders are already raving about the program's depth and content.

"After reviewing your agenda, I am impressed with the organization of the subject matter (tracks) and the care given to developing each topic's content," said Bob Nonneman, Industrial Engineering Manager, UPS. Meanwhile, Jonathan Pearce, Head of Supply Chain Management, Europe, Nestle S.A., indicated that "this summit's content is one of the best practically orientated events to understand the "Myths and Realities" of RFID." And Stacia Borrello, Associate with Venable LLP, noted that "it sounds like it will be a very interesting and timely conference."