GS1, a Dublin-based global standards body for electronic product-coding systems such as barcodes and RFID, is holding back-to-back conferences this month focusing on two key industry sectors.
The first, taking place on Tuesday 25 October, is the GS1 Supply Chain Conference. This will look at the benefits that have been realised by companies that have implemented supply chains based on GS1 standards. The event will include speakers from leading retailers and suppliers, which will document their experiences of supply chain improvement programmes within their organisations. The organisations will chart the benefits they have gained from integrating applications such as barcoding, EDI and RFID within their business processes.
A key message of the day will be the need for companies to futureproof the investments they are making today in supply chain and IT development. By building systems based on today’s supply chain standards, companies will be in a position to adapt their systems to incorporate new processes and technologies such as data synchronisation and RFID as they emerge.
This will be followed on Wednesday 26 October by the GSI Healthcare Conference 2005. In light of the Government’s stated commitment to delivering an efficient and cost-effective health service, this event will examine the major benefits for the healthcare sector that would follow from the adoption of technology based on GS1 standards.
The case for standards will be supported by case studies demonstrating the benefits of using tools such as barcoding, scanning and electronic messaging. The conference will explain how the healthcare supply chain could benefit from the adoption of the proven approach to supply chain management that has been used so successfully in other sectors such as retail grocery.
Both events will take place in the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin. For more information visit the GS1 website, www.gs1ie.org.
By Brian Skelly
