RFID, PRIVACY AND THE LAW IN AUSTRALIA

EAN AUSTRALIA - NEW NAME, NEW IDENTITY

CASE STUDY: KATHMANDU VENTURES FORTH WITH BAR CODING

BAR CODE ART ON DISPLAY IN NEW YORK

ISSUE NO. 6 • MARCH/APRIL 2005 Now circulated to over 15,000 people!

© EAN Australia Limited

www.ean.com.au EANnet

Champions

CEO INSIGHTS

02 Chairman’s message

03 CEO insights

04 FEATURE STORY: 500th company registers with EANnet®

CASE STUDY: Select Brands tell why being EANnet Ready means business

05 Are you EANnet® ReadyTM ?

06 New standard opens door for global RFID use

07 RFID, privacy and the law in Australia

RFID Action Australia update

08 Traceability Recall

10 eLearning made as easy as 1-2-3

11 Nivea maker not just a pretty face

12 EAN Australia celebrates 25 years with first Annual Report

Impetus 2005

13 EAN Australia – New name, new identity

14 Foodservice standard on the way

EAN & Automotive Aftermarket work together

15 New industries look to join the EAN community

Following fresh produce from farm to fridge

16 Our professional team at your service

17 EAN advice saves Automotive Aftermarket member heartache

18 Nomination closing date extended for EAN Australia 2005 Industry Awards

19 EAN Australia sponsors the Retail Business Technology Expo

More Australian businesses join EAN community

20 CASE STUDY:Kathmandu ventures forth with bar coding

22 ISO on the road again in 2005

23 ALLIANCE PARTNER EDITORIAL: The Australian business imperative

24 New website a hit with members

25 How EAN scholarships have paid off for winners

26 EAN Australia people: Spotlight on Tania Snioch

EAN facilitates stream at Smart 2005 conference

27 Bar code art on display at New York's big apple fest

EAN event diary

CONTENTS

LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

Tell us what you thinkWe are interested in your feedback.The newsletter’s primary role is to keep EAN Australia members informed and updated on the latest developments in supply chain management and eCommerce. If you have any ideas, comments, points-of-view or criticisms, please forward to eanaust@ean.com.au

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

It is my pleasure to announce the name change of our global organisation from EAN to GS1.

After the global relaunch of GS1 at the GS1 Global forum held in Brussels on Feb 14 2005, this was the last step in the unification of the Uniform Code Council (UCC), the Electronic Commerce Council of Canada and EAN International.

The coming together makes sense. Of course, all three were dedicated to the same fundamental objectives: to drive down costs and add value in the supply chain. From a philosophical standpoint, they also had much in common. Each was open, neutral and not-for-profit. Each was user-driven and governed. Each was equally as committed to small enterprises as they were to multinational giants.

From a hard-nosed standpoint, there were efficiencies to be gained and costly duplication that could be eliminated. Perhaps most compelling of all was the potential for streamlined decision-making that would allow a single organisation to respond quickly and effectively to the rapid advances in supply chain management.

With the unification complete, GS1 has woven the structure and governance of the world’s most accepted supply chain standards system, EAN•UCC, into an organisation with no political, geographic or industry boundaries. GS1’s board is equally as international in flavour, comprising representatives from Samsung Tesco, J. M. Smucker Company, Wal-Mart International, Proctor & Gamble, Unilever, Kraft Foods, Nestec S.A., Reckitt Benckiser plc, Ahold USA Inc and influential EAN member organisations.

The GS1 international management board has set an ambitious course in the coming year that will strengthen our global network and support our customers and consumers as we work together to become the best standards organisation in the world.

EAN Australia as part of a community of 155 GS1 member countries will continue to support more than 1 million user companies. In this edition of Supply Chain LINK, we will begin to see just how it will both celebrate a proud 25-year history in Australia and usher in a new era of cooperation.

Russell Stucki: Chairman,

EAN Australia

EAN INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL RENAME – WHY WE NEED IT

02

CEO INSIGHTS

03

Later this year, EAN Australia will change its name to GS1 Australia. With the name change will come a reinforcement of our commitment and dedication to deliver superior service.

The GS1 concept goes deeper than a simple name change. It represents the maturing of a body once purely focused on standards development into an organisation that serves the needs of its members as they strive towards best practice supply chain management. In this new form, we are better resourced and structured to deliver the strategic and everyday support you need.

GS1 seals our commitment to unite in the development of the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN), EPCglobal, traceability solutions and value added services that foster the effective roll-out of Radio Frequency Identification technology to the benefit of supply chain relationships around the globe.

The new GS1 brand values mirror the EAN Australia vision:

Inspirational leadership as we serve all companies, no matter how big or small, and from every industry.

Passion for delivering the best results.

Innovation as we release the potential of technology to benefit all users.

Trust and integrity, central to our neutral stance and not-for-profit ethos of reinvesting in industry.

Team work and collaboration, because we are user driven and governed, EAN Australia provides a platform for collaborative agreements between business partners.

EAN Australia looks forward to joining other member organisations from around the world as GS1. Over the next few months, we will be making subtle changes to the existing logo in preparation for the name change.

As a member, we hope you can join us as we launch GS1 Australia at the first day of our annual conference, Impetus 2005, on Tuesday 12 July at Crown Towers Hotel. Just as GS1 represents one world, one vision and one global language of trade, we look forward to continuing the spirit of collaboration that has made EAN Australia such a success.

Maria Palazzolo: CEO,

EAN Australia

SAME SERVICES AND SUPPORT WITH A NEW NAME

04LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

500TH COMPANY REGISTERS WITH EANnet®

EANnet reached a new milestone when Myerton Australia became the 500th company to join the Australasian data synchronisation community.

Myerton is an agency for a wide range of goods, particularly in the health and beauty industries, grocery and general merchandise.

The product range of approximately 400 stock keeping units (SKUs) is made up of 60% of their own brands and 40% comprises of agency lines.

Among Myerton’s principals have been Akta-Vite, Freeman Cosmetics, Inverness, Warner Bros, Disney, Krazy Glue, American International, Hawaiian Tropic and VersaPro.

Myerton Australia CEO, Tony Myer, said the company’s decision to register with EANnet reflected the growing automation of the grocery supply chain.

"Over the last few years, Myerton has noticed a massive increase in the use of the EAN•UCC bar codes," he said.

"I can see the logic behind it (EAN•UCC system) and as the level of automation in distribution centres increases, so will the need for advanced product identification systems.

"That means our customers, the supermarkets, will continue to raise the bar in terms of standards, so we must keep up-to-date with the latest supply chain developments, like EANnet."

Aside from meeting customer requirements, Tony believes his company can profit from the industry’s adoption of bar coding systems well beyond the warehouse - in the field of marketing and product development.

"Checkout data has reached a new level of sophistication and is really valuable to Myerton in assessing price points and the effectiveness of promotions," he said.

Having registered for EANnet, Myerton will take its next step towards data synchronisation with a one-day EANnet course.

EANnet allows suppliers to upload product information just once to a central point rather than many times to individual trading partners.

Each record contains product identifiers, images, descriptions, dimensions, weights, volumes, bar code verification status, prices and trading terms. Accessible via the Internet, EANnet allows the continuous and automated sharing of item master data between trading partners.

While today EANnet is replacing the traditional paper-based item submission forms, it is also an important foundation for the introduction of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Electronic Product Code (EPC) and other advanced supply chain technologies. Recognising this, Australia’s large supermarket chains have encouraged suppliers to work towards achieving EANnet ReadyTM status.

Early endorsement by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC)and support of the major supermarkets in Australia and New Zealand mean that today the EANnet data synchronisation catalogue holds records of items across grocery, liquor, general merchandise, office products and consumer pharmaceuticals.

Q. What benefits were you looking for from EANnet?

A. Our focus has been efficiency and customer service from the beginning. As a newcomer, we were particularly keen to show retailers that Select Brands is a committed and viable supplier - here for the long term.

We wanted to establish best-practice operations from day one, based on a secure technology that would serve us into the future. EANnet is just that. As the ultimate source of our product information,

SELECT BRANDS TELLS WHY BEING EANnet READY MEANS BUSINESS> CASE STUDY

> FEATURE STORY

Select Brands burst onto retail shelves just 12 months ago with its Michelina’s frozen meals, securing distribution through Australia’s supermarket giants:

Coles, Woolworths, Franklins, Action, Bi-Lo and IGA.

It entered the fiercely competitive category determined to stand out by "doing things better than the big guys". Select Brands Managing Director, Steve O’Shannessy, told Supply Chain LINK that when it came to trade, that meant becoming EANnet Ready.

Step 1 Register for EANnet – www.ean.com.au/eannet

Step 2 Determine your EANnet product range

Step 3 Identify the EANnet data requirements

Step 4 Conduct a gap analysis

Step 5 Determine your EANnet data upload & maintenance method

Step 6 Source retailer vendor IDs

Step 7 Determine your EANnet catalogue structure

Step 8 Prepare your data

Step 9 Clarify allowances and charges with your trading partners

Step 10 Populate EANnet

Step 11 Review your EANnet data load status report

Step 12 Request data validation from EANnet Client Services

Step 13 Approve GST classification

Step 14 Grant Trading Partner Access

Step 15 Contact your trading partners to begin data synchronisation

The checklist below outlines the

15 steps to become EANnet Ready:

05

Becoming EANnet Ready is an important milestone in the process of synchronising product and pricing information with your trading partners via EANnet - the foundation for electronic collaboration.

Completing the EANnet Ready Checklist means suppliers have:

• Populated both neutral and relationship-dependent data on EANnet

• Met EANnet data-quality standards as assessed using the EANnet Data Validation ToolTM

• Had all GST classifications approved by the Australian Tax Office

• Populated retailer vendor IDs (supplier codes)

• Provided the relevant trading partners with access to their EANnet catalogue

Data synchronisation is the foundation for all advanced Supply Chain collaboration processes. To take the first step in this area register for EANnet. Your application will be processed by the Client Services Team who are there to assist you along with each step of the EANnet Ready checklist.

ARE YOU EANnet READY?

SELECT BRANDS TELLS WHY BEING EANnet READY MEANS BUSINESS> CASE STUDY

we can maintain data integrity throughout the supply chain. By eliminating the duplication of data and double processing, EANnet is also very efficient.

Q. Why EANnet?

A. The ability to process Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) orders is already a contractual requirement with some retailers.

EANnet may not be mandatory at present, but we believe the well-documented industry benefits will drive the demand from our customers.

Q. Why become EANnet Ready straightaway?

A. Our item master list is relatively small and as a new company we do not have legacy systems and procedures.

Because the item master file in our order processing software already had most of the data requirements, this was a good opportunity to populate most of the fields in anticipation of EANnet implementation.

Rather than risking having to convert our procedures to accommodate EANnet requirements down the track, we implemented EANnet from the outset.

Q. How difficult was it to configure your software with EANnet?

A. Our software provider was involved in the EANnet user forums and offered an add-on module that manages the collation of data for upload to EANnet, similar to the way it generates Universal Buying Form (UBF).

06LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

NEW STANDARD OPENS DOOR FOR GLOBAL RFID USE One of the main barriers to the widespread adoption of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the supply chain has been eliminated with a new common standard for Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID tags. Although many people had predicted agreement would not be reached on a standard, EPCglobal ratified a Generation 2 standard in late 2004.

The UHF Generation 2 standard was then accepted, after minor adjustments were made, by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) in late January this year.

EAN Australia’s Fiona Wilson said that for users, the new standard would make RFID almost as widely accepted as the ubiquitous EAN•UCC bar code.

"This breakthrough means a tag can be placed on an item, shipped globally and be read by Electronic Product Code (EPC) compliant readers," she said.

"To date, RFID technology has not been used in open supply chains as the systems in use were largely proprietary and not interoperable."

The standard’s acceptance opens the door for manufacturers to begin making tags to the new standard and Fiona believes Australians should see them begin to hit the market in the coming months.

"The best outcome is the ability to buy tags made to the same standard, regardless of who manufactures them," she said.

"RFID tags make product identification fast, easy and efficient but only if the reader speaks the same language as the tag’s originator. So, as with bar codes, the

effectiveness of RFID for open supply chains hinges on the adoption of global standards."

EPC is based on the same logic underlying the EAN•UCC identification number. For example the big difference between the GTIN and the EPC is simple: bar codes identify a group of like products, while EPC identifies each item. All cans of a 375ml cola brand, for example, have the same bar code, whereas the EPC gives each can a unique identifier.

EPCglobal Australia is a subsidiary of EAN Australia.

07

RFID, PRIVACY AND THE LAW IN AUSTRALIAIn a paper reviewing Australia’s privacy safeguards, Melbourne lawyer John O’Callaghan concludes consumers have little cause for concern.

Consumer groups here and particularly overseas have expressed fears about RFID technology’s potential impact on privacy. A number of scare campaigns in the United Kingdom and the United States have been built around incomplete information about the limits of the technology and uncertainty about the adequacy of privacy laws.

RFID adoption in Australia has lagged behind that of the UK and US and its first local applications are expected to be in logistics and other sectors remote from the consumer. The tagging of fast-moving consumer goods at the retail level is not likely for some years to come to Australian stores. However, to enhance consumer confidence, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and EAN Australia moved quickly in 2004 to establish an RFID Privacy Code of Practice.

Consumer advocates can also draw comfort from the findings of a paper

examining the legal framework protecting the privacy of Australian consumers, written by John O’Callaghan, Partner of legal firm Riordan & Hume, EAN Business Alliance Partner.

The paper evaluates several safeguards, including Sections 52 and 55 of the Trade Practices Act (TPA) and the 2002 Privacy Act, which enshrines ten privacy principles. The most important of these relating to RFID issues govern data collection, use and disclosure, data security, openness, and sensitive information.

John's paper concludes with a reassuring message:

"This paper has provided a brief outline of the major legal issues which are likely to arise with the introduction of RFID into mainstream commerce and logistics activity in this country.

"Whilst considerable fears have been raised regarding this technology, particularly in relation to privacy, it is submitted that the current legislative framework is robust enough to allay most of these concerns."

RFID ACTION AUSTRALIA UPDATEAustralia’s peak RFID industry body has consolidated its position, becoming a registered company.

The registration of RFID Action Australia Limited (RFIDAA) is through the stewardship of Steve Bridges of Mid-Comp, Geoffrey Ramadan of UMD, Ian Watt of AEC and EAN Australia’s Mark Fuller.

The December 2004 annual general meeting heralded the election of Chair, Con Colovos of Moraitis, and Directors, Mark Fuller, Ian Watt, Henry Okraglik of Hot Magma and Kee Wong of e-Centric Innovations.

RFIDAA has already achieved widespread recognition, with board members invited to speak at international events and engage in local RFID seminars. EAN Australia continues to play the role of host and secretariat for RFIDAA. For information, contact Gabriel Phillips at gphillips@ean.com.au

Visit the RFIDAA stand at the EAN conference - Impetus 2005.

TRACEABILITY RECALL LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

THE IDEAL TRACEABILITY SOLUTION USING THE EAN•UCC SYSTEM

1. Receipt & Storage of raw materials/goods in process

• Scan EAN bar codes on pallets Serial Shipping Container Code, Global Trade Item Number (SSCC, GTIN) and/or boxes (EAN 128).

• Check quantities and compare with the electronic shipping order, or the delivery slip.

• Record information on products received and their condition upon delivery.

2. Production

• Scan EAN bar codes at stock release and production launch.

• Record links between batch number/SSCC of incoming raw materials and the consumer unit batch number.

• Mark the consumer unit (GTIN in the EAN-13 bar code and batch number in human readable).

• Record production data.

3. Packaging and storage in a logistic environment

• Mark the box (GTIN and, if possible, the batch number in the EAN 128 bar code).

• Mark the pallet (product part of the EAN•UCC Logistics Label with SSCC).

• Record links between the consumer unit batch number and the SSCC of the pallet.

• Record the packaging conditions.

• Scan the EAN•UCC Logistics Labels when entering into stock.

4. Preparation and dispatch

• Mark the dispatch unit (client and transport part on the EAN•UCC Logistics Label).

• Record links between the dispatch units (SSCC), their destinations (GLN) and the order (order number).

• Scan the EAN•UCC Logistics Labels on the dispatch units (SSCC) when loading the truck.

• Generate and send the dispatch note (DESADV message) or delivery slip.

• Record preparation and dispatch conditions.

08

TRACEABILITY RECALL IDEAL PRODUCT RECALL

ONE OF THE OPTIONS:

1. The Consumer

The consumer points out that the product they bought is defective.

2. The Point-of-Sale

The retailer forwards the complaint to their supplier, indicating the product reference (GTIN) and, if possible, the batch number.

3. The Manufacturer

The manufacturer discovers that the problem has been caused by a raw material. They identify and inform the upstream supplier involved.

4. The Upstream Supplier

• The supplier analyses the cause of the problem and identifies the production batches in question.

• They identify the dispatch units (SSCC) composed of these production batches.

• They inform the client(s) that have received these units of the nature of the problem and the batch number of the raw materials involved.

5. The Manufacturer

• The manufacturer decides to recall the finished goods concerned.

• From their records, they identify all products containing the same raw material.

• They also identify (thanks to his traceability system), the batches of finished goods containing the batch of the defective raw material in question.

• They identify and locate the boxes and pallets (SSCC/EAN 128) to be withdrawn.

• They remove the boxes and pallets still in stock.

• They provide their clients with information relating to the products affected (SSCC, GTIN, batch number).

6. The Distribution Platform/Warehouse

• The wholesaler identifies and locates the boxes and pallets with the batch number in question (in stock, at order-picking, in the shipping area, delivered to the point-of-sale).

• They block products still at in the warehouse from leaving.

• They inform the stores that have received the product, of the pallets (SSCC/EAN 128) and batch numbers to be withdrawn.

7. Point-of-Sale

The point-of-sale (retailer) withdraws the defective products in question.

This article was kindly provided to EAN Australia by GS1 Ireland (formally known as EAN Ireland)

09

10

eLEARNING MADE AS EASY AS 1-2-3

Since the launch of ‘eLearningeXchange’ in July 2004, the online version of the ‘EAN•UCC system – The Essentials Session’, EAN members and students living in remote geographical locations have been able to complete the course developed by EAN Australia with the assistance of Deakin Prime. The course covers EAN•UCC standards for numbering, data carriers (bar coding) and eMessaging. EAN Australia spoke with student Kate Stewart† from Dubbo NSW who successfully completed the online modules in January 2005.

"eLearningeXchange was very simple to follow and easy to understand," Kate said.

"I especially liked the way I could log in from my PC at home as well as at work in my own time. The online course is ideal for me as I don’t live anywhere near

an institute that offers a similar programme, and it’s also quite reasonably priced.

"Throughout the modules, practice tasks with real-life examples are made available to assist with learning and adequately prepared me for the assessment at the end of the module.

"I would definitely recommend other students who may be in a similar situation as myself and are not living within close proximity of an educational facility undertake the course. It certainly has proved beneficial and the fact that it’s self-paced is a bonus."

A certificate of completion is issued at the conclusion of the course allowing students to further undertake a VET accredited module.

If you would like more information about participating in the eLearningeXchange programme, please contact Patricia Slattery at EAN on 1300 366 033.

† Please note: due to privacy requests the student’s name in this article has been changed to maintain anonymity.

eLEARNINGeXchange FEES

Students $100.00 (Incl GST)

EAN members with a training voucher $100.00 (Incl GST)

EAN members without a training voucher $149.00 (Incl GST)

Non members $199.00 (Incl GST)

LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

11

Beiersdorf, the company behind global brands like Nivea, Elastoplast and Juvena, has just been reaccredited by EAN Australia to verify its own bar codes.

With annual sales of close to 4.7 billion and more than

18,000 employees around the world, the German-headquartered Beiersdorf cites innovation and quality as key elements of its success. Beiersdorf Australia shares that philosophy, proving its supply chain quality credentials as one of the first companies to be EAN accredited in 2002.

Beiersdorf Australia Technical Affairs Coordinator, Stefanie Rizzo, said that from the beginning, the aim of becoming EAN accredited was to gain more control over bar code quality.

"Beiersdorf Australia could see some time ago that our major trading partners would be demanding high quality bar codes," she said. "In addition, quality in general is one of the top priorities of Beiersdorf globally."

Stefanie checks bar code quality at several points during packaging development.

"I have the artwork sent to me as a PDF file and run it through the system to make sure the bars and spaces scan to display the correct information," she said.

Stefanie also takes the first available opportunity to check printed samples for herself, which she says has lifted bar code quality significantly over two years.

"I am able to say not only whether the bar code is scannable or not, but have been able to suggest to printers and graphics people what needs to be done to improve the results," she said.

"We have seen over the past two years, that gaining reaccreditation status was essential and very worthwhile. reaccreditation took John Lane (EAN

Australia) about half a day to carry out the audit, and, while I’m working on our quality systems every day, it’s certainly very good to have an outsider with EAN’s expertise check it to give us some pointers about areas of improvement."

For more information about accreditation, please contact John Lane, EAN Australia on 1300 366 033.

NIVEA MAKER NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

12LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

Top speakers, high profile sponsors and a specialist exhibition are set to make EAN Australia’s second conference, Impetus 2005, another success.

The two-day event, to be held at Melbourne’s Crown Towers Hotel on 12 – 13 July is to be sponsored by big names including Oracle, IBM, Matthews, GXS, RFID Action Australia, The Victorian Government, and supported by associations such as the AFGC, Logistics Association of Australia (LAA) and ARA. The witty Jean Kittson will officiate day one proceedings, while on day two, the conference will split into two streams that address the most critical issues in supply chain management today, data synchronisation and RFID.

The Impetus 2005 programme will feature speakers from Holden, Procter & Gamble, DHL, Coles Myer, Woolworths, EPCglobal, GS1 US, 7-Eleven Stores, Cadbury Schweppes, US Department of Defence and RFIDAA. They head a diverse range of experts calling for blanket support for the usage of global standards and EPC in the supply chain.

EAN Australia’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), Mark Fuller said Impetus 2005 presents a great opportunity for supply chain professionals to find out how these emerging technologies are being used by the CPG, defence, transport and other sectors.

"Ironically, supply chain professionals often work in isolation, so this is an important chance to benchmark their own work

against the conference’s case study examples," he said.

Describing the inaugural 2004 conference as extremely informative, Shane Bourke of Philip Morris Limited said the 2005 event would be eagerly anticipated.

"I will definitely be recommending that Philip Morris is represented at the 2005 conference," he said.

To assist with your understanding of how supply chain technologies can be implemented, an exhibition showcasing software, hardware and services will run concurrently with the conference.

Early bird discounts of 10% apply to delegate bookings made before 30 April 2005. Regular prices are $1,300.00 (ex GST) for EAN Australia members or $1,600.00 (ex GST) for non-members. Special discounts apply to groups of three or more delegates from the same company.

To find out more about Impetus 2005, phone Kate Rosengren on 1300 366 033 or visit www.impetus2005.com.au

To enquire about sponsorship or exhibition opportunities, contact Joseli Munive on 0418 488 333.

IMPETUS 2005REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

EAN Australia has marked its 25th anniversary with its first annual report. Publicly available in April 2005, the annual report is EAN Australia’s first before it becomes GS1 Australia in July.

The report provides highlights of EAN Australia’s progress over the past 25 years before focussing on current achievements,

industry updates, a board profile, event reviews, a profile of EAN Australia’s membership and product/service information.

To request a copy of the annual report, call 1300 366 033, or visit www.ean.com.au to download your copy today.

EAN CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

13

Why we are becoming GS1The global language of commerce will soon have a single global custodian: GS1.

For over 30 years, the EAN•UCC system has been improving supply chain efficiency by successfully delivering global standards to more than 1,000,000 companies around the world.

Today, our global bar code standards guarantee that any product, pallet or case can be scanned and read anywhere around the world. Our global EDI standards dramatically increase data accuracy and timeliness by automating the exchange of business documents between trading partners, whether across the street or across oceans.

But until now, this global language has been lacking a global custodian. EAN International, its 155 member organisations (MOs) around the world and the Uniform Code Council (UCC) have certainly been working in partnership, but never under a common name. We’re known as e.centre in the UK, GENCOD in France, AECOC in Spain, ANCC in China, IAC in Cambodia, CCG in Germany and ECOP in Equador, just to name a few!

Then last year, EAN International, the MOs and the UCC merged to form a new organisation, GS1. As one, GS1 will lead the future development of global collaborative commerce through new standards and services.

The new name, GS1, symbolises that unity. When EAN Australia becomes GS1 Australia in July, it takes on a new name and a new identity as a member of the world’s greatest voice for business.

What does GS1 stand for?As a whole the new logo conveys GS1’s three pillars: one global standard, one global system and one global organisation.

The blue circular backgroundof the logo reflects GS1’s global nature. GS represents our role as custodians of a global standard that is open to everyone. The ‘1’ symbolises one global standard, one global organisation and one name. It sits outside the round element, emphasising that GS1’s standards, services and solutions are interchangeable and integrated.

The travelling chevrons signify the global reach of the GS1 standards and hint at the evolution of new generations of electronic standards, such as RFID and GDSN.

EAN AUSTRALIA - NEW NAME, NEW IDENTITY

Member Organisation (MO) name

GS represents Global System of standards

The Globe represents our global presence

ONE global standardONE global systemONE global organisation

When will EAN Australia rename as GS1 Australia?The new name will be officially launched at Impetus 2005 on 12 July. In the lead up, you will notice subtle changes to our existing logo, including a tag line announcing the change.

14LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

FOODSERVICE STANDARD ON THE WAYThe Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) and major foodservice distributor organisations have agreed that new product identification, bar coding, electronic messaging standards and the EANnet data synchronisation catalogue should be adopted as soon as possible in the Australian foodservice sector.

This initiative originally came about via the National Food Industry Strategy (NFIS) Foodchain project and a Foodservice industry forum run by the AFGC.

The aim of the project was to develop foodservice industry standards and to show the benefits to the whole supply chain flowing from the implementation of EAN•UCC standards. This includes the development of numbering and bar coding guidelines and the creation of the latest version of the Australian Retail Industry Message Implementation Guidelines (MIGs) for Purchase Order and Despatch Advice.

According to Dick Wells, CEO of the AFGC, the adoption of EAN•UCC

numbering and electronic messaging standards and EANnet, will "enable major suppliers to reap the benefits they already gain from the supply of similar products to the retail grocery sector."

Many industry experts have said the adoption of the retail grocery industry standards by the foodservice industry should reduce errors, avoid duplication and improve inventory management, in turn resulting in lower costs, reduced inventories, accurate and timely information and improved profitability.

The first of four stages, the development of foodservice guidelines for numbering and bar coding, is complete. The second and third stages of this project involving EAN•UCC automatic data capture, electronic messaging standards and data synchronisation are in progress. The fourth stage will involve dissemination of the benefits of the uses of EAN•UCC standards to the wider industry via a roadshow at a later date.

EAN Australia and the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) are working hard to promote the EAN•UCC system to members of the automotive aftermarket industry.

As part of EAN’s commitment to the industry, EAN•UCC system experts will be on-hand at the Auto eTrade booth as part of Australia’s official automotive aftermarket industry exhibition, the AAAA Trade Show, which runs from 7 – 9 April 2005 at Darling Harbour, Sydney. To register for this event visit www.aec.net.au/aaaa/

EAN’s presence at the show follows successful Auto eTrade training sessions in Melbourne at EAN’s Supply Chain Knowledge Centre during February. Delegates from companies such as Autobarn, Repco and GUD Automotive where in attendance at the FREE three-hour training session, which covered the fundamentals of the EAN•UCC system and how it can be applied to benefit users and trading partners.

EAN will be holding a further training session in Sydney on 18 May 2005 covering the same content presented in Melbourne. For more information about the FREE training session in Sydney, please contact Kate Rosengren on 1300 366 033.

For another great example of EAN Australia working with AAAA members, please refer to page 17 of Supply Chain LINK.

EAN & AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET WORK TOGETHER

NEW INDUSTRIES LOOK TO JOIN THE EAN COMMUNITY

15

Seafood Services Australia has approached EAN Australia to provide support to the seafood industry in its education and understanding of the EAN•UCC system and how it can assist the industries push for traceability.

There are a series of traceability workshops being held in regional locations during March and April 2005 where EAN will continue to promote the system and provide support.

Continuing to leverage industry engagement, EAN has started

communications with both the confectionary and general merchandise industries.

For further information, please contact Sue Schmid at EAN Australia on 1300 366 033.

Demand at both the international and local level for the fresh produce industry to adopt the EAN•UCC system to support traceability is increasing.

Woolworths Supermarkets, has announced it will scan fresh produce on receipt at the pallet level in the many Woolworths’ distribution centres across Australia.

The fresh produce industry was encouraged to allocate Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) at the carton or crate level in addition to applying an EAN•UCC logistics label for pallet identification. To smooth the adoption of the EAN•UCC system, EAN will manage the allocation of GTINs for loose fruit and vegetables.

EAN Australia is conducting an education programme to explain the use of GTINs and providing an implementation process that will facilitate the progression from the national assigned GTIN for non-retail trade items to a grower/vendor allocated GTIN by 2007. EAN Australia will also provide technical support, advising on the correct application of the EAN•UCC

logistics label to meet the requirements of Woolworths and other trading partners.

Over the past six months, EAN Australia has helped more than 200 fresh produce suppliers to meet the adoption deadline of February 2005, assisting with a member and industry support help desk, site visits and bar code verification services.

EAN Australia also plans to set up an industry forum that will assist in developing, implementing and resolving any issues related to the uptake of the EAN•UCC system and the supporting B2B, eCommerce and eBusiness practices within the fresh produce industry.

Stay tuned to the Supply Chain LINK for more details about the Fresh Produce industry.

FOLLOWING FRESH PRODUCE FROM FARM TO FRIDGE

16LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

The advice, support and project management services offered by EAN Australia’s implementation consulting arm, EAN Professional Services, have been in hot demand.

Professional Services delivers cost-effective project-specific advice covering all elements of the EAN•UCC system as a tool for supply chain management and eCommerce.

In just the last 12 months, the team has grown from five to 11 consultants under the direction of General Manager – Business Development & Professional Services, John Hearn, and COO, Mark Fuller.

Professional Services provide both implementation services and strategy development across the broad spectrum of EAN•UCC standards including auto data capture (bar coding & RFID applications), eMessaging and data synchronisation (EANnet), with a range of customised solutions as well as standard training courses, implementation programmes and fully managed implementation services.

Among Professional Services’ high profile clients are supermarket chain, Franklins; food manufacturer, Patties Foods; retailer, 7-Eleven; the Department of Health and

Ageing; and brewer, Lion Nathan.

Such a diverse range of projects and clients calls for a diverse range of talents and experiences. John Hearn says the Professional Services team is uniquely qualified.

"Our team members’ backgrounds encompass every continent, with individuals from the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Portugal, Hungary, Venezuela, Canada, Zimbabwe and, of course, Australia," he said.

"They gained that international experience with manufacturers, standards development bodies, other EAN organisations, distribution companies, telecommunications companies, eCommerce service providers and consultancies – in fact, a number have run their own consultancies.

"This all adds up to advice based not only on expertise in the EAN•UCC system as a tool for best practice, but with the benefit of first-hand experience."

John himself joined EAN Australia in 1997 as an advisor working across the spectrum of EAN Australia members before taking on responsibility for EANnet, in 1999. John has overseen the development of the Professional Services team since mid 2002, and more recently was also given responsibility for the Business Development function at EAN Australia.

With the continuing growth of EAN Professional Services, Sunita Kewada

has been appointed to co-ordinate the team’s day-to-day operations. The former PWC Consulting member also operated her own consulting company in Zimbabwe before joining the Professional Services team.

Driving the growth of a range of EAN Australia’s services, including EANnet, the Community Management Tool (CMT) and Professional Services is Marcel Sieira, EAN’s Business Development Manager. Marcel boasts an extensive background in eCommerce, including seven years with eCommerce solution provider and EAN Australia Alliance Partner, Leadtec Systems, before joining EAN Australia 18 months ago.

"We are now helping to implement many of the recommendations we made to clients in Professional Services’ early days, so our projects are increasing in scale as well as in number," said John Hearn.

"Our services are also in demand as new standards and solutions are developed such as EPC Global (RFID standards), and RosettaNet.

"It’s a fast and exciting time and we are very fortunate to have such a wealth of experience so we can offer members the expertise needed to successfully implement EAN•UCC related initiatives."

OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM AT YOUR SERVICE

Back Row: Earl Lappen, John Szabo, Murray Robb Middle Row: Sunita Kewada, Brendon Johnson, Mitch Fortier, Thomas Howard, Marcel Sieira Front Row: Elsa Lai, Georgia Blomberg, Mark Fuller, John Hearn

17

EAN ADVICE SAVES AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET MEMBER HEARTACHE.

A Brisbane seminar on supply chain management may just have been the catalyst for massive change for Lunds Four Wheel Drive.

Lunds General Manager, Col Craig, had long been considering how his business could benefit from sophisticated warehouse technologies when he attended a seminar presented by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA), EAN Australia and Telstra.

"Lunds is a 30-year-old business and while we are very efficient, some of our practices have not changed in all that time, so I wondered how the more automated systems might help us," Col explained.

"Plus, while most of our 400 resellers around Australia are very simple businesses, we also sell to some national retailers who I know will one day ask us to supply bar coded products."

At the seminar, Col met EAN Australia’s Tania Snioch and later Marcel Sieira, who outlined the path to EAN•UCC adoption.

"At first, I thought it was as simple as buying some scanning equipment," Col said, "but after talking to Tania and Marcel, I realised that it was much more complex than that.

"I decided very quickly that while I could work it out myself, I might end up spending a lot of time and money and still get it completely wrong."

Col’s answer was to invite EAN Professional Services’ Thomas Howard to conduct an EAN Professional Services Supply Chain Review. Col was surprised to find that the review centred not on technology, but Lunds’ own business processes.

"Most of the three days Thomas spent with us on site here in Cairns was about seeing what we do, how we do it and why we do it," Col said. "By the end, he had a very good grasp of our business."

Those insights were reflected in Thomas’ review, which arrived two weeks later.

"I was very impressed with the report," Col said. "It was an honest assessment and included a comprehensive list of recommendations.

"Apart from addressing the big-ticket items, like our software system, the review showed there were lots of very simple things we could do to lift our productivity.

"Thomas noticed we weren’t using picking trolleys and suggested a new way of sorting stock in the warehouse, so we are already making gains.

"It’s amazing how, although we have always been both profitable and efficient, someone from outside with specialist skills and experience across a lot of organisations can discover lots more potential improvements.

"But perhaps the biggest benefit of all is that we’ve thought more about our distribution operations in the last few months than in the previous four years and the EAN Supply Chain Review has given us a very clear direction for optimising what we do."

18LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

Due to popular demand, the nomination closing date for the EAN Australia Industry Awards has been extended to 30th April.

Two awards, the 2005 Award for Standards in Action for a company and the 2005 Leadership in Standards Award for an individual, will be presented at the Impetus Conference in Melbourne on 12th and 13th July 2005.

To nominate a company or person, send in a one-page signed letter of nomination and an abstract of up to 500 words explaining why the nominee is deserving of the award. It is also essential to supply full details of the nominee, including name, address, phone and email details and company contact person (applicable for a company award).

NOMINATION CLOSING DATE EXTENDED FOR EAN AUSTRALIA 2005 INDUSTRY AWARDS

Email submissions to: EAN2005awards@ean.com.au

and post a hardcopy to: 2005 EAN Awards Selection Committee EAN Australia Ltd Locked Bag 10 Oakleigh VIC 3166

Remember to act quickly because nominations close 30th April 2005.

For more information, contact Steven Pereira at spereira@ean.com.au or on 1300 366 033.

19

For the third time, EAN Australia will showcase the EAN•UCC system at the premier event for retailers and their trading partners, the Retail Business Technology Exhibition (RBTE).

The expo runs from 20 - 22 July 2005 at Sydney’s Darling Harbour Convention Centre and last year drew more than 6,000 visitors to its Melbourne venue.

This year in Sydney, RBTE will feature over 250 best-of-breed companies displaying the latest products and services including point-of-sale technology, inventory and stock control, and touch screen technology.

Running in conjunction with Shopfit Display & Design, the expo is ideal for those looking for new ideas in retail aesthetics and retail presentation, making this Australasia’s one-stop exhibition for retailers, merchandisers, architects, designers and shopfitters.

At the EAN Australia stand, visitors will have the opportunity to look at all elements of the supply chain as a complete picture and not just standards. The EAN booth will offer solutions for products and services including advice from EAN and Alliance Partner staff who will be on hand to answer any questions.

According to EAN COO Mark Fuller, if you are interested in improving your supply chain and need help identifying the ROI, a useful report, titled, eBusiness action in Retail, is available. For more information, please contact EAN Australia on 1300 366 033

A brand new feature at this year’s show will be a mini theatrette exclusively hosted by EAN Australia. The theatrette will provide visitors to the expo with

short tutorials covering a variety of topics that fall into the supply chain management and logistics areas. The 20-minute sessions will run throughout the day, on the hour.

The RBTE will also feature exhibitors, seminars and educational tours giving retailers an insight to the right solutions for their business. So learn from the experts, engage in some networking and share your ideas with your peers.

If your products play a part in the $160 billion of retail sales made every year in Australia, you can’t afford to miss the Retail Technology Exhibition 2005 in Sydney.

Dedicated feature areas at this year’s show include:

• Retail RFID Technology • Loss Preventions & Security • Telecommunications Convergence • Supply Chain Management • Merchandise Planning • Retail IT Management

For more information or to register visit www.retailbusinesstech.com or call Australian Exhibition Services on 03 9261 4500.

EAN AUSTRALIA SPONSORS THE RETAIL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY EXPO

MORE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES JOIN EAN COMMUNITY In the six months from July 2004 to February 2005, an amazing 1,115 new members have become part of the EAN Australia community. With 14,500 members at the time Supply Chain LINK went to print, EAN Australia represents one of the country’s biggest business groups.

EAN Australia CEO, Maria Palazzolo, said the new members are warmly welcomed.

"Our team is always delighted to meet a new member," she said, "and knowing just how daunting the sheer scope of the EAN•UCC system and new supply chain technologies can be, we’re very keen to help."

20LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

Kathmandu wants customers to "live the dream". That dream might be trekking along a wild beach, skiing a pristine snow slope or any other outdoor pursuit where human satisfaction can be enhanced by wearing or using high quality Kathmandu products.

These days the adventure clothing and equipment company is living one of its own dreams – cost-efficient, no fuss stock management. In 2002 Kathmandu took EAN•UCC bar coding on an adventure along its supply chain and the outcome has been deep retailing satisfaction.

Both stock shrinkage and inventory levels have been significantly reduced, and huge savings have been made in staff time and management headaches. All this since Kathmandu required EAN•UCC bar coded tags to be placed on its products at their point of manufacture, mainly in China, and the company introduced an effective 'pick, pack and scan' system at its two major warehouses.

Christchurch-based Kathmandu has seen rapid growth based on its exciting brand and successful strategies for market penetration on both sides of the Tasman. The company now has 16 stores in New Zealand and 20 in Australia. The first two in the UK have opened recently.

Three years ago, stock logistics were more nightmare than dream. Inaccurate stock reporting in Kathmandu warehouses and stores was alarmingly high – largely a result of the business having outgrown the system still in use at that time. Many superbly designed and made jackets and backpacks simply disappeared from sight on the system.

Logistical problems spiralled higher before and during the major sales which are a special feature of Kathmandu for its customers. In sale periods (three or four times each year) stock turn soars and staff, including many employed just at those times, are kept extremely busy.

"We knew our stock management process had to be re-engineered from the start," says Systems Manager Bryan Moore.

A project team explored the limitations of the company’s existing internal product coding system and recommended Kathmandu migrate to scannable bar codes as part of a fundamental overhaul in its stock management.

The company joined GS1 New Zealand (formally known as EAN New Zealand) and redesigned its codes to easily align with the scannable medium of EAN•UCC bar coding. The changes included installation of a new enterprise resources package in Kathmandu’s warehouses and stores. For the first time, items of stock could be tracked as they moved through the business – the dream was beginning!

Kathmandu products are manufactured to the company’s exacting standards. With the new system, the mainly Chinese suppliers were asked to attach tags printed with the bar code for each item is shipped off to a Kathmandu warehouse in New Zealand or Australia.

This process has been readily achieved with support from Shore to Shore, a specialist in worldwide supply of bar coded tags and labels for the New Zealand apparel industry. Shore to Shore’s operation includes plants in Hong Kong and Shanghai from where most tags can be delivered to Kathmandu suppliers, on time and to the customer’s precise requirements.

KATHMANDU VENTURES FORTH WITH BAR CODING

> CASE STUDY

21

"The process works well, thanks to the accuracy of information flowing from Kathmandu and a shared commitment to keep all parties well informed," says Shore to Shore Operations Manager Paul Lattimore. The tags are just part of over 145 million such items sourced globally from his company on behalf of New Zealand companies each year.

As stock arrives at the Kathmandu warehouses in Woolston (Christchurch) and Brunswick (Melbourne), staff manually check items to ensure that the product/label combination is correct. This checking process is critical for the integrity of information flow on all stock.

The system collates stock ordering for each Kathmandu retail store. Items can be easily picked off warehouse shelves as they are needed and then passed through a scanning station as they are packed together in one order for loading onto the delivery truck. This 'pick, scan, pack' process means that for every outbound consignment, there is an accurate electronic record of product types, sizes and colours, and of the number of items in each carton.

The warehouse scanning stations are the key point of inventory control for Kathmandu. Inevitably, the scanning process will reject some items that are actually not required for a particular order. Control is then in the hands of experienced staff who ensure that these are returned to their proper shelves and that the order is indeed filled correctly, or amended.

At the stores, staff need not check the contents of each incoming carton. Stock can be moved quickly onto display racks and, of course, each item is ultimately scanned out of the system at the point of sale. "Thanks to the structure of our inventory control process and the system’s accuracy, stock shrinkage has fallen in line with, or below, industry standards," says Bryan Moore.

At night, there is an online feed of sales data from each store to Kathmandu’s administration centre. This has also helped shake errors out of stock re-ordering as well as provide much greater transparency on sales performance and inventory levels. "Now we know where all product is, the company has been able to reduce inventory substantially," says Mr Moore.

The benefits also include freeing up store staff to concentrate more on their customers -- especially important during the hectic sale periods. At the same time, Mr Moore says, Kathmandu has been careful not to take automation of stock management too far.

"The key for us has been simplicity in how the system works. It is a mix of old school control by the more experienced staff, and major enhancements through technology and bar coding," he says. "Obviously some judgement is still important in catering for customer demand.

"An overly complicated system would require additional staff simply to maintain it, without any real additional benefit to Kathmandu. We sought the right balance between complexity in the system and efficiency within the particular structure of our business."

Needless-to-say, Kathmandu continues to venture forward with refinements to the system. Mr Moore says there are efficiency gains still to be made in managing stock flows before and during those hectic sale periods, which account for a high percentage of annual sales turnover.

This article was kindly provided to EAN Australia by GS1 New Zealand (formally known as EAN New Zealand)

LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

After 300 members learnt how to produce bar codes that scan first time, every time at the 2004 ISO seminar series, EAN Australia has scheduled another road show for April this year.

At the April road show, members will explore:

◆ The intricacies of bar code verification and why it is vital to your trading partners

◆ How to use a verifier and how best to interpret the results

◆ The use of verifiers as quality control tools in the business process

◆ Trade secrets – what the major retailers look for when assessing products

Again with the support of Cobra Systems, international guest speaker, Paul Yarnell, will participate in the road show in 2005, giving expert advice on verification information.

ISO ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN 2005

ISO road show dates:

11th April 05 – Perth

14th April 05 – Adelaide

18th April 05 – Melbourne

19th April 05 – Sydney

21st April 05 – Brisbane

For more information, contact Melissa Andrews at EAN Australia on 1300 366 033.

22

Mobile: 0408 431 023 Tel: 61 3 5943 1022 Fax: 61 3 5943 1023aec@aecommerce.com.au www.aecommerce.com.au

CALL APPLIED ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

The Vital LinkTO GET YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN

WORKING FOR YOU

register now for impetus 2005

Tuesday 12 & Wednesday 13 July 2005Crown Towers Hotel, Melbournewww.impetus2005.com.au

Tuesday 12 & Wednesday 13 July 2005Crown Towers Hotel, Melbournewww.impetus2005.com.au

23

THE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS IMPERATIVE

> ALLIANCE PARTNER EDITORIAL

Article written by Cal Anderson, Director of Datanet Pty Ltd. www.data.net.au Contact: cal@data.net.au or 03 9862 6399 Useful web links: www.ascet.com www.supply-chain.org

Where do I start?

The lessons learned over 20 years of industry involvement are:

a) Executive involvement and leadership through greater knowledge and understanding is required.

b) Identify the area of the most risk and greatest potential. Solutions are able to be modular ensuring a quick deliverable and win is important to the momentum required for ongoing supply chain improvement.

c) Develop your strategy and priorities for operating improvement using appropriate industry reference models and standards.

d) Create an implementation plan based on the right selection of technology, products and software. This is one of the most important changes in being able to reduce the time to implement.

e) Protecting your existing investment in systems that do not have to change. As the real savings are from today’s cost of operations, mobile computing solutions can be integrated to existing host systems.

Conducting business efficiently has become the competitive battleground in determining who will create sufficient operating profit to fuel growth initiatives.

It is arguable that efficiency is even more important than revenue growth. Without efficiency, growth becomes a less predictable source of profitable performance.

A direct link between financial performance and supply chain precision has been confirmed through research across 636 Global 3000 companies in 24 industries.

With the goal of end-to-end supply chain integration supporting the ability to align supply with demand, the point of this article is to ensure you have a strategy to progress now. The potential for early and long-term success has been proven.

24LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

NEW WEBSITE A HIT WITH MEMBERSThe most popular sections of the EAN Australia site, www.ean.com.au are now easier than ever to access.

Since the revamped site was released in September 2004, visits to the site have surged. From October to December 2004, 228,191 hits were recorded, equating to an average of 76,063 hits every month.

EAN Australia General Manager– Information Systems, Neale Austen, said clear navigation was key to unlocking the potential of the expansive site.

"We redesigned the site with the aim of making it more useful in answering simple queries and helping visitors to check out upcoming events," he said.

"The fact that we are seeing results in the form of so many hits to the revamped website certainly provides us with evidence that members are finding it easier to navigate, that they are more confident in gaining access to our member service offerings and they are actually returning to the site more often."

A tracking study has revealed some of the most commonly hit pages include the Alliance Partner page, which lists accredited suppliers of EAN compatible technology; the news page; the Solution Providers Directory and the EANnet data synchronisation page. Perhaps not surprisingly, the library, with its comprehensive catalogue of around 130 sets of reference materials, was also among the top pages visited.

The redesign also seems to have encouraged greater use of the Check Digit Calculator. EAN members simply enter the assigned (12 digit) EAN product number and with the click of a button, have the check digit instantly displayed. The Check Digit Calculator can also be downloaded to personal computers.

For more information about EAN’s products and services or to calculate your check digit, visit www.ean.com.au or call EAN Australia on 1300 366 033.

ww

w.ean.com

.au

HOW EAN SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE PAID OFF FOR WINNERS

25

The winners of EAN Australia scholarships to study the Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management at Deakin University have taken central roles implementing supply chain projects for their employers.

Scholars, Luke Shulver of John Wiley & Sons Australia and Rajesh Sehgal of NHP Electrical Engineering Products, are using their studies to full advantage at work.

Rajesh’s employer, NHP, recently implemented the Real Time Distribution System (RDS) and Freight Management System (FMS) at its national distribution centre to consolidate national inventory and facilitate order processing, order picking and enhance delivery in-full and on-time (DIFOT).

"The course has given me the tools and insight to understand the managerial and strategic issues governing our supply chain and how we can make cost savings by implementing ingenious supply chain practices," Rajesh said.

"I'd like to thank NHP and EAN Australia for such a wonderful opportunity. I believe the Supply Chain Certificate initiated by EAN Australia will foster new professional talent and have a

tremendously positive impact on supply chain practices."

Luke Shulver has been promoted to a new position within Wiley as an eBusiness Systems Coordinator.

"I now have a much broader scope with planned development across all areas of the company rather than just distribution," Luke said.

"The course has cemented my belief in the need for internationally recognised and adopted standards, while covering many areas relevant to my work. The research elements of the subjects I found highly enjoyable as they allowed me to investigate new ideas and see how they could benefit Wiley and the book industry as a whole."

For more information about future EAN Australia scholarships, please contact Steven Pereira at spereira@ean.com.au or phone 1300 366 033.

Luke Shulver Rajesh Sehgal

EAN FACILITATES STREAM AT SMART 2005 CONFERENCE

EAN Australia will have a strong presence at Smart 2005, which will be held from 1 - 2 June 2005 at Darling Harbour in Sydney, is expected to attract 1,000 attendees.

This highly regarded biennial event will host more than 60 leading supply chain industry practitioners from Australia and overseas as they address ten special interest streams.

EAN Australia will facilitate a new RFID and Data Synchronisation stream within the conference programme. EAN senior management will co-present with high profile government and industry members to review RFID, the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) and the synergy between the two technologies.

Topics that will be covered in the EAN facilitated stream include:

• The options for business process transformation

• Whether to go for incremental benefits or aim for big step rewards

• How steep is the learning curve and how long will it take to get it right?

• How important is it to get a convincing ROI?

• The technology challenges facing Australian businesses today

• The critical role of global standards, including the EPC

• Integrating timing for information systems

The conference will cover all the latest and best cutting-edge technologies and processes at all stages of the supply chain, with a strong emphasis on case study presentations.

To find out more about the event, visit www.smartconference.com.au

EAN AUSTRALIA PEOPLE: SPOTLIGHT ON TANIA SNIOCH

Tania Snioch

The role of Account Executive within EAN Australia’s Member and Industry Support Team is one of the most diverse you’ll find. And for Tania Snioch, an Account Executive in Melbourne, variety certainly is the spice of life.

“Being part of the Member and Industry Support department as it continues to work closely with EAN Australia members and engage with different industries makes my role really versatile and enjoyable. The best thing is that every day I’m doing something different,” Tania says.

The main purpose of Tania’s job is to provide core support services to EAN Australia members, including help desk information, technical advice, case studies, site visits, education and training.

The role demands a vast technical knowledge, and time spent working in several departments at EAN Australia proved invaluable to Tania. Joining EAN in 2000, Tania was a bar code verification expert before transferring to EANnet, where she worked as part of the Client Services Team.

Today, as an Account Executive, Tania works across a range of industries and particularly closely with the automotive aftermarket and hardware sectors.

While Tania says many businesses are introduced to the EAN•UCC system to support point of sale scanning, she works hard to help members correctly leverage the system for their own businesses, no matter where they sit along the supply chain.

“It’s essential that our members feel that they always have someone to talk to should they require assistance,” she said.

“We try to the best of our ability to always have someone from the Member and Industry Support department ready to assist members.”

Outside working hours, Tania takes pride in her health and fitness and is a regular at her local gym. Tania has also a new prized possession, recently purchasing a new house.

26LINK MARCH/APRIL 2005

27

Bar code enthusiasts who visited New York’s Madison Square Garden in October 2004 took an up-close look at a new piece of public art: a giant fibreglass apple decorated with bar codes.

The apple, called ‘Evolution of the Bar Code’, was created by Bernard Solco for New York’s Big Apple Fest and was one of 300 apples commissioned from other artists, groups and celebrities. The Big Apple Fest is a philanthropic exhibit designed to promote a ‘revitalised’ image of New York City.

Solco has been creating bar code-inspired art for several years and his paintings were featured at a past Frontline Solutions Conference. AIM North America, the automatic identification industry association, sponsored the Solco apple.

The four-foot-diameter apple is covered with 20 linear and two-dimensional bar codes, and topped off with a RFID tag from Alien Technology. The scannable bar codes are all encrypted with facts about New York.

The Reduced Space Symbology (RSS) bar code, for example, reads: "Thomas Edison 1st electricity distribution 1882", celebrating the first large-scale electricity system developed by Edison in New York City. The UPC code unfortunately sets a more sombre tone. Carrying the now emotion-charged digits 091101, it commemorates the destruction of the city’s iconic World Trade Center Twin Towers.

Bar code art devotees can purchase a series of fine art limited edition prints based on the Evolution Of The Barcode sculpture. For more information or to view the artistic apple online, visit www.bernardsolco.com

BAR CODE ART ON DISPLAY AT NEW YORK’S BIG APPLE FEST

EAN EVENT DIARY

NEW

2005 DATES

EAN Australia Education & Training Series Road Show > 3rd May 2005 Melbourne> 17th May 2005 Sydney> 24th May 2005 Brisbane> 14th June 2005 PerthFurther info: www.ean.com.au/education

EAN Knowledge Series 101™Melbourne, EAN Head Office> EDI 101 6th April & 8th June 2005> XML 101 13th April & 15th June 2005> Data Capture 101 20th April & 22nd June 2005> CPFR 101 27th April & 29th June 2005Further info: www.ean.com.au/education

AAAA Trade Show> 7th – 9th April 2005 Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling HarbourFurther info: www.aec.net.au/aaaa/

ISO Road Show> 11th April 2005 Perth> 14th April 2005 Adelaide> 18th April 2005 Melbourne> 19th April 2005 Sydney> 21st April 2005 Brisbane

SMART Conference> 1st & 2nd June 2005 SydneyFurther info: www.smartconference.com.au

EAN Annual Conference - Impetus 2005> 12th & 13th July 2005 Crown Towers, Melbourne Further info: www.impetus2005.com.au

Retail Business Technology Expo> 20th & 22nd July 2005 Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour Further info: www.retailbusinesstech.com

Freight Congress & Trade Show> 14th-16th September 2005Melbourne Exhibition and Convention CentreFurther info: www.freight2005.com.au

AFGC Conference> 13th September 2005Theatre, Parliament House, Canberra Further info: www.afgc.org.au

This is the latest information available at Supply Chain LINK’s publication deadline: please visit the EAN Australia website www.ean.com.au for current details on seminar dates, times & locations.

2005 DATES

The following list outlines the upcoming events. Keep an eye out for further event listings in the next edition of the Supply Chain LINK newsletter:

2005 DATESRELEASED

NEW

Head Office: Axxess Corporate ParkUnit 100/45 Gilby RoadMt Waverley VIC 3149

Sydney Office: Lakes Business ParkBuilding 4B, 2-4 Lord StreetBotany NSW 2019

National Number: 1300 366 033 Email: eanaust@ean.com.au Website: www.ean.com.au

EAN Australia is pleased to announce:

Vision in Progress: Global Standards and RFID

Impetus 2005Your business growth is limited only by your imagination

Impetus 2005Your business growth is limited only by your imagination

LINKT H E S U P P L Y C H A I N

Tuesday 12 & Wednesday 13 July 2005Crown Towers Hotel, Melbourne

(Soon to be GS1 Australia)

AIIA, AIG, AFGC, ARA, LAA, AAAA, Victorian Transport Association

Event OrganiserEndorsing Bodies

Conference & Exhibition

Major Sponsor Platinum Sponsor