Auto ID is Becoming a Key Competitive Factor ~ technoboxes

EURO ID 2010 is Opening Its Doors with Nearly 100 Exhibitors and So Far 900 Registered Visitors

The Cologne trade fair EURO ID 2010 (4–6 May 2010, Cologne, EXPO XXI) remains the only cross-sector European Auto ID fair and a central communication platform for the Auto ID market. The EURO ID 2010 spectrum covers optical identification techniques (bar codes, 2D codes, 3D codes), electronic identification techniques such as RFID, sensor technology and GPS, as well as software systems (middleware, ERP connections). In addition, related technologies such as IT security and telematics will be showcased, as well as service offers, training and consulting for the entire field of automatic identification.

In 2010, the EURO ID trade fair will once again demonstrate new market developments and technologies, e.g. for health care, medical technology, the pharmaceutical industry, medicinal supply and the consumer goods industry. A total of 94 exhibitors have already confirmed their involvement, 882 trade visitors are registered in the middle of April. Initial information on the trade fair can be found in the Internet at: http://www.euro-id-tradefair.com/

Focus on solutions, applications, new markets and partners

AutoID elements now play a major role in modern production control, product life cycle management (PLM), intra- and extra-logistics and in retail trade. With the help of RFID tags, procedures such as “pick-by-voice” used in order picking are being supplemented with automatic consignment validation. Particularly when managing transport containers, pallets and racks, RFID shows its true potential for the cost-effective use of circulating objects, while also reducing capital spending and supporting transparency in corporate financial reporting. The use of RFID technology and two-dimensional bar codes is also spreading systematically in the area of electronic document management.

Even small projects make sense

Auto ID projects do not always have to take place as part of some major development. Niche products and applications are also important. Whether to show in which specialised areas the Auto ID technology is already being used, or to find out which modules are available for setting up larger solutions and how from individual parts a complete chain can be established for the effective management of processes in industry, public authorities or health care.

Auto ID ensures transparency

Ralf Pfisterer, Product Marketing Manager for Industrial Identification at Balluff GmbH, Neuhausen auf den Fildern, believes Auto ID solutions make processes more transparent and understandable. Both are, from his perspective, necessary today to remain economically competitive. “So it’s a good thing that Auto ID technology is becoming ever more affordable because its use opens up new areas of applications that were previously simply out of the question due to their unfavourable cost-effectiveness ratio,” he says.

According to Pfisterer the Auto ID sector finds itself in a period of full-blown congestion in terms of application development. The opportunities to free up this congestion, especially against the background of a weakening economic crisis, are in his opinion not looking all that bad. “I view the economic crisis as a chance for established structures to be broken up and for new technology to be employed. It would be good for all involved if as many projects as possible that have been put on hold over the last few months can now finally be implemented.” He believes that it is not at all a case of always realising huge high-end applications straight away. Far more interesting would be, in particular, the “simpler” applications because here it would be possible to show directly just how much more efficient processes run when they are equipped with RFID systems.

Textile RFID Labels in action

RFID technology is also catching on more and more in the textile industry. Following an extensive test phase, Gerry Weber International AG has taken on a pioneering role in the use of RFID technology for the clothing industry. Over the course of the next few years, the company will launch radio chips to optimise logistics and retail processes, and also as a new form of merchandise security. In so doing, the Gerry Weber Group will become the first company in Germany to use RFID as an anti-shoplifting technology. Textile RFID labels are a further innovation that the company will soon sew directly into its products.

In addition to the Gerry Weber fashion group, RFID technology is now being used by the Swiss textile retailer Charles Vögele for normal operations in all of its eight Slovenian subsidiaries. “It allows us to optimally coordinate and streamline the entire supply chain,” says Thomas Beckmann, Director of Supply Chain Management at Vögele.

The trade fair is organised by IBC Informa Business Communication GmbH (previously: IBC EURO FORUM GmbH of the Informa Group). The Association of Automatic Identification, Data Collection and Mobile Data Communication (Industrieverband für Automatische Identifikation, Datenerfassung und Mobile Datenkommunikation AIM e.V.) is a supporting organisation.

http://www.euro-id-tradefair.com/