Manufacturer

Even though the following IT firms did not land a coveted spot on this year's Reader's Choice list, Consumer Goods Technology would be remiss by not bringing them front and center.

Even though the growth of supply chain software has cooled significantly since the hey day of the explosive growth seen in 2000, there is still a huge opportunity for vendors to adjust offerings to better suit the needs of clients, according to a 2004 AMR Research report.

The No. 2 sports apparel and equipment maker in the world, adidas-Salomon Canada, uses the IBM eServer iSeries platform to gain a competitive edge in its market.

In 1869 Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch inadvertently gave birth to Welch Foods Inc. while discovering the method to make communion wine from unfermented grapes.

It was a sunny, autumn day, perfect driving weather to soak up the picturesque country scenery of Concord, Massachusetts, the locale of this months cover story with Welchs.

A re-cap of the year's must-attend industry event

The Customer Management Award is presented to a consumer goods firm for the successful execution of a sales and/or marketing effort throughout its entire customer base to achieve superior results.

According to AMR Research, trade funds investments can account for 15 percent of a consumer goods (CG) company's revenue, and the total spent on advertising, marketing and promotions by CG companies is an estimated $250 billion annually.