Manufacturer

In the May 2004 issue of Consumer Goods Technology, we reported on a developing story about the Pharmaceutical Industry RFID Group.

The past year was one of struggle and experimentation in consumer goods companies' use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), with lingering standards, product immaturity, cost and return on investment issues clouding the ability to reach Wal-Mart's January 2005 mandate.

Consumer goods firms are only as sharp as the products they release.

As the retail sector consolidates and the larger players grow stronger, a rising number of consumer goods (CG) firms, such as Adolph Coors Company and Molson Inc., Hershey Foods Corporation and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. are executing merger or acquisition strategies.

Last month, AMR Research humbly pointed out that its prediction in RFID spending for Wal-Mart's Top 100 suppliers was off its mark.

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.