Supply chain management conference

Impetus 2008 will feature a host of international and Australian speakers focusing on the hot topics in supply chain management.

Topics in the spotlight include how Australian food businesses would cope with a 21st century pandemic, such as SARS or avian influenza, major health reform and ensuring patient safety in Australia’s healthcare sector and the transformation of industry supply chains, from hardware and the auto aftermarket to meat and fresh produce. Plus representatives of a wide range of Australian businesses will share their hands-on experience in supply chain implementation and transformation.

Conference delegates will have the opportunity to hear from leading-edge experts in RFID/EPC. Simon Langford, director — EPC Strategies for US retailer Wal-Mart, will share strategy and learnings with EPC/RFID at Wal-Mart and the Sam's Club wholesale club chain. He will be followed by Dr Sanjay Sarma, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who will discuss the latest developments in RFID technology across the globe and what implications they will have in Australia.

Steven Newton, Metcash Limited national technical manager, will discuss what the food industry needs to consider when facing a pandemic, whether existing supply chain infrastructure is sufficiently robust to sustain heavy demands, what technologies need to be in place and what security measures must be activated to ensure vital supplies are delivered to those in need.

Prof Peter Dapiran, Senior Fellow, Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Melbourne, will look into his crystal ball to reveal what supply chain challenges lie ahead for Australian businesses. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the challenges of supply change management when taking into consideration issues such as global competition, environmental sustainability, skill shortages, increasing cost of doing business, local adoption of the GS1 System and leading-edge technologies.

Richard Umbers, general manager customer engagement, Woolworths, will discuss current and future supply chain challenges faced by one of Australia’s largest retailers.

The conference will run over two days and at the end of the first, GS1 Australia will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a cocktail party to which delegates are invited.

The GS1 Australia 2008 Supply Chain Excellence Awards will also be presented at the conference. An individual or company may still be nominated for an award at the GS1 Australia website, www.gs1au.org/excellence_awards.asp. Nominations close on Friday 28 September.

A free trade show presenting the latest supply chain and technology solutions will run concurrently with the conference. Created especially for the supply chain professional and their business, the Impetus Expo provides an opportunity for conference delegates to explore and compare the most up-to-date technology and talk to more than 30 GS1 Australia Alliance Partners and associates.

Impetus 2008 will run on Thursday 23 October and Friday 24 October at the Sofitel Hotel, 25 Collins Street, Melbourne.