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EPC Connection and the Changing RFID Market
Issue #118 | Oct. 5, 2007 | by Andy Kowl
We spent the last few days at the 2007 EPC Connection in Chicago, EPCglobal’s annual event. Of course, this standards group has been instrumental in bringing the burgeoning RFID industry together.
EPCglobal serves as the United Nations of RFID, where competitors hammered out the existing standards together. In the case of their Class 1, Gen 2, we previously reported it took late night horse-trading, deal-making and compromise to finalize the technology.
Many of those most involved with this new wave of RFID innovation attend this event each year. But truth of the matter is, few else do. Rarely have I been to a trade show where booths begin disappearing during the last day, one by one, prior to closing.
Last year in Los Angeles there was a parallel Wal-Mart users’ meeting, and that brought in some new adopters. This year, Alien Technology made a huge splash by having a partners’ meeting, with an ROI theme, bringing speakers to the exhibit floor with solid ideas and ROI advice. This added nicely to the overall event and to attendance.
As the conference was winding down, I had the opportunity to see a variety of industry opinion leaders and asked what their take-away was. Every response was the same: how the industry has finally moved from mandates and just the promise of great things, to providers buzzing with now commonplace stories of successful RFID implementations.
EPC Connection two years ago
Here’s some perspective. Two years ago, in RFID Street #42, we looked toward the EPC Connection 2005 just a few weeks later in Atlanta. We wrote: “This week, EPCglobal is conducting Gen II hardware certification testing in Baltimore, MD. . . . The testing is a very important step to getting Gen II equipment into customer's hands, but we're not ready for prime time yet.” and “There are a number of companies already testing Gen II tags and readers today.”
We reported one company was paying 30¢ for a million 96-bit Class 1 tags, “in an on-pitch label format.” Another buyer told us “confidentially” that they were paying 27¢ for similar tags.
In other words, RFID supply chain technology was barely out of the starting gate. Gen 2 tags – and the virtually 100% read rates and reliability commonly reported today – were yet a dream. Asset tracking and WIP applications, the kind of apps everyone in Chicago this week seemed to be involved in, was discussed only around the edges. That is just two years ago!
This week one buyer told me he paid 8¢ for Gen 2 tags purchased in large quantity. Better technology at 25% of the cost two years prior.
The conference tango
When I produced a conference in June, 2004, at the Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, DC, it felt like there were a dozen RFID conference springing up every month. Through mid-2006 you had a hard time not tripping over RFID meetings large and small.
By 2007 things have calmed down. The number of conferences more closely fits the demand. CMP’s decision to move RFID World to the fall next year, to balance out the major RFID shows with Journal Live in the spring, was a sound one that better serves the real needs of businesses that attend or exhibit.
Where does that leave EPCglobal’s event, which has not drawn much even with no major RFID convention to share the fall season with? There is no doubt the organization is a driving force in RFID. EPCglobal has the clout to call a meeting almost anytime and get some people to attend. But is clout reason enough?
A possible new approach next year
Speaking of driving forces, I had the chance to speak separately yesterday afternoon with Sue Hutchinson of EPCglobal North America and Mark Roberti, founder and editor of RFID Journal. I do not mention Sue’s title because I have long been convinced it does not do justice to the impact I have observed her have on RFID growth. This year, for the first time, RFID Journal produced the event; and just because Mark makes producing these big events look easy, doesn’t mean it is.
Their thoughts were on the same track, though I do not believe they’d yet had time to compare notes. They both already sound engaged in considering creative new approaches for future events. In their different roles, both Sue and Mark sound like they are wondering about new ideas and new approaches. I believe they are on the right track.
Here is a first thought for future EPCglobal conferences: Since this group is all about thought leadership and driving growth, and attracts both technology and business innovators to the event, why add sessions that are indistinguishable from all of the other conferences out there?
Let’s face it – the core constituency here is jaded, swimming in an endless sea of RFID information every day. These are the people who live it. With no offense meant to the fine presenters (please!), this is the last group with any interest in or need for sessions called “Improving Operations with RFID Tagging” and “Different Levels of RFID Implementation.”
How about round-tables, or discussion groups with facilitators instead of lecturers raising compelling questions, maybe even sent in advance. There are many other ideas along these lines I’ve used in conferences I have produced in the past, which can draw out new ideas and really add value to the businesses participating. And in this case, those participating are the companies driving RFID. Shouldn’t we be leveraging the brainpower in this room rather than diluting it with RFID 101?
Last edited by AndreaC : 10-05-2007 at 11:44 AM.
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