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Council News
March 2006 ABI EC Council Executive Committee Meeting Brief
The Committee heard updates on industry data synchronization efforts. The pilot programs are underway and a white paper will be published soon.
There was also a key discussion on implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the Electronic Product Code™ (EPC); representatives from Wal-Mart and EPCglobal US™ provided updates on progress and direction. This will be an ongoing topic as the technology evolves and the industry learns more about best practices for implementation in the three tier system.
Plans progressed for the upcoming U Connect Conference® and the ABI EC Council sessions. Participants in the Global Commerce Initiative’s Direct Store Delivery Work Group will provide an update of their progress and there will presentations covering data synchronization initiatives in the industry.
The redesigned ABI EC Council website (www.abiec.org) was introduced and received positive feedback.
Alcohol Beverage Industry Takes Significant Steps Toward the Adoption of Data Synchronization
The adoption of data synchronization by the alcohol beverage industry community is an important initiative of the ABI EC Council. Inaccurate data and the resulting product delivery errors, lost sales, and other supply chain costs and inefficiencies can be avoided through data synchronization – the electronic transfer of standardized product and location information and the continuous synchronization of that data.
Studies demonstrate that savings are achieved when data integrity issues are eliminated and the right product is ordered, purchased, delivered, invoiced, sold, and billed. With the help of the 1SYNC™ Data Pool, the ABI EC Council will ensure that product data requirements meet our industry-specific needs. The Council plans to review the product data extension attributes currently available and determine any specific extension attributes that need to be developed to best support the Alcohol Beverage Industry, such as alcohol by proof. Recently ABI EC Members sponsored the adoption of a new product attribute to enable the more efficient identification of products for tax purposes.
More information on this important initiative.
Learn more about data synchronization at the ABI EC 2006 Conference.
An Interview with Bob Lawson, Vice Chair, ABI EC Council
We recently sat down with Bob Lawson, Chief Information Officer of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and Vice Chair of the ABI EC Council to speak about emerging initiatives, his vision for the ABI EC Council, the group’s strengths and challenges, and more.
Read this interview.
New ABI EC Website Keeps the Industry Informed and Up-to-Date
The ABI EC Council is pleased to present a new and improved website, designed to help facilitate the use of e-commerce to improve the industry’s supply chain, by keeping alcohol beverage companies informed about growing e-commerce capabilities. Using the left navigation on the home page, visitors can find out What’s Hot now, discover what’s next on the Watch List, link directly to valuable resources in the Reference/Archive section, and sign-up for informative Education & Events. The navigation at the top of the page includes links to FAQs and
ABI EC Council initiatives.
Visit the new ABI EC website now.
What's Hot
Major Retailers Endorse GDSN
A group of major retailers recently issued a joint endorsement of the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), requesting that their suppliers use the network when synchronizing their data and pointing out the efficiencies and savings available to trading partners. The GDSN is a network that connects certified data pools, which are sources of manufacturer and retailer data.
The retailers, all of which use the 1SYNC™ Data Pool (formerly UCCnet and Transora) for data synchronization, are Associated Food Stores, Associated Wholesale Grocers, SUPERVALU, Unified Western Grocers, Wal-Mart, and Wegmans Food Markets. Areas of improvement include new item set up, logistics, invoicing, speed to market, and data accuracy.
Learn more about the multi-retailer endorsement of the GDSN.
Take the ABI EC Council Data Sync Survey
Have you taken the ABI EC Council‘s Data Sync Survey? This brief, online survey is your opportunity to tell us about the steps you and your trading partners have taken toward adding efficiencies to your supply chain using data synchronization. Your input will help us determine the steps we need to take to support this important initiative. Replies are confidential; only group results are reported.
Take the survey now.
Watch List
TTB Considers Changes to Labeling of Alcohol Beverages
The comment period for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) Notice No. 41, “Labeling and Advertising of Wines, Distilled Spirits and Malt Beverages; Request for Public Comment” closed on September 26, 2005. Over 14,000 comments were received in response to the notice, with the majority of them being in form letter format requesting that basic nutritional information and serving facts, including the amount of alcohol per serving, be permitted to appear on alcohol beverage labels.
In addition, GS1 US™, the organization that serves as Secretariat for the ABI EC Council, proposed changes to terminology about the Universal Product Code (U.P.C.). GS1 US requested that the terminology be updated from “U.P.C.” to “EAN/UPC bar code,” which includes U.P.C. and EAN-13 bar codes.
ABI EC Council Monitoring Progress of DSD Working Group
The Global Commerce Initiative (GCI), a global user group with a charter to drive best practices and implementation of the standards of the GS1 System (formerly the EAN.UCC System), is currently studying the Direct Store Delivery (DSD) system through its DSD Working Group.
The ABI EC Council is monitoring the progress of this working group to determine how the e-commerce opportunities that are being studied for DSD can benefit the alcohol beverage industry supply chain. These applications include data synchronization, automated and standardized customer outlet identification, and automated payment processes.
Find out more about GCI and the DSD Working Group.
Learn more about the Direct Store Delivery system at the 2006 ABI EC sessions at the U Connect Conference.
Education & Events
Join us at the 2006 ABI EC Council “Conference within a Conference”
The ABI EC Council will once again hold its annual conference in conjunction with the GS1 US™ U Connect Conference®, the industry’s premier educational and networking event. The three-day conference will be held June 6-8, 2006 at the Gaylord, Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee.
The theme of the U Connect Conference will be “Where standards get down to business.” In addition to a customized ABI EC track, attendees will have the opportunity to attend sessions on data accuracy, traceability and visibility, logistics, standards development, the Electronic Product Code™ (EPC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies, Global Trade Item Numbers® (GTIN®s), Global Location Numbers (GLNs), Extensible Markup Language (XML), data communications, and GS1 e-commerce standards.
The alcohol beverage industry specific track includes these sessions:
- The Global Commerce Initiative (GCI); Focusing on DSD
- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol: An Update for Importers and Exporters
- Data Sync in the ABI Three-Tier Supply Chain
- The Increasing Use of Coupons, Rebates, and Electronic Settlement in the Alcohol Beverage Industry
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New On Demand Web Seminar: Data Synchronization in the Alcohol Beverage Industry
A free On Demand Web Seminar, sponsored by the ABI EC Council, explains the business benefits of implementing data synchronization through the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN). Held in conjunction with 1SYNC™ (formerly UCCnet and Transora) the seminar provides an overview of what it takes to get started, what can be expected in terms of return on investment, and the next steps toward a more efficient supply chain. Listen anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Take the “Data Synchronization for the Alcohol Beverage Industry” Web Seminar today.
ABI EC Council Members Influence E-Commerce in the Alcohol Beverage Industry
ABI EC Council members work together to further the use of e-commerce in the alcohol beverage industry. Council members exchange and share information on new technologies, processes, and global standards, working toward increased industry efficiency and effectiveness. Members include suppliers, distributors, control states, regulatory agencies, industry associations, and solution providers.
View list of ABI EC Council members.
Join ABI EC
Join the ABI EC Council today. Work with us to further the use of e-commerce to improve the alcohol beverage industry’s supply chain. Whether the idea of e-commerce in our industry is new to you or you are already using it in your operations, we look forward to welcoming you!
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