ABI EC News	August/September 2008
Promoting e-commerce in the Alcohol Beverage Industry for over 15 years
Council News
2008 Conference Wrap-Up Building a Better Supply Chain: Data Synchronization for the Alcohol Beverage Industry ABI EC and fellow alcohol beverage industry members were among the 1,400 attendees at this year’s GS1 US U Connect Conference® in Dallas, TX. Since 2003, the ABI EC Conference has been held in conjunction with U Connect, the one event for supply chain excellence and best practices. This year’s ABI EC Conference offered industry-specific sessions focused on building a better supply chain with data synchronization.   ►more
Presenters from Constellation Wines and LANSA described a road map to help attendees just getting started with data synchronization and improving the quality of their product data. MillerCoors, Anheuser-Busch, Reyes Distributing and New Belgium Brewing provided updates on the beer industry’s data synchronization pilot projects, and there were presentations from Food Lion and AAFES describing why data synchronization in this category is important to retailers.
► Download 2008 conference presentations
ABI EC sponsored its 6th annual networking lunch at the conference for industry members. This popular event drew over 70 attendees from alcohol beverage retailers, distributors, suppliers, trade associations, press, and solutions providers.
For the first time, ABI EC exhibited at U Connect to provide conference attendees an opportunity to speak with ABI EC members and get information about ABI EC initiatives including copies of its DVD "Building a Better Supply Chain: Data Synchronization for the Alcohol Beverage Industry". View photos from the conference, ABI EC sessions, as well as pictures of visitors to the exhibit; many of these feature attendees’ pictures with ABI EC’s popular “Booth Guy”! Congratulations to the winner of the ABI EC Conference iPod® Drawing: Paul Maier, MIS Director Buffalo Trace Distillery
Name the “Booth Guy” ABI EC is looking for a name for our new associate. Many conference attendees provided name suggestions for the popular ABI EC “Booth Guy” and also had their picture taken with him. Since attendees had so much fun at the conference with the Booth Guy, we are extending the chance to name the Booth Guy to everyone. Take a look at the conference photos and send us your suggestion. ABI EC will announce the Booth Guys’ new name in our next newsletter along with the entrants name and company.    ►Name the Booth Guy
ABI EC Welcomes Heaven Hill Distilleries ABI EC would like to welcome our new Council member Heaven Hill Distilleries. Heaven Hill Distilleries will join other participating supplier members to provide their supply chain perspectives in ABI EC industry initiatives. ABI EC members include distributors, suppliers, control states, and industry associations.   ►View ABI EC member list
What's Hot Data Synchronization Industry Pilots The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and 1SYNC sponsored data synchronization pilot for the beer industry continues to move forward. The objective of the pilot is to test Item Synchronization within a three-tier model (brewers, distributors, and retailers) and determine how all parties can use the data to enhance their business processes. Participants include AAFES, Anheuser-Busch, Exxon Mobil Corporation, MillerCoors, M Price Distributing, New Belgium Brewing, Reyes Holdings, SUPERVALU, and technology providers. The pilot is scheduled to be completed by the end of October. Phase II of the pilot will test Price and Promotion Synchronization. Feedback and results from the pilot are tentatively scheduled to be available by the end of the year.    ►Pilot background ►The Impact of Global Data Synchronization on the Beer Industry   Have you seen the ABI EC Data Synchronization video? Watch the Video Learn about this new process and the benefits data synchronization brings to the alcohol beverage industry in the ABI EC short video: "Building a Better Supply Chain: Data Synchronization for the Alcohol Beverage Industry". The video features testimonials from Brown-Forman, Charmer Sunbelt, Constellation Wines, Glazer’s Wholesale Distributors, and Southern Wine & Spirits. Data synchronization is moving forward rapidly in the alcohol beverage industry. Watch the video today and find out why these industry leaders recommend implementing this new process now.
►Order your free DVD Also includes additional resources that can help you implement data synchronization.
New Ways of Working Together “New Ways of Working Together” is a new collaborative business approach for trading partners (retailers and manufacturers) that will enable them to focus on agreed-to plans while they collaborate to eliminate supply chain disruptions and jointly grow their businesses. New Ways of Working Together centers around the connectivity of cross-organization areas such as marketing and sales, manufacturing, business-to-business collaboration, transportation, and quality and safety to utilize standards to create more efficient and sustainable supply chains.
►To learn more visit the New Ways of Working Together area on the GS1 US website
Education & Events EPC Connection 2008 October 14th – 16th, 2008, Donald E. Stevens Convention Center, Chicago, IL Learn how EPC / RFID (Electronic Product Code™ / Radio Frequency Identification) is providing real business value through supply chain visibility.   ►More information and registration   Save the Date! ABI EC 2009 Conference Held in conjunction with U Connect 09 June 2nd – 5th, Orlando World Center Marriot, Orlando FL    ►Visit www.uconnectevent.org for more information ►View 2008 ABI EC Conference Wrap-Up
Get Involved in Improving Our Industry’s Supply Chain ABI EC provides a forum for alcohol beverage industry members to work together to further the use of electronic commerce in the industry by promoting global adoption of established standards and practices by industry members, partners, and agencies. There are two ways to get involved:   ►Join ABI EC ►Join Our Online Community Visit the ABI EC website to stay informed on e-commerce initiatives that are happening right now in our industry and what is on the horizon. Subscribe to our free Document Library to receive automatic updates on topics of interest that are most important to your business.