The annual GS1 Connect Conference for supply-chain executives and professionals will be held June 4 to 7, 2012, at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, it was announced Nov. 16  by host GS1 US. The event debuted in 2000 as the U Connect Conference. Since then it has been attended by over 10,000 people. Attendees hail from multiple industries that use GS1 standards as a foundation for sharing information and creating more-effective and efficient business processes. This will be the first gathering with the new name. 

“GS1 Connect is the premier conference in the U.S. for industry to learn about GS1 standards from industry leaders and GS1 standards experts,” says Bob Carpenter, President and CEO of GS1 US. “The knowledge GS1 Connect offers is increasingly important as smartphone and computer applications make the supply chain visible to consumers, and as developments in areas such as RFID and Product Data Management change the playing field for everyone in the supply chain.”  

Nearly 2 million companies in two dozen industries globally use GS1 standards and solutions for supply-chain efficiency, traceability, and collaboration.

The conference agenda is being developed by the GS1 Connect Community Advisory Board (CAB), a planning committee of users representing all major industries that use GS1 standards. Its members are working to deliver content for industry stakeholders such as manufacturers, brand owners, distributors, retailers, and solution providers.

Traceability and food safety

“The fresh food industry is tackling the complex challenges of food traceability and safety with the help of GS1 standards,” says Debra Noyes, IT Change Management Process Owner of Johnsonville Sausage, LLC, and co-chair of the Fresh Foods/CPG planning group for the GS1 Connect CAB.

“We are in a unique position to actively shape the conference agenda to meet the current needs of the fresh foods industry and relate those needs to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry,” she says.  “Our goal is to provide plenty of opportunities for GS1 Connect attendees to learn about standards, network with trading partners, and share best practices.”

GS1 Connect 2012, with the theme, “Business Moving Forward,” continues the model of a conference planned by industry, for industry. It will cover the timeliest and most important issues facing business leaders in Apparel, Consumer Packaged Goods, Foodservice, Fresh Foods, General Merchandise, Grocery, Healthcare, and other sectors.

GS1 US also announced that the online community formerly known as U Connect Online, with nearly 400 registered users, will become GS1 Connect Online immediately. More information about GS1 Connect 2012 and GS1 Connect Online is available at  www.gs1connectevent.org.