All the tools logistics professionals need to cope with the rising pressures of Supply Chain costs will be conveniently visible in one place—the Distribution/Computer EXPO 2005 show floor—on May 18 and 19 at the Navy Pier in Chicago. In addition, easy help to fully understand those tools in their state-of-the-art form is readily available at the D/C Seminars taking place on May 17, also at Navy Pier.

With the jump in fuel prices during the first half of 2005, the stress is on to apply computer system technology to drive back the cost impact on US companies. While a better Supply Chain or Warehouse Management System cannot make the price at the gas and diesel pumps go down, it can slash the gallons of fuel needed to keep company operations humming.

Expect this year’s D/C EXPO to show increased attendee interest in transportation management systems that help control costs, as well as greater attention to bringing the Supply Chain of competitive companies under even tighter control.

The hot topic of RFID is still hot this year, but the nature of the heat has changed. This year, the emphasis is on trying to figure out how to make the major investments in RFID required in a way that makes sense to the attendees’ corporate management and accounting chief financial officers.
Last year, the industry was rushing toward RFID to get the jump on big-customer demands for compliance with RFID standards. In 2005, the mad rush has turned into a more orderly procession that wants to look RFID and its return on investment over carefully before making major dollar commitments.

The D/C EXPO will showcase over 150 exhibitors displaying the very latest in systems and services for all Supply Chain applications. The show is the largest collection of such vendors, as it has been every year since 1983.

How do these systems and programs satisfy a logistics professional’s pressing technology needs? The answers are given in detail in 39 strictly-educational Seminar sessions on May 18. The latest systems and practices are covered in five Seminar tracks: RFID, Supply Chain, Warehousing, Distribution & Logistics, Transportation.

Reflecting the continuing interest in RFID information and technology in the industry this year, the Seminar RFID track includes a half-day RFID Workshop by RedPrairie Inc., one of the leaders in the field.

Also, 14 classroom-style Demos let attendees sit back to take in the “big picture” of each product covered. The Demos give attendees a thorough understanding of the particular system offered, raising their knowledge level of not only the system, but the ways the new technologies can tackle their own specific logistics needs.

On the D/C EXPO exhibit floor, logistics professionals go face-to-face with the experts on each system, getting their specific and detailed questions answered. The exhibit lets attendees easily compare and contrast the competitive offerings of the exhibitors.

Admission to all D/C EXPO events—except the Seminars--is free to logistics professionals. The full-day Seminars, including the half-day RFID Workshop, costs $595 per person or – or $495 with the discount available through exhibitors online.

To register for all D/C EXPO events and get the $100 discount, logistics professionals are invited to go to http://www.logistar.com or call 800-338-4112.

Complete event details, hotel information, directions, etc. can also be found at the same web site.