EPCglobal US President Mike Meranda to Speak on RFID at National Press Club

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2005--

Meranda to provide overview on RFID, the Electronic Product Code (EPC) and its benefits, and comment on public policy issues

“EPC to the bar code is like the TV to the radio”

Mike Meranda, president of EPCglobal US, will discuss the benefits of RFID and Electronic Product Code (EPC) technologies and provide perspective on public policy issues during an expert panel discussion on RFID at 6:30 p.m., May 23rd at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

EPCglobal US, based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, is leading the commercialization and implementation of EPC technologies in the United States. EPC technologies harness the power of radio-frequency identification (RFID) to provide benefits to consumers and businesses alike, including a safer drug supply chain, more efficient product recalls and fewer out-of-stock products.

"EPC to the bar code is like the TV to the radio," Meranda said. "It's a much more powerful technology that can bring us many more benefits, from saving businesses millions of dollars in their supply chains to ensuring goods are where consumers want them at any given time."

In his remarks, Mr. Meranda will provide an update on commercialization efforts, the momentum of adoption in various industries and perspective on public policy issues surrounding EPC technology.

Similar to bar code technology, each EPC tag carries a number that provides valuable product information, such as when a product was manufactured, shipped, and finally arrives at its destination, among other data, to authorized trading partners. This information can help companies realize efficiencies in creating and distributing products. Today, 10 billion bar codes are scanned daily and are credited with saving nearly $30 billion a year across multiple industries.

EPCglobal has more than 550 subscribing companies from various industry sectors worldwide. Major retailers such as Best Buy, Target Corp., and Wal-Mart, and manufacturers including Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever are piloting the technology to eliminate millions of dollars per year in supply-chain losses like counterfeiting, theft and other drains on profit. The U.S. Department of Defense and the Food and Drug Administration are also exploring the technology.

Mr. Meranda will join other panelists, including Lt. General Chris Christianson, the U.S. Army's chief logistician; Mr. Alan Estevez, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for supply-chain integration; Dr. Sanjay Sarma, an M.I.T. professor who spearheaded the development of EPC technology; Ms. Ilisa Bernstein, senior advisor for regulatory policy for the Food and Drug Administration; Dr. Robert Atkinson, vice president of the Progressive Policy Institute, one of Capitol Hill's primary drivers of RFID; and consumer privacy advocate Ms. Paula Bruening, counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology.

About EPCglobal US

EPCglobal US, a subsidiary of the Uniform Code Council(R) (UCC(R)), soon to be GS1 US, is an affiliate of EPCglobal Inc serving subscribers in the United States to help foster the adoption of the EPCglobal Network and related technology. The EPCglobal Network combines radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, existing communications network infrastructure, and the Electronic Product Code(TM) (a number for uniquely identifying an item) to enable accurate, cost-efficient visibility of information in the supply chain. The end result helps organizations be more efficient, flexible, and responsive to customer needs. For more information about EPCglobal US(TM), please visit www.EPCglobalUS.org.