Emerging Markets Luring Private Bankers in Droves. Why?

Everyone knows, especially now, that bankers aren’t infallible. Most agree, too, that herd-mentality decision-making is a bad idea. But when a lot of the banking industry’s smartest people and iconic firms are rushing to open service offices in emerging markets, it’s worth noting.

FDA Issues Warning about Alfalfa Sprouts. But What Takes So Long?

There are at least three troubling things about this article reporting the FDA’s April 27th recommendation that… consumers not eat raw alfalfa sprouts until further notice because the popular crunchy greens have been linked to a salmonella saintpaul outbreak in six states.

GS1 US Exec Offers Sage Advice in ‘Where’s My Stuff?’ Article

Jump-starting your own economic recovery is the overarching subject matter of an article appearing today in Industry Week by Joe Zenobio, Chief Product and Solutions Officer, GS1 US. It’s a two-page opinion piece that in very simple, but powerful, ways explains why now is the time for manufacturers to make some investments in supply chain efficiency. [...]

Pharmaceutical Market Share Opportunity Emerging in China

We at Loftware have no affiliation or vested interest in Decision Resources. But if you’re in the healthcare field and don’t already know about their syndicated report series for high-growth emerging markets

GS1 US Elects Robert W. Carpenter to Chief Executive Officer

Robert W. Carpenter, a senior executive for Aramark International, has been elected chief executive officer of GS1 US here by its board, and will assume the position May 10.

Emerging Markets Up a Third Since Early March Says Report in Forbes

Peter Apps, reporting for Reuters out of London, highlights some very positive gains for emerging markets. The recent G20 meeting, a new infusion of cash into the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Japan’s stimulus package are all contributing factors says Mr. Apps, who also reports:

14th Edition of the GS1 Healthcare Newsletter Now Available

As newsletters go, this one from GS1 Healthcare is one of the best.

US Farms, Inc., Joins GS1 US… This is News? In a Way, Yes!

My boss here at Loftware sometimes makes a point about so-called news releases some companies issue when they don’t really have any news. He says, “They might as well have announced they changed the carpet in their lobby.”

Emerging Markets Appealing to BMW

It appears the Ultimate Driving Machine is seeking the ultimate return on its investment in emerging markets

Detroit Medical Center Awarded 2009 Top Innovator Award For . . . Using Barcodes.

In the latest  Healthcare Informatics, April 2009, the editors gave out a series of “Innovator Awards” for 2009 to various healthcare systems and hospitals that have shown the most CIO leadership, vision and strategy. Congratulations to Detroit Medical Center for implementing an amazingly powerful IT system involving barcodes.

GS1 To End Supermarket Coupon Chaos and Self Checkout Limitations?

This good news comes from one of the best and longest editorial pieces I’ve seen about GS1 in recent times

Barcode Self-Scanning Comes to Stop & Shop Supermarket

Writer Donna Drago, reporting for The Jamestown Press, in a story entitled “Things that make me happier,” lauds luggage with wheels, sweet potato sushi, allergy eye drops and… scanning her groceries with a hand held device that also alerts her to store bargains. She says:

GS1 and the European Pallet Association Complete Successsful Pilot

If you’re like me, you’ve never heard of EPAL, which is the European Pallet Association. But at this link about them you can see they are at the center of helping European Railways maintain a European-wide quality assurance and inspection standard for the EURO pallet.

Emerging Markets ‘On a Tear’ Reports The Wall Street Journal

Amazing news about the emerging markets trend we’ve highlighted since last December as the focus for growth in these tough times. It’s from The Wall Street Journal…
For all the talk about the sharp rebound in U.S. stocks in recent weeks, shares in emerging markets have been on an even bigger tear…

GS1 US Clarifies January 1, 2010 Sunrise Date for GS1 DataBar

Last week GS1 US issued a statement intended to clarify confusion in the US caused by statements made  in other parts of the world over the sunrise date for the GS1 DataBar. Bottom line: GS1 US is sticking to the long-established January 1, 2010 date.

Risk of Food-Borne Illness ‘Fairly Low’ in the US says Expert. Nuts?

In my world, perception is reality. So while various experts being quoted in this story about the mysterious pistachio case tell me food safety is getting

A Brief Loftware News Update

From time to time I hope to remind our blog readers that in addition to advocating for GS1 global adoption in a major way, we at Loftware also make product marking solutions for companies worldwide. And, on occasion, actually more and more often these days it seems, a customer of ours will come forward and [...]

In Korea, Biggest Barcode Problem on Drugs is . . . No Barcode At All

The specific stats in this story, which I think comes out of Korea, aren’t easy to reconcile or fathom, but the main point is clear:

GS1 US Subsidiary 1SYNC Cuts Private Label Data Errors in Test

The multi-sourcing of private label retail products can apparently be a real problem when it comes to data quality and accuracy.

GS1 France CEO Pierre Georget Blogs About His Professional Mission

My hat is off to GS1 France and its CEO Pierre Georget for bringing the discussion of standards to an open forum in the form of Mr. Georget’s ‘professional blog.’ In a recent post, which you can see here, Mr. Georget writes about the historic economic impact of barcode technology