Bell Canada Selected to provide Canada's first end-to-end EPC (TM) RFID Pilot

CNW Group

Toronto, October 13, 2005

"Bell teams up with Shipcom Wireless and Symbol Technologies to deliver end-to-end solution for the Supply Chain Network Project (TM) (SCN)

Bell Canada today announced that it has been selected by a group of industry leading suppliers and retailers called the Supply Chain Network Project(TM) (SCN) to deploy Canada's first end-to-end EPC/RFID (Electronic Product Code/Radio Frequency Identification) pilot. The pilot will involve up to four suppliers, one warehouse and one STAPLES Business Depot location, and will encompass pallet, case and item level tagging using the EPC(TM) Gen2 standard. (EPC(TM) is the approved global product code standard to support RFID. Gen2 is the newest standard for RFID tagging.)
With this RFID enabled supply chain, the consortium of retailers and suppliers will explore how RFID can be used within their retail eco-system to enable them to reduce their costs, increase their productivity and create a better customer experience.
"This project is about increasing STAPLES Business Depot's productivity and decreasing their costs," said Paul Rowe, Vice President, Enterprise Solutions, Bell Canada. "STAPLES' and the SCN Group's commitment represents a significant leap forward for the industry. This announcement once again demonstrates Bell's leadership in providing enterprise customers with advanced Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and wireless data solutions."
The SCN is dedicated to furthering the understanding and impact of emerging technology on the supply chain and is made up of leading organizations including; STAPLES Business Depot, Unisource, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, ACCO Canada Inc., Fellowes Canada and Western Inventory Service. All of these organizations have participated in the initial funding and feasibility analysis resulting in this SCN Pilot Project. Ongoing program management for SCN is provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
"We see RFID as having a strong value proposition in retail," said Joe Soares, Director, Retail Process for STAPLES Business Depot. "The savings can be significant in a number of areas. We can use the technology to optimize supply chain resources and reduce our handling costs."
"RFID capabilities can reduce labour, distribution and shrink costs through process improvement, better inventory visibility and reductions in the duplication and handling of goods," said Jeff Ashcroft, VP of Logistics/Supply Chain, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and developer of the Supply Chain Network Project(TM).
"While there have been some isolated EPC /RFID pilot projects in the past, this is the first end-to-end EPC/RFID pilot of its kind in Canada, spanning manufacturers, distributors and a retailer and adhering to global EPC standards," said N. Art Smith, President & CEO of EPCglobal Canada and CEO of GS1 Canada. "This is a significant development for EPC based RFID solutions."

About the Supply Chain Network Project(TM)

The Supply Chain Network Project(TM) is a consortium of retailers, suppliers and logistics providers dedicated to furthering the understanding and impact of emerging technology on the supply chain. For more information on the project and its participating members, visit www.supplychainnetwork.com Effective September 6th 2005, Jeff Ashcroft founder and developer of the Supply Chain Network Project(TM) joined PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and PwC will now provide ongoing program management for all current and future Supply Chain Network Projects(TM).

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, local and long distance phone services, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For more information please visit www.bell.ca .

About STAPLES Business Depot

The Business Depot Ltd. was founded in Toronto in 1991. It is Canada's largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services for the small business and home office customer. The company is an everyday low price retailer. The chain operates stores in all provinces across Canada under the banners STAPLES(R) Business Depot(TM) and BUREAU EN GROS(TM). The company has over 11,500 employees serving customers through more than 240 office superstores, catalogue, and e-commerce. STAPLES(R) Business Depot(TM)/ BUREAU EN GROS(TM) is committed to making shopping easy by offering customers three ways to shop - on-line, by catalogue and in-store. In addition to the Canadian operation, Staples Inc. serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. More information is available at www.staples.ca .

About Staples, Inc.

Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products company. With 65,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2004 sales of $14.4 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates approximately 1,680 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com .

About Symbol Technologies

Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company(TM), is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services programs under the Symbol Enterprise Mobility Services brand. Symbol enterprise mobility products and solutions are proven to increase workforce productivity, reduce operating costs, drive operational efficiencies and realize competitive advantages for the world's leading companies. More information is available at www.symbol.com .

About Shipcom Wireless

Founded in 1997, Shipcom is a leading provider of integrated supply chain execution software solutions focused on the RFID and enterprise mobility markets. Shipcom's proven, open standards platform, CATAMARAN, is a server-based solution that captures, filters, aggregates, transforms, and routes data from multiple devices such as RFID readers and barcode scanners and integrates it directly with enterprise systems such as Oracle, Provia, SAP and various legacy systems. More information is available at www.shipcomwireless.com .

About PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, advisory and tax services for public, private and government clients in all markets. More than 120,000 people in 139 countries connect their thinking, experience and solutions to build public trust and enhance value for clients and their stakeholders. In Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (www.pwc.com/ca) and its related entities have more than 4,200 partners and staff, and offices in 25 locations. (Unless otherwise indicated, "PricewaterhouseCoopers" refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Canada, an Ontario limited liability partnership. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Canada, is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.)