RFID Valley?

[Bisonguy]

Looks like the Alien Technology partnership with NDSU could be even bigger than expected- http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=66579&section=news

If Wal-Mart uses the Alien RFID product, it's going to be huge.

[Schemer]

Just between you, me and the world...word is Alien's just riding out their grant $ on this one. Could this be why we haven't broke ground on the mfg facility?

[Bisonguy]

I thought it was because of this-


The plant's original 2005 opening was delayed because the market potential for the product was slower than anticipated, Grindberg said.

They are producing in Fargo, just not in the new plant. From what I've heard in the media, it seems part of the hold up was Wal-Mart. Whether or not they would actually commit to the RFID technology.

If they want to ride out the grant money- maybe NDSU should convince them to construct a building that could double as a basketball arena ;D ;D

[GFBison]

The holdup isn't Walmart, its Walmart having problems forcing the technology onto their suppliers. Many suppliers are having a hard time getting around some of the limitations, one problem is they are receiving, at best, 50 percent read rate. Another minor issue is the tags aren't surviving fast conveyor belts. Recently, I've read there is a possibility that product information can be changed or erased on the RFID tags, some suppliers are waiting for a more secure tag, or using read only tags. (Privacy advocates don't like the read only tags).

The good news is Walmart and the federal government wants the technology and continues to push hard for it. And what Walmart wants Walmart gets. :)

[wfduck]

The good news is Walmart and the federal government wants the technology and continues to push hard for it. *And what Walmart wants Walmart gets. *:)

ever see the story of how Wal-Mart forced Vlaisc pickles and Huffy bikes into bankruptcy? what wally wants...wally gets.. ::) ::) ::) ::)

[GFBison]

They wanted to sell a gallon jar of pickles for under 3 bucks and they did it. Wal-Mart was 30% of Vlasics business. The other lines (more profitable) sliced cucumber market suffered.

Huffy promised as many units of a low margin bike that Wal-Mart wanted. Wal-Mart needed 900,000 units for the summer; Huffy's factories could only produce 450,000 units. To make up for the lack of production Huffy sold off 4 of its higher end designs to competitors.

BTW, 98% of bicycles are imported; the last bike Huffy made in the US was in 1999.

I guess the bottom line is Wal-Mart can give a healthy jolt to a supplier with long-term consequences for the health of a brand and business.

I do know they scare the hell out of me, but so does Microsoft.

[IowaBison]

I guess the bottom line is Wal-Mart can give a healthy jolt to a supplier with long-term consequences for the health of a brand and business.

I do know they scare the hell out of me, but so does Microsoft.


The problem with your assertion is that Wal-Mart is going some where and that things would be different if they didn't exist and that's just a bunch of chatzpah.

The truth is it's not Wal-Mart, but consumers who are the drivers of these events. *If they don't act another business will, do you guys remember when was Sears was the untouchable force in retailing?

[WYOBISONMAN]

It is hard for me to get to excited about Walmart. Walmart has gotten so huge that it is putting the free market at risk in many areas. I am no fan of Walmart. Might be time to blow the dist of the Sherman Anti-trust act.

[IowaBison]

the problem with that is that there is no evidence that wal-mart is doing anything anywhere near illegal,

just being big, or being a monopoly, which they are not, is not a crime in the united states

[WYOBISONMAN]

I think it is just a matter of perspective....restraint of free trade for one may not be viewed like that by another.

[IowaBison]

that's exactly right

but there's a big difference between Wal-Mart today and any of the trusts Teddy Roosevelt busted up a hundred years ago

[GFBison]

The problem with your assertion is that Wal-Mart is going some where and that things would be different if they didn't exist and that's just a bunch of chatzpah.

The truth is it's not Wal-Mart, but consumers who are the drivers of these events. *If they don't act another business will, do you guys remember when was Sears was the untouchable force in retailing?


I was trying to point out that it's not only Wal-Mart driving these events. *I think the suppliers are seeing potential for huge profits, maybe a little greedy, and not realizing they can't deliver what they promised without sacrificing in other areas. *

Interesting facts:
In 2002 Wal-Mart sold 244.5 billion worth of goods. *It sold in three months what the second highest retailer, Home Depot, did in the entire year. *It sells more than Sears, Kmart, Target, Kroger, *J.C. Penney, and Safeway combined.

Wal-Mart deals with more than 21,000 suppliers.

In 2002 Wal-Mart was responsible for nearly 10% of the total imports from China.

A McKinsey & Co. study concluded that about 12% of the economy's productivity gains in the second half of the 1990s could be traced to Wal-Mart alone.

Just damn impressive, plain and simple.

[Bisonguy]

Construction begins tomorrow for the nation's largest RFID facility, to be conveniently located on the campus of NDSU. ;D

[Bison_Dan]

Construction begins tomorrow for the nation's largest RFID facility, to be conveniently located on the campus of NDSU. *;D

This is a great project for NDSU and the state of ND. The know it all's in gf still can't believe they didn't get it and their jealously is showing everytime it's mentioned.

[Bisonguy]

Alien builds on growth (http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=91111&section=news)

Whoop, I thought they said this will be the largest facility of it's kind in the nation. I should have stated in the world. *:-/

Good to see the *dirt moving around for this, and the new hotel.

[Tatanka]

Alien builds on growth (http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=91111&section=news)

Whoop, I thought they said this will be the largest facility of it's kind in the nation. I should have stated in the world. *:-/

Good to see the *dirt moving around for this, and the new hotel.
w00t!

[Gamehunter]

Yep, I am purdy sure ground has already been broke. Today I saw some big piles of dirt around the area that had been moved.