Major players in Australia’s Consumer Electronics sector have joined forces to transform their supply chains through eCommerce.
Putting competition aside, key suppliers and retailers have formed an industry working group, CEWAG (Consumer Electronics Working Action Group).
They recently met to identify how to progress the industry by developing supply chain standards and tools for eCommerce.
Participants in CEWAG include Bing Lee, Breville, BSR Group (Betta Electrical and Chandlers), Dick Smith, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Harvey Norman, LG, Panasonic, Retravision, Sony, Sunbeam, and Whirlpool.
The group is an initiative of GS1 Australia, a not-for-profit supply chain standards and services organisation.
CEWAG steering committee Chair, Shane Harris of the BSR Group, says it is clear that suppliers and retailers have common objectives and are keen to see them achieved.
The group’s key objective is to work with all interested industry trading partners to develop, promote and implement aspects of the GS1 system including product identification, automatic data capture, electronic messaging, data synchronisation and product classifications to enable effective and efficient business processes.
CEWAG Vice-Chair is Brian Gow from Sony Australia Limited.
The group will initially focus on three areas:
- The creation of a Master data model
- Electronic messaging standards and
- Reverse logistics
The group believes these are three areas that all parties can benefit from quickly.
Mr Harris paid tribute to the achievements of the previous industry group created with similar objectives, APPLIECOM.
“APPLIECOM created some great foundations for us and we will definitely benefit from their achievements," Harrisa says.
"We intend using the standards created and reviewing them to reflect the changes that have occurred in the industry since APPLIECOM last met.
"We are lucky enough to have some of the APPLIECOM participants contributing to our current group,” he says.
CEWAG is now calling for interested parties to participate in the three action groups — Master Data, Electronic Messaging, and Reverse Logistics.
CEWAG will meet regularly, alternating between Sydney and Melbourne for meetings and will offer teleconference facilities to participants.
For further information please contact CEWAG Facilitator, GS1 Australia Senior Advisor Wendy Sadler-Moyes on (02) 9695 2214 or 0423 566 846.
Harris adds the standards developed will take into consideration the business processes of all the organisations involved. "This will ensure that everyone that has an input will see a benefit from the work of the Group," he says.
For further information and interviews, please contact Mary Riekert at GS1 Australia on 1300 366 033.
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