Scuttlebut from the show floor

According to an unscientific poll of companies at the Supply Chain World 2004 conference held in Chicago in late March, manufacturers say they are wrestling with extracting specific information from the growing universe of data, struggling to justify return on IT spending, and still suffering from vendors' overpromises.

Other tales from the conference:

• Costly views. Complaints about software licensing and maintenance fees now extend down the supply chain. Sharing financial information with suppliers gets more complicated when it means another seat license and maintenance fee.
• Pare the portals. "Every point solution and ERP solution is fostering the exponential growth of portals and the people to manage them," complains one solutions executive.
• Global compliance. U.S. suppliers have to consider international compliance initiatives, like the EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and get a strategy sooner rather than later.

The three-day Supply Chain World 2004 was smaller in terms of vendors (10 less) and attendees (about 50 less) this year.

On the other hand, RFID Journal Live!, an oversubscribed conference held simultaneously and nearby, had more than 850 attendees and 47 booths (up from the 2003 inaugural conference of 450 people and 19 booths).