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Press Releases

Cannabis Work Group Releases Whitepaper on Cannabis Traceability

4/6/2022

 
                                           Experts share expertise to direct and guide organizations of 
                                            asset tracking technologies from cultivation to consumer
 
April 6, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Cannabis Work Group of AIM North America (AIM NA), the premier alliance for the automated data capture technologies industry, including barcode, RFID, IoT, NFC, and RTLS, released a whitepaper that provides an overview and general recommendations to help guide the effort toward cannabis traceability from cultivation to consumer.

The Track and Trace for the Cannabis Industry from Cultivation to Consumer Whitepaper, was written for all members of the cannabis supply chain — farmers and growers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, dispensaries, even consumers — who benefit from implementing AIDC solutions. This whitepaper will
  • Create an understanding of the advantages of AIDC technologies
  • Explore and define AIDC, including a forward look at trends and innovations as they relate to the cannabis industry
  • Develop a continuing relationship between the AIDC community and the cannabis industry — growers, processers, packagers, and retailers.

​“Growers, processers, and retailers are navigating significant challenges in a relatively new industry. The need to comply with traceability regulation adds a layer of complexity to what it is they do,” stated Elizabeth Sinclair, Cannabis Work Group Chair and Director of Marketing for BarTender® Software. “This whitepaper is a primer on the AIDC technologies that will enable regulatory compliance and process efficiencies at scale as the cannabis industry grows.”

The Cannabis Work Group Membership represent all industries and organizations that use, implement, resell, or develop automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technologies. These technologies are essential to enabling adoption, growth, and interoperability to those who depend on accurate, available, and identifiable data.

For additional information and to inquire about membership, please click here.

UDI Work Group Submits Comments to the FDA's Draft Guidance for Transition Plan for Medical Devices Issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUAs) during COVID.

3/23/2022

 
The AIM North America UDI Work Group submitted comments to the U.S. FDA request for comments related to the Draft Guidance for Transition Plan for Medical Devices Issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUAs) during COVID. In addition to supporting the comments submitting by AHRMM, the group also recommended that EUAs should be required to submit a minimal set of device identification data to the Global UDI database (GUDID) to provide a single repository of data for all medical device and requiring EUAs to meet the basic tenants of the UDI Rule for unique identification and submission to GUDID is less burdensome than the risk to patient safety.  Read complete comments here. 

2021 North American Industry Award Winners Announced

2/23/2022

 

AIM North America is taking the time to honor the winners of their highly recognized awards
​

February 23, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – AIM North America (AIM NA) has selected winners for their annual awards, including ‘Organization of the Year’, ‘AIT in Government’ and this year there was a two-way tie for the title of ‘Professional of the Year.’ AIM NA extends a huge congratulations to all those who were nominated for this recognition and celebrates those who were crowned victors.  The awards were presented during a virtual ceremony which can be viewed here.  
 
The ‘Professional of the Year Award’ recognizes individuals who demonstrate both innovative and exceptional contributions to enhance the development of the automatic identification industry through work as either a contributor, collaborator, or a mentor. As noted above, there was a two-way tie. The awardees are Gena Morgan and Chris Brown.
 
Gena Morgan is GS1 US’s Vice President of Standards. Mrs. Morgan led the interoperability food traceability pilots that moved the industry to an interoperable supply chain, using GS1 standards for identification and EPCIS for event data sharing. She has more than 25 years of demonstrated history of working with supply chain technology and standards in CPG, Food Service, Pharma, and Apparel sectors.
 
Chris Brown has more than 20 years industry experience. Mr. Brown is currently the RFID Subject Matter Expert for TSC Printronix Auto ID where he monitors the physical requirements needed for RFID printers to work with various existing and emerging tag constructions.  Chris is an active member of AIM and the RAIN Alliance, participating in multiple workgroups covering topics such as cannabis, tires, pharmaceutical, healthcare, aviation, and tag data formatting.
 
The ‘AIT in Government Award’ is presented to an individual, committee, group, or organization from the government sector that have championed the successful use of AIT. The award was granted to Heather Buonomo, Director of Environment Health for the County of San Diego, for the impact she’s made in food supply chain safety. Ms. Buonomo’s efforts resulted in the passage of California Bill AB-3336; development of food delivery platforms standards to ensure accurate business information is shared. She also chairs the California Retail Food Safety Coalition focused on providing food safety in the retail space.
 
The ‘Organization of the Year Award’ is delivered to any group that continues to provide a level of outstanding contributions and service to help further industry growth and relations. TEKLYNX International is intentional about their people, processes, and products ensuring all they do aligns with their global mission to help the supply chain and manufacturers work better. They contribute to the growth of the AIDC industry through relationship building and helping companies barcode better.

“Congratulations to the award winners on their extraordinary accomplishments,” said Mary Lou Bosco, CEO of AIM North America. “We are proud to recognize these leaders for their innovation and contributions to defining today’s technology standards and empowering tomorrow’s solutions.”

For more information, biography, or photos, contact AIM NA's headquarters by email or call +1.724.742.4473.
​
For additional information about AIM North America and to inquire about membership, please click here.

AIM NA UDI Work Group Submits comments to FDA - Select Updates for Unique Device Identification: Policy Regarding Global Unique Device Identification Database Requirements for Certain Devices

12/13/2021

 
AIM North America UDI Work Group submits comments to  the Food and Drug Administration regarding Select Updates for Unique Device Identification: Policy Regarding Global Unique Device Identification Database Requirements for Certain Devices. The Group's comments echo those submitted by the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), Learning UDI Community (LUC). 

Read the Work Group's comments here. 
The Work Group also recently published a paper to assist organizations in understanding how AIDC technologies and standards are being used to ensure traceability for all lines of devices.

Food Supply Chain Work Group Submits Comments to FDA for Food and E-Commerce

11/19/2021

 
AIM North America's Food Supply Chain Work Group submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration New Era of Smarter Food Safety Summit on E-Commerce; Public Meeting; Request for Comments which would ensuring the safety of foods ordered online and delivered directly to consumers. Read AIM NA’s submitted comments here

AIM North America Board Announces New Chair and Board Members

8/9/2021

 
New appointees will enhance the board’s focus on standards, interoperability, and innovation.

​August 9, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – The membership of AIM North America (AIM NA), the premier alliance for the automated data capture technologies industry, including barcode, RFID, IoT, NFC, and RTLS, elects three new industry leaders to the Board of Directors; as well as appoints a new Chairperson.
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(left to right): Jeanne Duckett, Chair; Guilda Javaheri, Roberto Sandre, and Raghu Bala)
​Jeanne Duckett – Jeanne has been appointed Board Chairperson. In this role she will serve a two-year term for AIM NA. When she is not devoting time to AIM, she is serving Avery Dennison as their Technology Development and Printer Research Manager, where she handles various RFID, networking, and advanced technology initiatives. Jeanne is an experienced Engineering Professional with a focus in Automatic Identification, where she also holds several patents for her ideas.
 
Raghu Bala – Raghu will serve the AIM North America Board for a three-year term. He founded NetObjex and was responsible for the nationwide rollout of its IoT platform and sales strategy. Raghu has more than 30 years experience being a change agent for digital transformation, blockchain, and AI at Fortune 500 organizations. He also serves as an instructor of online MIT Sloan courses in Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain on the GetSmarter platform.
 
Guilda Javaheri – Guilda is newly elected to the AIM NA Board of Directors and is set to hold a three-year term. At Golden State Foods, she guides overall strategy in cognitive technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital platforms, and data-driven solutions. As GSF’s Chief Technology Officer, she is responsible for leading and delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions to quick service restaurants, retail, and convenience stores.
 
Roberto Sandre – Roberto is another newly elected official on AIM NA’s Board and will hold a two-year term. His role at Wiliot is leading the product definition and roadmap for their Sensing as a Service platform enabled by Bluetooth® stickers. Roberto held engineering and management roles throughout his career, with special focus on IoT devices in the last ten years.
 
“I am extremely honored and excited to take on the role of Chairperson for this hard-working and results driven organization. Debangana Mukherjee served as Chairperson of this Board with the utmost integrity, and I intend to pick up where she left off alongside a group of professionals, who have a wealth of knowledge and expertise working throughout this great industry,” said Jeanne Duckett, Chairperson, AIM North America Board of Directors.
 
Mary Lou Bosco, COO, AIM North America shared, “With the addition of these highly respected new board members, we are committed to continuing the rewarding work of promoting AIM North America as the premier alliance and unbiased resource for networking, education, advocacy, and standards for the automated data capture technologies industry.”
 
The current board also includes executives from Honeywell, Digimarc, CDO Technologies, and Aware Innovations.
 
For more information including bios or headshots, contact AIM North America.

AIM North America Comments on USDA Supply Chain for the Production of Agricultural Commodities & Food Products

6/23/2021

 
Dedicated to developing interoperable technical guidance and standards.
 
June 23, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – AIM North America (AIM NA), the premier alliance for the automated data capture technologies industry, including barcode, RFID, IoT, NFC, and RTLS, submits comments on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) request for commentary Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products.
 
The call for comments came after a Presidential Executive Order (EO) on “Americas Supply Chains” which directed several agencies to secure and strengthen America’s supply Chains. The USDA sought comments on a department-wide effort to improve and reimagine the supply chains for the production, processing and distribution of agricultural commodities and food products. 
 
AIM NA’s comments address one of the most significant challenges to achieving actionable and reliable food supply chain information that drives resilience and transparency; the absence of a clearly defined minimally viable product data set of critical tracking events and key data elements. AIM NA believes clear examples of what and how information is shared using automatic identification and data capture technologies will help eliminate errors and drive adoption.
 
“AIM NA supports USDA’s focus on resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains to help ensure U.S. economic prosperity and national security,” stated Jeanne Duckett, who serves as the AIM NA Board and Food Supply Chain work group Chair, along with her role at Avery Dennison in Transparency Initiative Development. “The Executive Order (EO) looks to enhance the accessibility, availability, and quality of critical goods and materials underlying agricultural and food product supply chains.”
 
AIM NA’s comments noted the following key points:
  • Capacities of the US including food processing and safe distribution.
  • Gaps in domestic manufacturing capabilities.
  • Address risks posed by climate change and climate benefit.
  • Address the visibility of natural, market, economic, geopolitical, human-rights risks.
  • Develop domestic supplies workforce capabilities and strengthen market transparency.
  • Review on the Government-wide effort to strengthen supply chains,
 
 Read our final comments and contact AIM NA with any questions. 

AIM North America Comments on FDA Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods

2/23/2021

 
Dedicated to developing interoperable technical guidance and ISO standards.
 
February 23, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – AIM North America (AIM NA), the premier alliance for the automated data capture technologies industry, including barcode, RFID, IoT, NFC, and RTLS, submits comments on the FDA’s Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods.
 
These comments stem from the increasingly globalized, complex supply chains that have resulted in less visibility into food sourcing for customers and regulators.  These trends are driving the need for digital transformation through the adoption of technology to bring automation, integrity, and data management solutions to supply chain traceability. 
 
“Digital technology can enhance the ability to identify, respond to, and prevent food safety issues such as outbreaks,” stated Jeanne Duckett, who serves as the AIM NA Food Supply Chain work group Chair, along with her role at Avery Dennison in Transparency Initiative Development. “Given recent food incidents, the use of digital technology has become even more needed, as it can help to make full product data accessible throughout every stage of the food supply chain in the event of a recall” Duckett continued.
 
The proposed rule, “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” (Food Traceability Proposed Rule) is a key component of the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint and would implement Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
This is excellent step on the part of the FDA to quickly implement source traceability, trace forward and implementing targeted recalls.
 
AIM NA’s comments noted the following key points:
  1. Leverage on the work that FDA has already done with other consensus-based standards groups such UDI and DSCSA.
  2. Use Globally Unique Identifier contained in a Data Carrier (i.e., 2D Barcode, RFID, NFC, digital watermark, etc.) attached to item and captured automatically at defined points.
  3. Focus on permissioned access to data throughout the supply chain to end consumers.
  4. Terms –importance of aligning on definitions for commonly used terms to promote the common understanding. 
  5. Food Traceability List clarification
  6. Clearly defining product recall. 
“AIM NA and our members are committed to advancing food safety utilizing new and emerging AIDC technologies that enable end-to-end traceability for the safest possible food supply chain,” shared Debangana Mukherjee, AIM North America Chair and Director of Business Development & Sales at CISC Semiconductor.
  
Read our final comments and contact AIM NA with any questions. 

Asset Tracking Technologies are Critical in Solving COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Chain Challenges

2/22/2021

 
AIM North America member experts share expertise as a resource to direct and guide organizations of asset tracking technologies for vaccine distribution traceability.
​

February 22, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – The United States and other countries around the world are undertaking one of the largest, if not the largest, logistics endeavors in history. In the US alone, planning for the distribution of more than 300 million COVID-19 vaccine doses is currently underway. The implementation of asset tracking and product authentication AIDC (Automatic Identification Data Capture) technologies including barcode, RFID, IoT, RAIN, RTLS, NFC, provide increased quality control, visibility, and accuracy of the vaccine at all points along the supply chain, from manufacturer to patient.
 
Active battery powered and passive battery-less AIDC technologies enable temperature, location and damaging shock or vibration information to be monitored by vendors in real-time.  AIM North America (NA) has announced that they provide expertise in advising organizations on the best way to ensure the authenticity and traceability of all pharmaceutical products.
 
The US FDA Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) seeks to protect consumers from exposure to drugs that may be counterfeit, stolen, contaminated or otherwise compromised and potentially harmful. Serialized barcodes serve as a foundation for traceability within the channel.  AIDC technology connects the multi-faceted elements or information furthering the validation and serves as a building block for interoperability.  In combination these platforms provide full traceability of each transaction and change of ownership throughout the lifespan of the product, ensuring its safe use to the patient.
 
 “As a manufacturer of pressure sensitive materials used in labeling and packaging pharmaceuticals, we understand the necessity for tracking and tracing product from the manufacturer, through the supply chain, and to administering of the drug to the patient.  The work of the FDA Drug Supply Chain is critically important, and AIM NA and its members can provide the industry with knowledge, structure and guidance,” stated Lori Bitar, Chair, AIM NA Pharmaceutical Work Group and Market Development Manager, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Labeling at FLEXcon.
 
AIM North America Chair and Director Business Development & Sales at CISC Semiconductor, Debangana Mukherjee, added “AIM North America members are poised to provide insight and expertise to assist the pharmaceutical industry in addressing the challenges they face until DSCSA 2023.” She continued, “Relying on global, interoperable consensus-based standards is foundational for improving processes and efficiencies within the supply chain.”
 
For more information on how you can start the conversation today, be sure to fill out our form and read through the AIM NA Digital Supply Chain Whitepaper.  

2020 North American Industry Award Winners Announced

11/18/2020

 
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           AIM NA is taking the time to honor the winners of several of their most highly recognized awards
​                                                                              View the virtual ceremony here. 


November 18, 2020 – Pittsburgh, PA – AIM North America (AIM NA) has selected winners for their annual awards, including ‘Professional of the Year’, ‘AIT in Government’ and this year there was a two-way tie for the title of ‘Organization of the Year.’ AIM NA extends a huge congratulations to all those who were nominated for this recognition and celebrates those who were crowned victors. 
 
The ‘Professional of the Year Award’ is awarded to an individual who demonstrates both innovative and exceptional contributions to enhance the development of the automatic identification industry through work as either a contributor, collaborator, or a mentor. This year that title was received by Sprague Ackley, Digimarc’s Principal R&D Engineer. Mr. Ackley has exhibited great dedication to the AIDC industry and contributes his time to the barcode technology committees of ISO, AIM, and GS1, supporting application standards development groups in Automotive, Retail, Healthcare, Electronic, and even the Materials Handling realms. 

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The ‘AIT in Government Award’ was granted to Frank Yiannas for all of his tireless support working for the FDA, devoting his time to promote better food safety for both the United States and the rest of the world. Mr. Yiannas has played a huge role in introducing traceability into the food safety culture and worked to ensure the Code of Federal Regulations was created to ensure innovation.

As voiced above, there was a two-way tie for the ‘Organization of the Year Award’ and that title was received by both Epson America and Everledger this year. This recognition is delivered to any group that continues to provide a level of outstanding contributions and service to help further industry growth and relations. Epson has devoted their time to delivering efforts towards enhancing monochrome-only barcodes to labels that feature colors and images. They’ve done a lot to provide for color label printing and continue to add innovation for the AIDC industry for times to come.
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The other ‘Organization of the Year Award’ was granted to Everledger, a pioneer in the industry, who works to create solutions that harness the power of blockchain in tandem with several other cutting-edge technologies. Their solutions are designed for the enterprise, enabling a sense of transparency and responsibility in hopes of demanding the highest standard of quality for their customers. Everledger possesses a world-renowned leadership and expertise into blockchain technology, for both a social and environmental commitment.
 
“The AIM North America Awards highlight the best of the best within the automatic data capture industry,” said Mary Lou Bosco, COO, AIM NA. “The achievement of conducting the AIM NA Awards under these challenging circumstances truly honors and celebrates our industry and our 2020 winners who exhibit a level of excellence that excites everyone with an interest in asset tracking technology and applications.”
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