November 21

• Solutions for tomorrow's world and new process developments in automatic identification
• Comprehensive range of RFID offerings in Hall 6
• METRO Group makes its mark with first-time CeBIT presentation covering 2800 m2
• Corporate lectures and panel discussions at the “CeBIT RFID Forum”

One of the highlights of next year's CeBIT (9 – 15 March 2006) in the “Business Processes” section of the show will be the newly established display category “Auto ID/RFID” in Hall 6. This group of exhibits focuses on one of the key trends in information technology today. All aspects and facets of automatic identification will be illuminated – with particular reference to RFID technology, which identifies objects by means of radio frequencies. The aim is to position this segment of the exhibition program as an international platform for products and information within the broader setting of CeBIT.

As well as all the latest trends, the display category “Auto ID/RFID ” will feature solution scenarios and examples of existing applications in the field of automatic identification . Companies such as Hoft & Wessel, Psion Teklogix, IND Mobile Datensysteme and Metrologic will be presenting a complete cross-section of auto ID/RFID technology – from mobile computing solutions, time-recording and access control systems to complete systems solutions.

The METRO Group is bringing its “Future Store Initiative” to CeBIT 2006, with a large-scale presentation covering nearly 2800 m2 in Hall 6. Here visitors can view a range of RFID applications in manufacturing, commerce and logistics and see them put through their paces under real-life conditions. With the Future Store Initiative the METRO Group and other firms working in IT, services and consumer goods production are driving innovation forward in international commerce. Many of the participating partners in this unique “laboratory of the future”, including IBM, Philips, Intermec, Symbol, Bizerba, Pironet and Tricon, will also be at the show with stands of their own, where they will be demonstrating innovative solutions for the introduction of RFID technologies.

The “CeBIT RFID Forum”, with its program of corporate lectures and panel discussions, will serve as the conceptual framework that ties all the exhibits together, informing consumers and corporate buyers alike about the advantages and business benefits of this technology.

“With the creation of the new display category ‘Auto ID/RFID' Deutsche Messe AG is responding to the latest developments in ICT technology. In years to come modern technologies based on RFID will completely revolutionize logistical processes as we know them. Harnessing these technologies and integrating them in intelligent ways gives businesses a real competitive advantage”, explains Ernst Raue, a member of the Board at Deutsche Messe AG in Hannover.

Already RFID has gained a foothold in many areas of public life. Some libraries, for example, have affixed “smart labels” to their lending media which allow the items to be tracked by RFID. In many winter sports resorts the ski passes now incorporate contactless chips. Similarly the admission tickets for the 2006 Football World Cup will have transponders integrated into them. The security aspect is particularly attractive to users across a wide spectrum of industries, who see all kinds of useful applications for this technology.

These affinities are conveniently reflected in the hall layout at the show, which puts the “Auto ID/RFID” presentation close to the various presentations on security-related themes in Hall 7 and at the southern end of Hall 6, and likewise just a stone's throw away from the displays that focus on human resource management, security management and production management – all located in Hall 6. As the dividing line between these topic areas and those covered by the display category “Auto ID/RFID” is very fluid at many points, the exhibits in all these sections complement each other to great advantage. This strategic positioning was a deliberate move on the part of Deutsche Messe AG aimed at generating increased visitor traffic for exhibitors and maximizing the appeal of Hall 6.

n the “Business Processes” section of the show, which can be found in Hall 1 and Halls 3 – 8, CeBIT 2006 will be presenting the world's biggest array of IT-based solutions and services for the development and management of modern business processes. Further information about CeBIT 2006 in general and about the individual display categories can be found on the Internet at www.cebit.de .