Rick Bushnell: Bar Codes and Beyond
By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 12/1/1999
Highly profitable companies will thrive from very accurate control of what they buy, sell, manufacture, or distribute in the years ahead, says Rick Bushnell, president of Quad II, a consulting and educational firm. Bar codes, RF tags, and other data capture technologies will enable firms to achieve close to the 100% level of data accuracy, enabling them to really manage their assets.Evolving software such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, filled with truly accurate information (unlike ever before) will contribute to pulling all the divergent corporate divisions and facilities together so they do just that-pull together, he adds.
Using his considerable speaking skills, Bushnell has taken this kind of vision to conferences around the globe for 25 years. He has been advising companies to integrate their facilities and supply chains-and he did so long before ERP, e-commerce, and supply chain management were the current buzzwords.
"It's just part of my job to explain the pieces and how they fit together," he says. His messages also appear in articles for some 75 supply chains that turn to him as an industry consultant.
He helps people envision the future of the information age "with both feet on the ground," as he says. "Look to solve real business problems with 100% accurate information" is his message.
Many people in materials handling have known Bushnell as "the bar code guy." But when you review his accomplishments, then listen to this vision for the future, it's apparent he's gone beyond bar codes.
Bushnell helped start several bar code companies. He's won top industry honors, including the Dilling Award from the Automatic Identification Manufacturers (AIM) association. National print press and TV media have interviewed him on bar code and supply chain topics.
He also "knew the men who pioneered bar codes," he says. As chairman 20 years ago of AIM, he spearheaded the effort to standardize bar code symbologies. "All the major bar code companies agreed to the standards. And we did it in about one year. I'm proud to have lead that effort," he says.
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