As I was walking around McCormick Place South on the final day of ProMat last month, a thought struck me. Typically, this show is all about new products. And for sure, there were plenty. Just see our reports of press conferences in the News & Trends section. And then next month, Product Showcase will highlight still more products introduced at the show.

But there was much more than just new products going on that week. In addition, there was a strong emphasis on process and how to change it in the plant and warehouse. Better yet, it was coming from all directions.

"We don't sell battery chargers. We change your work process," said Peter Michalski of Edison Minit-Charger.

Over at Intermec, Bob Eckles was focused on improving the link between data collection and business intelligence to improve processes.

Steve Ackerman of FKI Logistex talked about a new software package for vertical lift modules that expedites the item picking process as it improves inventory management.

Order fulfillment process optimization was central to a discussion with Brian Neuwirth at Unex about a new slotting program and SKU analyzer for manual storage systems.

And these four were not alone. Time and again, there seemed to be one common thread across the materials handling industry. Process.

Then the thought occurred to me—maybe RFID is having a very positive effect far beyond its expected sphere of influence. For the past year, we've all been hearing that RFID in the distribution channel won't have a positive return on investment until companies change their processes. And now I think plenty of other people are focusing on process whether they have anything to do with RFID or not.

In fact, a comment by one of Modern's editorial advisory board members, John Hill of eSync, is starting to ring true. John has said that even if RFID fails as a technology, it will have a very positive effect on processes because it will have put a laser-like focus on them. And from the sounds of ProMat, the laser has locked onto its target.

In many ways, process has always been a materials handling discussion. Just look at our story on Ann Taylor's DC (Taylored distribution), what Jack Link's expects to do with RFID (RFID: Where's the beef?) and how Penguin Publishing manages 35 million returns a year (How to manage 35 million returns a year).

Nevertheless, process does seem to be the word of the day. It's now a matter of taking that word and making it pay off from one end of manufacturing to the final customer.