Facteon’s head of digital manufacturing and automation, Reinaldo Silva
An app designed to combat the potential risks of globalised supply chains, product recalls and counterfeit goods has been developed by Faceton with input from manufacturers.
Reinaldo Silva, Facteon’s head of digital manufacturing and automation, says that as food and medical manufacturers face stricter regulation, the ability to trace raw materials and finished product within a facility and beyond is becoming increasingly in demand.
“A variety of forces have highlighted the need for food and medical manufacturers to gain greater traceability of both raw materials and finished products within their facility and beyond,” he says.
“As it becomes more cost-effective and simpler to source raw materials from suppliers across the globe, manufacturers are relying on increasingly globalised supply chains. While this brings a range of benefits, such as proximity to raw materials, cost competitiveness and improved quality of raw materials, there are significant risks as the supply chain becomes increasingly complex.”
Silva says this means traceability requirements have expanded significantly.
“Simplistic supply chain approaches that focus on ‘one step back and one step forward’ traceability become increasingly complicated and impractical when manufacturers are drawing on a globalised supply chain.”
He says a product recall has the potential to harm consumers and cost manufacturers dearly.
“Research has also found that a mere 21% of food recalls across USA, UK and Ireland were detected by the manufacturer. In fact, regulatory bodies discovered 68% during routine or spot testing. This highlights the potential competitive advantage that can be unlocked by manufacturers taking a proactive approach to both raw material and product traceability.”
Food fraud and counterfeit goods is also an issue manufacturers are increasingly concerned about.
“The ability to trace the journey of a product through the supply chain – from pasture to plate – is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers with complex supply chains and a strong brand they need to protect in market.”
The Dynamic Traceability App can collect raw material and product information by scanning a QR code which means the product can be traced from its origins to its finished goods. It also provides product information in real time and offers machine to Cloud connectivity.
