A dynamic collaboration that turned static labels into real-time, personalized B2B customer touchpoints, accelerating agility and laying a foundation for continuous growth
The Shift from Static to Dynamic
In manufacturing and B2B sectors, where quality, traceability, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable, providing dynamic product information is paramount. CSM Ingredients, a Nexture company and leading European manufacturer of high-quality food ingredients, recognized a crucial limitation: traditional product packaging was static, making essential updates to product composition or regulatory data slow, costly, and inflexible.
CSM Ingredients sought a future-ready solution to meet evolving customer expectations for immediate and detailed information. Their answer was the creation of a "digital product passport" (DPP), which became the motivation for partnering with GoodsTag, a leader in Digital Product Passport solutions.
The Technical Solution: Seamless Integration and Real-Time Data
The collaboration aimed to revolutionize CSM Ingredients' packaging by embedding dynamic GS1 Digital Link QR codes linked to Smart Product Digital Twins. This unlocks a new level of transparency and responsiveness.
The core of the success lies in a tightly integrated, automated workflow that connects CSM’s existing enterprise systems:
1. SAP S/4HANA triggers production orders and pulls the unique URL for each product batch.
2. GoodsTag's Platform associates the SAP data with a unique product batch digital twin and generates the GS1 Digital Link-compliant URL and QR code.
3. The CoLOS printing system receives the QR code and prints it directly on the packaging, with inline scanners verifying readability.
This automated process transforms physical packaging into a dynamic touchpoint, ensuring data integrity and operational efficiency. Furthermore, scanning the QR code allows the end customer to gain access to accurate, up-to-date, batch-specific information, such as allergens and composition details, without manual intervention.
Results: Immediate Impact and Competitive Advantage
The shift from static labels to dynamic Digital Product Passports yielded immediate and highly positive results across the organization.
· Marketing Agility: Marketing teams gained the ability to update information dynamically via the digital landing pages, free from the constraints of printed labels.
· Operational Efficiency: Operations and IT teams streamlined product rollouts by reducing the need for costly packaging redesigns, leading to a faster time-to-market.
· Customer Trust: Customers gained direct access to essential, batch-specific data, improving transparency and satisfaction.
"Our mission at GoodsTag is to transform physical packaging into a dynamic touchpoint", explains Thomas Kühne, CEO of GoodsTag. "This project with CSM Ingredients exemplifies how a digital product passport can enhance compliance, transparency, and customer trust without operational disruption."
Collaboration Was the Catalyst for Success
While technology was vital, the success of the project was driven by a highly collaborative effort. The CSM Ingredients IT team ensured the strong technical backbone, while the marketing and product development teams defined the customer-facing experience and content strategy. GoodsTag served as the connective tissue, enabling the smooth flow of data across systems.
Together, the cross-functional teams swiftly navigated technical hurdles, such as real-time synchronization between SAP and GoodsTag and special character handling, through agile problem-solving and iterative testing.
Looking Ahead: A Foundation for Continuous Growth
Following the successful launch at a key production site in Germany, CSM Ingredients sees immense potential and plans to scale the solution across additional factories and product lines.
The dynamic QR codes have unlocked exciting new capabilities that will further enhance customer engagement and efficiency, including:
· QR-driven product surveys and feedback mechanisms.
· Region-specific promotions and personalized recommendations.
· Leveraging analytics on scan behavior for deeper customer insight and optimized communication strategies.
CSM Ingredients is clearly looking to the future with this solution. They summarize their vision: "The digital passport has already proven to be a game changer for our operations and customer engagement. What excites us most is the potential still to be unlocked: expanding the solution to additional plants and product lines will further improve efficiency, reduce costs, and reinforce our commitment to sustainability. This is not just an innovation - it's a foundation for continuous growth and transformation."
This powerful initiative between CSM Ingredients and GoodsTag is setting a new standard for B2B product transparency and agility - One QR code at a time…
