Ask a cable supplier or a technical wholesaler where its articles are located, and the answer is quickly given: in the factory, in the wholesaler's system, or at the customer's. Customers pay for cables, and it makes sense that it is precisely clear which product is where at any time. But this answer cannot be given as self-evident for the carrier of the cable, the reel. Load carriers are not followed by default in the chain. Yet there are good reasons to do so, both financially and for circularity reasons. Draka, Technische Unie, and RTI Blockchain recently completed a pilot and have now been nominated for the Computable Awards 2022 in the large corporate ICT-projects category.  

Less waste in the chain

Marcel Prakken, manager supply chain engineering at Technische Unie: "Technische Unie has strong ambitions in reducing waste in the chain. Circular carriers are of great importance in this regard. This applies to cable reels but also to other load carriers, such as pallets or our green transport container. By now, starting with one type of reel from Draka and three locations from Technische Unie, we have gained insights into the possibilities of load carrier registration with blockchain technology. In time you can expand to more load carrier materials, locations, and parties."  

Independent registration

"The advantage we have experienced is that the system has proven to be user-friendly and stable. That does not mean a cable reel never disappeared during the pilot. In any case, we know immediately where and when a reel has gone off the radar. With this information, you can discuss with each other: "Is it due to the registration of location A or B, and is there perhaps something else going on?" We also experience the fact that an independent party provides the registration as an advantage."  

Scaling up after the pilot

Frank Oberink, Business Manager Wholesale at Draka: We have completed a successful pilot that has provided us with many insights. Blockchain technology has proven to be the ideal tool to expose our challenges. Therefore, we have jointly decided to continue with blockchain technology and use it as a standard for our load carrier registration. We are currently mapping out the investments that this entails. Draka is already working on implementing an API that is necessary for this. Once we have everything set up, the time is right to add a fourth party, our joint customers. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to use to ensure success.  

Since the start of the pilot, we have spoken to various parties in the chain. They indicate they experience the same problems and would also like to join. This is, of course, a fantastic development, and we certainly encourage it. How nice would it be if this pilot was the start of a new standard for the entire construction industry?"  

Getting ready for the future

Milou Klooster, founder of RTI Blockchain: "What the collaboration between chain partners Draka and Technische Unie is about, is preparing for the future in supply chain management. This is exactly the reason why RTI Blockchain is developed, to be ready for the future. An independent platform, developed to properly integrate existing systems or APIs for a single overview to optimize collaboration between chains, localize load carriers and reduce the production of load carrier components (read: waste). The bonus goal is to be able to eliminate deposits. Because, if there is one truth, why is a deposit between the parties still necessary?"  

"We are therefore very much looking forward to the project's second phase. To work on the connector, help in the field of sustainability, and encourage the rest of the chain to join. Because the more supply chain partners to join, the more efficient and sustainable the chain will be." adds Yves du Bois, co-founder of RTI Blockchain.  

Where's the trophy?

Marcel Prakken: "Should we indeed win the Computable Award, we would already have a solution for one problem. You often see that if parties win a trophy together, it is lost after some time with one of the winners. If we now enter the Computable Award as a load carrier in our blockchain system, we always know who has the trophy and when it goes from one party to another! But now hopefully win first, of course..."  

Cast your vote before September 12!

Would you like to help Draka, Technische Unie, and RTI Blockchain to win the Computable Award in the large corporate ICT-projects category? Go to this page and sign up. Then go to large corporate ICT-projects via the link in your email and vote for us (the last project on the list)!  

You can vote until September 11, 2022.

Click here to vote