CEO insights from SAP’s podcast: redefining product identification through collaboration

In a recent episode of SAP’s Future of Supply Chain podcast, Loftware President and CEO Jim Bureau joined host Richard Howells to discuss how cloud-enabled collaboration, smarter product identification, and AI-driven data orchestration are helping companies across industries build more agile, transparent, and sustainable supply chains. 

Here are five key insights from the conversation, and why they matter for your supply chain strategy. 

#1 Cloud-enabled collaboration at scale.  

“When everything is connected in the cloud - suppliers, systems, and labeling - you unlock a real-time network that’s more responsive and resilient.” 

Supply chains are no longer just about moving goods from A to B. They’re about creating value through stronger partnerships and a more connected and agile approach to business. 

A cloud-native platform allows organizations to centralize and standardize product identification across global partners. This shift eliminates the fragmentation and delays caused by siloed labeling systems and enables faster reaction to disruptions, regulatory changes, or customer requirements.  

#2 Trust through data integrity and AI.  

As Jim points out, AI is increasingly essential to supply chain orchestration. It helps detect anomalies, enforce data standards, and automate rule-based processes – ensuring consistency and traceability, especially when dealing with highly regulated or high-volume environments.  

At our latest Convergence conference, industry leaders including Amazon.com shared how AI is driving innovation at scale, while emphasizing the importance of secure and responsible adoption. This momentum underscores AI’s evolving role not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a foundational element for smarter and more collaborative supply chains. 

#3 Digital Product Passports: enabling end-to-end traceability.  

“Digital product passports (DPPs) give your products a verifiable identity. They tell the story of where it came from, how it was made, and why it meets compliance. They help solve the authentication and traceability problems that currently exist.” 

DPPs are poised to become a key component of future supply chains, capturing detailed information about a product’s materials, environmental impact, circularity, and compliance - accessible through a QR code or other digital identifier. Loftware’s technology supports the secure and scalable deployment of these passports, giving companies the tools to prove authenticity, origin, and compliance. 

#4 Compliance as a competitive advantage.  

“We’re seeing companies move away from reactive compliance. Leaders are embedding it into their digital infrastructure, making it proactive, visible, and scalable.” 

As regulations grow more complex, companies are turning compliance into a strategic function. By connecting labeling systems directly with enterprise platforms like ERP, MES, and PLM, organizations can automate validation, ensure accurate data across regions, and apply business rules at scale – minimizing risk and enabling speed.  

#5 A foundation for supply chain resilience.  

Looking ahead, Jim sees product labeling integrated into intelligent networks - where data flows across systems without manual intervention and organizations gain continuous visibility into inventory, compliance, and logistics. It’s a proactive approach that reduces risk and drives long-term resilience. This level of integration turns labeling from a task into a source of continuous intelligence for the entire business. 

Curious how these strategies could benefit your organization? Listen to the full podcast episode here.