Kelly Robertson
SAP’s blockchain co-innovation initiative now counts 27 customers and partners, with a total market value of $819 billion, the company has announced during the recent SAP TechEd Barcelona event.
Said initiative aims to integrate the digital ledger system into Internet of Things (IoT), manufacturing and digital supply-chain solutions using the SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service.
Participating companies represent all kinds of industries, including consumer products, telecom, retail, pharmaceuticals, logistics, agriculture, high-tech, aerospace and defense, industrial machinery, energy and utilities, and public services. This breadth, SAP claims, signals the potential broad adoption of blockchain technology.
Deutsche Telekom is one of SAP partners joining the initiative. “At Deutsche Telekom, we see a big potential for blockchain technology in the telecommunication business,” Hartmut Mueller, SVP Business Solutions at Deutsche Telekom IT, said in a statement. “Our cooperation with SAP will speed up digitalization to the benefit of our customers.”
Another company to join the initiative, Benjamin Moore & Co, is interested in exploring blockchain technology to streamline operations and improve efficiencies throughout its supply chain. “Our company is particularly eager to explore possibilities with transportation management and simplify the complexities that exist in today’s paper-based systems,” Joe Peraino, director of Center of Excellence at Benjamin Moore & Co, said in a statement. “This type of digital innovation helps Benjamin Moore & Co. deliver on one of our strategic goals — ease of doing business.”
SAP joins two blockchain alliances
The software giant also said that it will join Spain’s Alastria Consortium (formerly called Red Lyra) and the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance (BiTA) to expand the adoption of blockchain to customers in a wide range of industries and geographies.
Alastria brings together banks, telecom providers, energy companies, universities, smart-city organizations and developers — and participation will help SAP strengthen its blockchain ecosystem and network in Europe. On the other hand, as a member of BiTA – the company will expand its reach in freight and transportation management.
SAP Leonardo IoT
Together with its customers and partners, SAP aims to establish use cases for blockchain to enable wide adoption in digital supply chain solutions built around SAP Leonardo IoT capabilities, including:
SAP Asset Intelligence Network
A cloud-based business network and global registry of equipment providing a digitalization platform for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) used to share asset information with operators and service providers to improve service targets and increase asset uptime. Blockchain could help further increase the trust level across multiple business partners for collaborative asset management processes, such as audits or asset tracking and provenance.
SAP Distributed Manufacturing
A network-based application providing a secure platform to enable customers to benefit from customized manufacturing and collaborative manufacturing with suppliers such as 3D printing service suppliers, material providers, OEMs and technical certification companies. Blockchain will be evaluated to streamline the collaborative manufacturing process.
SAP Transportation Management
SAP’s application for all transportation modes and industries, which is driving a blockchain case for international trade. With blockchain – sellers, buyers, banks and authorities would be able to share, review and sign documents electronically, track process statuses and hand over ownership of the e-bill of lading. A secure container release process will be evaluated to reduce frauds and stolen freight.
SAP Global Track and Trace
A cloud-based solution for unified, end-to-end tracking, monitoring and reporting of objects and business processes across supply chain networks. Blockchain technology will be explored to help make sensitive tracking information immutable and tamper-proof. Information can be positively traced back to the author, and eventually enable automated payment and settlement processes.
SAP Advanced Track and Trace for Pharmaceuticals
Enables pharmaceutical supply chain members to comply with global anti-drug counterfeit regulations and to facilitate collaboration between supply chain partners in conjunction with SAP Information Collaboration Hub for Life Sciences. Here, blockchain will be evaluated to address requirements for sellable returns verification according to U.S. legislation.
Commenting on the news, Dr. Tanja Rueckert, president of IoT & Digital Supply Chain at SAP said: “Our customers and partners are eager to join SAP in embracing blockchain as a distributed ledger that can increase transparency and collaboration.”
“We are equally eager to co-innovate with the world’s leading companies to reimagine a future where blockchain is woven into the fabric of the digital value chain,” he added.
Our take…
It is nice to see big companies like SAP joining the market to bring blockchain to the masses. Sure, SAP works with enterprise customers but the technology will eventually find its way among the regular folks.
As we wait for the mass adoption, we invite you to join the revolution by grabbing some crypto assets for yourself. We don’t provide an investment advice, mind you; but you get the point, right? 😉
