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Summary of this article

The growth of printed electronics requires a supply chain that is faster, smarter and more scalable than traditional manual processes allow. As more companies, products and return flows become interconnected, packaging management becomes a decisive factor in delivery reliability and cost control. The key challenge lies in the contrast between an innovative, digitally controlled production chain and packaging flows that still depend on fragmented records, manual activities and limited visibility.

When reusable packaging is not tracked centrally, hidden costs arise from lost assets, unnecessary inventory, slow return flows and additional administration. Reliable information is also lacking on where packaging is located, how often it has been used and when maintenance, cleaning or replacement is required. For operations, procurement and supply chain teams, this means that packaging should not be managed as a collection of separate logistics assets, but as part of an integrated system connected to production planning and ERP.

Within the Printed Electronics Supply Chain, Faes fulfils this role through packaging management based on the 4P model, RFID tracking and pool management. This makes individual packaging assets traceable and provides real-time insight into their location, availability and use. By linking this data to standardised processes, partners can reduce inventory, accelerate return flows and focus more strongly on their core activities. In this way, packaging management becomes a digital building block of Industry 4.0, systematically improving collaboration, scalability and cost control.
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From manual to automatic

Printed Electronics – printing electronics on a flexible substrate – will develop into a global market worth 200 billion euros by 2025. In order to bring this sector to industrial maturity, it is important that companies collaborate more than they do now. That is why various major players, including Faes, have joined forces in the innovative OP Zuid project Printed Electronics.

Gestapelde metalen transportkisten in een magazijn, ontworpen voor hergebruik binnen retourlogistieke processen in de industrie.

Industry 4.0

The aim of this project is to create an ecosystem in which work can be carried out more safely, easily and intelligently. This is also referred to as Smart Industry or Industry 4.0. The Internet of Things is also part of this. The aim is to make industry less and less dependent on people. Manual interactions are being reduced; people are doing more analysis and optimisation, while the bulk of the work is being automated.

Another objective within the Printed Electronics project is to purchase jointly and link ERP systems together. This will make it easier to predict investments and ensure that they are only made when actually necessary.

4P role

This far-reaching chain collaboration fits in perfectly with the vision we have at Faes of chain collaboration in the future. In the future, OEMs will increasingly focus on their core activities and outsource all non-core activities to specialists. The packaging management that is being completely outsourced to Faes in the Printed Electronics project is a good example of this. We take care of everything related to packaging in the supply chain and maintain control over the return pool and internal load carriers. In this project, we are taking on a 4P role for packaging, as it were.

Smart transport with RFID

How does this work in practice? In this project, for example, plastic containers are fitted with RFID tags. Once a tag is scanned by the sender, it provides information about which items are being returned. This allows you to see what is on its way back while the shipment is still in transit, so you can prepare everything needed to make it ready for dispatch again immediately upon arrival.

Where sterility is required, as in the medical sector, a broken RFID tag indicates that the sterility requirement has not been maintained. If the tag is still intact, you know that the shipment does not need to be sterilised again first.

Pool management

Within the Brainport Industries Campus (BIC), Faes also provides RFID-based pool management services for KMWE, among others. This means that we take care of all aspects of return packaging for KMWE, including the management and storage of packaging and providing the right load carrier at the right time. The packaging is further standardised using PackAssist®, our smart packaging software. Using RFID technology, we provide real-time insight into what is in stock and what is in production. We also provide assistance with proper packing instructions, both inside and outside the cleanroom.

Collaborating in the PE Supply Chain

This project makes it possible to bring the developed technology and products to market, thereby covering all facets of the PE supply chain. As part of the Printed Electronics project, Faes can continue to grow with new technologies that align with its business operations and customer requirements. We build the software and services around those requirements and needs.

Would you like to know more about Printed Electronics and how it can help improve your (logistical) processes in your business? Ask your question in the form below or call or email us directly.

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Thijs Canjels

Thijs Canjels

Business Innovation Manager

Thijs Canjels is Business Innovation Manager at Faes and specializes in packaging management and supply chain optimization. In his blogs, he shares insights on efficiency improvements, cost savings and the strategic role of packaging in modern supply chains.

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