The ‘Track & Trace’ solution improved supply chain accuracy and real-time visibility while reducing errors and operational inefficiencies. It also enabled circular supply chain processes, supporting sustainability and regulatory compliance.
Client Overview
A Fortune 100 global technology company in the safety, security, and energy sectors specializes in industrial automation solutions across multiple domains, including regulated industries. The engagement focused on enabling real-time visibility and operational control, with applications in tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and Digital Product Passport initiatives.
Challenge
While the foundational ‘Track & Trace’ platform addressed supply chain visibility and compliance requirements, the engagement required Orion Innovation to overcome significant delivery and execution challenges.
The key challenge was to rapidly stand up a scalable, high-performing delivery organization to customize and enhance the Track & Trace solution for tobacco products for a leading global brand. This had to be achieved in the context of limited training resources, incomplete technical documentation, and continuously evolving regulatory requirements.
In parallel, the team needed to build expertise in a highly specialized, compliance-driven domain quickly. Ensuring alignment with stringent regulatory standards while accelerating development timelines demanded a structured onboarding approach, strong cross-functional collaboration, and rapid knowledge acquisition.
Despite these constraints, Orion Innovation successfully ramped up the team, initiated development at pace, and established a robust model to support ongoing product enhancements and maintenance without compromising on quality.
Solution
The Fortune 100 technology leader partnered with Orion Innovation to establish a scalable delivery organization and develop a customized ‘Track & Trace’ solution. This solution enables circular supply chain workflows, improves order accuracy, and supports circular logistics initiatives across regulated industries.
Orion delivered an end-to-end, cross-platform Track & Trace system enabling tobacco product visibility. The scope included UX and requirements design, development, QA, test automation, deployment, and ongoing customer support. Leveraging the client’s existing platform capabilities, Orion implemented the following key components:
- Tracking real-time delivery from manufacturing facilities to customers, and improving shipment accuracy.
- Complex delivery orders processing (assembling and disassembling).
- Ensuring regulatory compliance across global supply chains.
- Intelligent data validation that resolved order processing errors through auto-correction mechanisms.
- Identifying and resolving order processing errors that contribute to material and energy waste.
- Integrating end customers’ ERP systems and external data sources (including SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft) to centralize supply chain data and enhance sustainability reporting.
Impact
Orion Innovation enabled the rapid development and deployment of a customized Track & Trace solution for tobacco products, aligned with European Union regulatory requirements. Most recently have been offering this solution for several Middle Eastern countries and China as well.
By establishing a scalable digital product engineering delivery model and accelerating execution, the solution was successfully deployed ahead of regulatory enforcement timelines—ensuring the client’s readiness for compliance while minimizing operational risk.
Key outcomes included:
- Regulatory Compliance Achieved – Delivered a Track & Trace solution fully aligned with EU tobacco regulations, ensuring timely compliance ahead of mandated deadlines.
- Accelerated Time-to-Deployment – Rapid team ramp-up and structured delivery approach enabled on-time product development despite limited initial documentation and training resources.
- Scalable Delivery & Support Model – Established a sustainable framework for ongoing product enhancements, support, and maintenance.
- Addressed Complex Technology & Regulatory Challenges – Built capabilities to support GS1-based traceability standards, high-speed large-scale data processing, and evolving national and international regulatory frameworks, while enabling B2B customizations and enterprise integrations across supply chain ecosystems.
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A Track & Trace solution enables organizations to monitor products throughout the supply chain, from manufacturing to delivery. It captures and shares real-time product movement data, improving visibility, traceability, and compliance, particularly in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and manufacturing.
End-to-end supply chain visibility helps organizations monitor product movement in real time, identify disruptions early, and improve operational decision-making. It also supports inventory accuracy, regulatory reporting, and faster responses to supply chain issues across global operations.
Track & Trace systems record product movements and maintain detailed traceability throughout the supply chain. This helps organizations meet industry regulations by providing accurate records for audits, product verification, recalls, and reporting across regulated markets and changing compliance requirements.
A Track & Trace solution improves shipment accuracy, reduces processing errors, and increases operational efficiency. It also enables better inventory control, supports regulatory compliance, enhances customer visibility, and provides trusted supply chain data for business decision-making.
Track & Trace technology enables organizations to follow products throughout their lifecycle, making it easier to support reuse, recycling, refurbishment, and responsible disposal. This improves material visibility while helping organizations reduce waste and support sustainability initiatives.
Organizations should consider a Track & Trace system when they operate complex supply chains, face strict regulatory requirements, or need greater visibility across suppliers and distribution networks. It is particularly valuable when expanding globally or improving operational resilience and sustainability.
Modern Track & Trace platforms integrate with enterprise applications, including ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft solutions, as well as external data sources. This creates a centralized view of supply chain data and supports more accurate reporting, planning, and operational coordination.
Common implementation challenges include evolving regulations, limited technical documentation, integration with legacy systems, and onboarding specialized teams. Organizations typically address these challenges through structured delivery processes, cross-functional collaboration, and scalable implementation approaches that maintain compliance and solution quality.
