From manual to automated: Enhancing transparency and efficiency in supply chains with Ubloquity’s distributed ledger technology solution

Introduction

Uboloquity is a distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions provider based in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. Its flagship product, paVe, is a data-management platform that makes data available in an ‘always on’ secure environment to support the ‘earned trust’ compliance model, a model increasingly adopted by retailers to reduce the burden of conducting one-off audits. ‘Earned trust’ means that suppliers are monitored less by the retailers they supply because they are more transparent.

The DLT provider’s solution significantly reduces the amount of time needed to transfer data (from a PDF to a spreadsheet for example) by replacing a manual process with an automated one that is completed within seconds. In addition to ensuring that the entire process is secure, as a result of using blockchain technology, it reduces the time spent on in-person audits. 

The company was part of Digital Supply Chain Hub’s third cohort where it was matched with McColgan’s, a family-owned pastry maker currently under the stewardship of its third generation – William McColgan and his sister Grainne Hampton. The company produces chicken pies and sausage rolls from its purpose-built factory in Strabane, Northern Ireland, and exports them to Ireland and Great Britain. 

William McColgan, CEO said, "We're delighted to be working with ubloquity, a fellow Northern Irish innovator. Together, we're on a mission to develop a world-class food sector that spreads best practice as a centre of excellence and creates new job opportunities. In recent months we've implemented a digital factory management system, and harnessed powerful analytic tools to manage our financial and commercial data which have enabled powerful insight throughout the organisation. We're excited to be at the forefront of this technological revolution in food safety and compliance."

The industry’s challenge

Companies like McColgan’s often supply their products to competing companies, which means that each customer, in this case a retailer, conducts its own individual audit to meet compliance requirements. These audits often take place in the factory over a few days, putting a strain on staff members who have to balance their day-to-day roles with incoming information requests that are both time consuming and manual—the latter being prone to human error and not tamper proof, as PDF documents can be doctored and spreadsheets overwritten. 

The primary aim of working with the Digital Supply Chain Hub was to demonstrate the value of digitally capturing data once, storing it on a decentralised public ledger (to ensure it is tamper proof) and creating a chain of custody for to ensure that the rules around compliance are adhered to with pre-agreed auditing standards. Access to this data is given to all relevant stakeholders, such as the data originator, the factory technical team and the customer (a retailer or their appointed auditor SCI, for example). 

Results and next steps

The partnership is projected to produce a 30% cost efficiency due to the ability to use one piece of data securely across multiple retailers, in addition to other benefits including greater transparency and reducing the time employees spend preparing for audits. 

Uboloquity is now exploring a future partnership with LGC Assure and its BRCGS factory audit standard. This standard is used by over 29,000 certified suppliers in over 130 countries and is a widely recognised certification regarding food quality and safety.