Investigating the Applicability of Distributed Ledger/Blockchain Technology in Manufacturing and Perishable Goods Supply Chains

Abstract

Distributed ledger/blockchain has emerged as an important technology that can have a significant impact on the management of supply chains. This paper investigates the feasibility of adopting blockchain technology in both manufacturing and perishable goods supply chains. Two cases are used to illustrate the approach proposed in this work. The first case addresses the use of blockchain technology in the supply chain of composite materials in order to facilitate the certification process of components made of carbon fiber employed in the aerospace sector. The second case investigates the feasibility of adopting blockchain technology in the supply chain of live seafood. In the first case blockchain technology has the potential to be used by industry peers to perform experimental validation tests including flammability, crashworthiness, operational, etc. Additionally in both cases blockchain technology can be used for transportation, handling and storage, not to mention tamper proof checks, product history and provenance tracking.