Enhancing Supply Chain Traceability with Permanent Marking Solutions
This is a guest post by Ellie Gabel.
Cargo disappearances are becoming more common. Heightened diligence will pay off, potentially reducing loss value. Unfortunately, for those importing or exporting goods internationally, traceability is complex. Is permanent marking the solution?
Cargo Disappearances Are Concerningly Common
With cargo theft on the rise, supply chain traceability is increasingly vital. A 2023 report from a logistics risk management company uncovered 1,183 reported thefts in 2023, averaging 3.24 instances daily — up 9% from 2022. By the end of 2024, the report predicts another 35% increase. In total, the stolen goods’ average loss value was $586,917, up 67% year over year.
Whether organizations import or export goods, the cost of cargo theft will ultimately affect their bottom lines — and this is before factoring in financial losses due to missing shipments or in-transit damage. Tracking products as they move through supply networks is no longer just a matter of compliance.
The growing demand for supply chain traceability comes in response to this worsening issue. Just 50% of chief procurement officers have high visibility into their direct suppliers. Within the extended supply network, 90% report moderate to very low visibility. From sourcing to distribution, transparency is not happening at scale.
How Permanent Marking Enhances Traceability
Whether businesses use freight forwarders, third-party warehousing, or last-mile delivery vendors, they must keep track of their goods. Although international shipping is complex and ever-evolving, traceability does not have to be. Permanent marking solutions ensure imports and exports remain trackable even if they move through busy freight hubs and large cities.
These marking solutions are highly precise, enabling the creation of legible serial numbers or scannable barcodes. Whether companies use scribing, electrochemical etching, dot peen marking, or stamping, the result is a durable, long-lasting imprint that can withstand the surface-wear that comes from post-processing or shipping.
The most significant benefit of permanent marking is scalability. Most solutions have high output rates or are compatible with production line automation, preventing unnecessary downtime and facilitating seamless integration. For instance, a laser marking machine can print up to 100 pages per minute — 400% more than an inkjet printer.
Unlike printed labels or inks, solutions like embossing, chemical etching, and engraving will not smudge or weather. This helps ensure shipments always arrive exactly when they are supposed to. Whether business leaders prefer batch or serial traceability, permanent marking technologies can produce cost-effective, long-lasting marks.
Navigating Permanent Marking Solution Integration
Despite digitalization’s surging popularity, physical, permanent marking is the most desirable method for tracking. It works seamlessly with digital systems like barcode scanners but does not rely on them, enabling supply-chain-wide scalability. Companies can adopt these tools whether they rely on legacy or modern technology.
While integrating these systems into production and sorting facilities should be relatively seamless, it does require some planning. Decision-makers should determine which solution best fits their needs, considering customization, volume, and material selection. While needle embossing is suitable for metal automotive parts, laser marking is ideal for sensitive electronics.
Most permanent marking systems can handle various surfaces, including plastics, wood, metals, leather, glass, ceramics, fabric, and composites. However, their variable accuracy and strength may affect their precision when detailing some materials. For this reason, facilities that move a wide variety of products may consider marking packaging instead.
Even though permanent marking should help businesses reduce the number of imports and exports that go missing, decision-makers should establish a baseline to determine integration’s impact. This way, if the results are not up to par, they can tweak their quality control process or have someone audit the automated components.
The Bottom Line on Permanent Marking
With effective marking, businesses can follow shipments even in international supply networks, receiving notifications as soon as something is lost, stolen, or misplaced. This way, they can adequately mitigate disruptions, formulate plans for what-if scenarios, and monitor vendors.
This was a guest post by Ellie Gabel.
Author Bio
Ellie is a freelance writer who loves exploring the latest advancements in tech and science and how they’re impacting the world we live and work in. She’s also the associate editor of Revolutionized.com.
