NIST has published NIST Internal Report (NISTIR) 8419, Blockchain and Related Technologies to Support Manufacturing Supply Chain Traceability: Needs and Industry Perspectives.

Supply chains are increasingly complex, making the origins of products difficult to discern. Efforts are emerging to increase traceability of goods by exchanging traceability data records using blockchain and related technologies among relevant supply chain participants. 

NISTIR 8419 explores the issues that surround traceability, the role that blockchain and related technologies may be able to play to improve traceability, and several industry case studies of efforts in use today.

The publication covers:

• existing factors that inhibit manufacturing supply chain traceability
• analysis of emerging blockchain-enabled manufacturing supply chain traceability initiatives in progress
• recommendations for future research topicsc to improve manufacturing supply chain traceability, enabled by blockchain and related technologies.

Questions and comments can be directed to: blockchain_nccoe@nist.gov .