Interview with Thomas van Duinen of Trimex
Could you introduce yourself and your role at Trimex?
My name is Thomas van Duinen and I'm the Managing Director at Trimex International Services Ltd. At Trimex, we primarily focus on helping multinational clients navigate their Sourcing and Trade business in Asia. Additionally, because of our long experience in the sourcing and production industry, we are actively involved in various projects to digitize the supply chain.
What is Trimex's strategic role in the development and adoption of the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
Our team continuously seeks out the newest trends and technologies. In collaboration with the ICC, our IT partners, and the Port of Rotterdam, we're actively laying the foundation for comprehensive end-to-end digitalization of the supply chain. In Hong Kong, the heart of the Asian supply chain to Europe, we are confronted with a flood of regulations from the EU’s Green Deal, which are often complicated to implement. The DPP is the tool that will help authorities to actually start measuring relevant data, making compliance checks more efficient.
Based on your experience, what are the most significant benefits of using the DPP?
First, as an economic operator, you need to ensure the correct info enters your product's DPP. This upstream requirement fosters closer cooperation with your suppliers to get the correct data, which improves quality KPI’s. Regulatory compliance means instant market access for your products. Downstream, benefits include increased efficiency in dealings with regulators and easier customer communication, as manuals and service details can be accessed via the QR code. This builds brand trust. Furthermore, the DPP creates opportunities in the circular economy by giving companies exact insights into the volumes and types of materials available for recycling.
What are the biggest hurdles Trimex faced and what will others experience?
We are developing a system where an AI converts compliance documents into a DPP, the data of which is then shared with EU regulatory systems. Our biggest hurdle is the constantly evolving regulatory environment, which causes delays and uncertainty. For other firms, the major challenge will be to ensure that all the compliance documents used to build the DPP are correct, up-to-date, and in accordance with current regulations. This is a significant task that may require specialist support. Apart from in-house compliance teams, 3P providers like Product IP expertly supply these services.
Do you think the DPP’s transparency can force companies to become more sustainable?
Yes, absolutely. The DPP makes information transparent that used to be difficult to access, creating a completely new level of data on product lifecycles. We believe this will not only force companies to become more sustainable to support their brand equity, but it will also provide regulators with the detailed insights they need to craft more effective and targeted sustainability regulations in the future. So, the DPP creates a feedback loop: better data leads to better rules, which in turn drives greater sustainability.
What key message about this digital transformation would you want to share?
The key message is to get your product compliance in order. Once your compliance documents are correct and valid, our DPP software solution is very simple to use. You just send us your existing compliance documents, and the AI in our system will generate a qualified DPP. There is no need to adapt your current internal processes; it acts as a plug-and-play DPP generator. The DPP centralizes essential product information—compliance, sustainability, and safety—which streamlines processes and boosts transparency. As regulatory bodies embrace it, businesses will benefit from faster approvals. Once established as the single source of truth, the DPP could unlock a truly paperless, digital supply chain, positioning your organization at the forefront of innovation.
Read more about Trimex and the DPP here.