From Data Fragmentation to Fluency: Digital Product Passport as a Competitive Advantage

The Hidden Cost of Data Fragmentation 

Modern supply chains are drowning in complexity. Data is scattered across disconnected systems, spreadsheets, and legacy platforms—creating fragmentation that costs businesses time, trust, and money. For small and medium-sized enterprises, the challenge is even sharper: 

• 12 hours per week wasted chasing missing data 
• Compliance risks from incomplete audit trails 
• Lost opportunities for circularity and innovation 

This fragmentation does more than slow operations; it erodes confidence and limits growth. When data cannot move freely, transparency becomes a buzzword instead of a business asset. Companies lose the ability to respond quickly, innovate sustainably, and build trust with customers and regulators. 

Why Technology Feels Out of Reach 

Industry 4.0 promises transformation, but for many small and medium-sized enterprises, high upfront costs and integration hurdles make adoption feel impossible: 

• Interoperability gaps: Only 28 percent of enterprise applications are connected 
• Skills shortage: 90 percent of firms lack integration talent, risking 5.5 trillion U.S. dollars in losses by 2026 
• Governance void: Just 27 percent of European companies have full data governance 

The result? Businesses hesitate—even as competitors move toward traceability-driven growth. Without a practical path forward, many organizations remain stuck in outdated systems while the market accelerates around them. 

Vertical Data Fluency: The Strategic Answer 

At Repass, we believe data silos are avoidable. The problem is not that businesses lack data—it is that data is trapped in silos, locked in formats and systems that do not communicate with each other. Adding more complexity—another platform; another isolated tool—only deepens the fragmentation. 

The solution is not complexity - it is fluency. Fluency means data that moves freely across the entire value chain, regardless of system or size. It is about creating a common language for product information so every stakeholder—from manufacturer to reseller—can access, share, and act on the same truth. 

How we make this happen: 

• Interoperable standards: Built on GS1 and global frameworks for seamless integration 
• Modular, cloud-native tools: Start small, scale without heavy information technology investments 
• Dynamic product data: From raw material to end-of-life, enabling traceability and circularity 

Fluency turns transparency from a compliance burden into a strategic advantage—unlocking resilience, efficiency, and innovation. 

The Business Case 

Traceability is not just a compliance requirement—it is a competitive advantage. According to Bain & Company, 68 percent of executives rank traceability as “very or extremely important” for their business strategy because it drives efficiency, resilience, and growth. 

Why? Because vertical data fluency changes the game. When product data flows seamlessly across the entire value chain, businesses unlock three critical benefits: 

• Resilience: Rapid response to disruptions, regulatory changes, and supply chain shocks 
• Efficiency: Lower transaction costs, fewer manual processes, and improved forecasting accuracy 
• Innovation: Verified sustainability data enables new business models—such as resale, repair, and circular services—that customers and regulators increasingly demand 

In short, traceability is not optional—it is strategic. And vertical data fluency is how you achieve it. 

Repass: Transparency as a Service 

Transparency is not just about compliance—it is about creating data fluency that drives business value. 
At Repass, we help small and medium-sized enterprises break silos and unlock traceability through Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and interoperable data flows designed for: 

• Accessibility: Works with existing tools—Excel, enterprise resource planning systems, application programming interfaces—without heavy information technology investments 
• Flexibility: Modular and scalable, so you start small and grow at your own pace 
• Economic Power: Return-on-investment-driven adoption that turns transparency into a revenue enabler 

Our approach is phased and practical, focusing first on high-impact use cases like circular services, repair, and predictive maintenance—where transparency delivers immediate value. 

Data silos are not destiny. They are a design flaw—and they are avoidable. Repass helps you build supply chains that speak the same language, because transparency is not optional—it is strategic. 

Sources:  

Bloomberg Professional Services, 2023

Capgemini Research Institute, 2025

ICC Policy Brief, 2025