The IMPRESS Project: innovative collaboration for sustainable supply chains

Comex and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) are proud to announce a significant milestone in their collaboration under the EU-funded IMPRESS project. By combining Comex's advanced NFC smart labels with TCD's innovative bio-based packaging prototypes, the partners are delivering tangible solutions for a sustainable, circular blue bioeconomy.

Innovative partnership for sustainable supply chains

The partnership draws on TCD's expertise in biopolymer films and Comex's long-standing leadership in automatic identification systems and specialist printing. TCD has successfully produced the first pilot-scale batch of renewable-resource-based trays, which Comex has equipped with specially developed NFC smart labels.

Key features of this integrated technology include:

• Eco-friendly substrates: labels are printed directly onto biodegradable biopolymer matrices developed by TCD, ensuring that the entire packaging supports zero-waste objectives.
• Real-time intelligence: these smart labels enable real-time temperature monitoring during transport, providing critical data for TCD's supply chain validation work.
• Digital traceability: using the NFC protocol, the labels give products a 'digital life', enabling seamless exchange of information between producers and consumers regarding authenticity and shelf life.

Verification and future outlook

The TCD team, led by Prof. Ramesh Babu, is currently conducting temperature-dependent studies under simulated real-world conditions to evaluate the performance of the smart labelling system. These studies are essential to ensuring that the technology will be capable of reliably monitoring transport conditions for sensitive fish products.

In the next phase, the partners will carry out comprehensive biodegradation studies on trays fitted with smart labels. These studies will assess packaging performance under realistic end-of-life conditions, in combination with real food products, in order to confirm compostability and environmental impact.

Support for industry and consumers

The Comex solution provides end-to-end transparency:

• At the factory: NFC smart labels are applied to bio-based containers and synchronised with reusable sensors to begin tracking transport parameters.
• During transport: the system records environmental data, ensuring that products are maintained within safe temperature thresholds.
• At the destination: retailers use the technology to verify that the cold chain has been maintained, ensuring that only high-quality products reach the shelves.
• End-consumer experience: consumers can tap the NFC label with their smartphone to instantly access information about the product's origin, freshness, and sustainability certifications.

About Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin is a world-renowned research university at the forefront of developing sustainable biopolymer materials and compostable food packaging prototypes for the global bioeconomy.

For more information, visit: https://www.tcd.ie