Merck KGaA and Zebra Technologies Corporation have announced a strategic collaboration to develop solutions addressing product verification, authenticity, and trust challenges. The partnership combines data, identity capture, and Web 3.0 crypto technologies to enhance product safety, traceability, and data integrity for AI systems. The initiative builds on Zebra’s recent advances in mobile computing and connectivity, particularly in the enterprise sector.
The collaboration centers on the creation of the M-Trust cyber-physical trust platform, which combines Zebra’s TC58 mobile computer capabilities with Merck’s patented authentication technologies. A key deliverable will be a new handheld reader that incorporates a mobile scanner built on Zebra’s TC58 mobile computer and Merck’s security-pigment detector, known as the SEC-Reader. The device will scan products and communicate with the M-Trust platform through Wi-Fi 6E or 5G networks for verification purposes, leveraging similar connectivity technologies to those featured in Zebra’s latest rugged tablet solutions.
“We are proud to work with Merck on this important initiative which gives manufacturers and their frontline workers a unique solution to intelligently automate essential verifications in their manufacturing and supply chain operations, and great visibility of assets and inventory,” said James Poulton, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Mobile Computing at Zebra Technologies.
The integration provides enhanced security, accuracy, and trust in manufacturing value chains while generating high-quality data for AI model training and testing. The approach matches emerging trends in AI-powered authentication technologies in the pharmaceutical sector, where the need for reliable supply chain verification has become increasingly critical. “By combining our expertise in identification and authentication, both companies will deliver essential solutions for reliable data access across value chains,” said Thomas Endress, Head of M-Trust at Merck KGaA. “This integration builds trust in AI systems regarding data authenticity and origin.”
The companies will showcase a working prototype of the mobile scanner, crypto anchor technologies, and the M-Trust platform at Zebra’s booth during Hannover Messe 2025, where specialists from both organizations will be available to discuss the solution with attendees. The implementation of crypto anchor technology follows a broader industry trend of using blockchain-based solutions for secure digital identity and authentication in supply chain operations.
Sources: MarketScreener, Indian Chemical News, TradingView
Follow Us