Odette2025

Overcoming the Mounting Challenge to European Automotive

Guillermo Mancholas will set the scene and share his thoughts on the mounting challenges faced by our industry and what predictions we might make for the future. These challenges, including Trump tariffs and competition from new entrants in the EV market, affect all the established European players and Guillermo will emphasise the key role that supply chain professionals have to play in overcoming them.

Balancing Supply Chain Challenges and the Green Agenda in a major Tier1 Supplier

Global supply chains are under constant pressure from geopolitical risks and environmental demands. Houssam Hage will demonstrate how the right strategy and increased digitalisation are essential elements in the drive to balance the conflicting challenges of service, cost, inventory, and CO₂ reduction to build a more resilient and efficient supply chain.

Agility – The Key to Business Transformation

Turbulent times call for good orchestration and supply chains, more than ever, need to be agile to unlock their potential. With flexibility and responsiveness, organisations can adapt and react to market changes, disruptions, and evolving customer demands. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

By embracing an agile approach, we can create and maximise value for all stakeholders, building strong, customer-centric relationships that drive success. Leverage real-time data and collaborative technologies to optimise inventory management, reduce lead times, and enhance supplier relationships. An agile approach also fosters collaboration across departments, continuous improvement, and transparency, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards a shared goal.

Creating a Single Source of Truth for Standards & Regulations

While facing up to increasing competition from new entrants to the industry, the established players are also facing up to a wave of regulations, emanating not only from the EU but from many other jurisdictions around the world.

In this era of increasing regulation, preparing your company, large or small, to be able to navigate the new environment is essential if you wish to ensure the sustainability and competitivity of your business.

Drawing on his considerable experience in this area, Andreas will provide us with reliable methods to source relevant regulatory information and highlight the importance of remaining up to date. There can be many pitfalls along the way which can be avoided with smart procurement and effective licence management.

Andreas will also explain how to negotiate the lobbying landscape to achieve changes in proposed legislation or to mitigate its effects on your operations.

Why Generative AI will be at the Root of a New Digitalisation – and What It Will Mean for Us

Generative AI, commonly associated with ChatGPT and Large Language Models (LLMs), has garnered significant attention. Many individuals have integrated or experimented with ChatGPT for both professional and personal tasks. The emergence of applications related to chatbots, copilots, and search functionalities continues to grow. However, these applications represent only the initial phase of what the future holds. Ongoing work highlights how the capabilities and scalability of recent AI technologies will establish the foundation for a new class of AI-native systems.

Jörg Herbers will explore the anticipated advancements in digitalisation and the enhanced support it is expected to provide to sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, vehicle distribution, replacement parts, and returnable containers.

Using Odette Standards to Speed AI Enablement

Many automotive companies are currently looking into the use of AI based solutions and how they can benefit from its potential but one of the obstacles associated with the technology is that it needs to be trained with accurate data and a rule-based framework.

Using transport data as an example, Michael will show that there is a pool of readily available, high-quality data based on Odette standards that can be extracted from our existing systems. This high-quality data can be used to reduce AI training investment and enable AI to support faster process optimisation. Beside reducing costs, there may also be the “side-effect” of reducing the carbon footprint.

Teaching Digital Twins – How AI Becomes a Game Changer for Efficiency and Transparency

In the form of digital twins raw data becomes valuable and useful. Product twins (such as the Digital Product Passport) not only create transparency for the customer but help to identify quality issues in supply chains and facilitate the improvement of production processes. Process twins create transparency in material and information flows and allow us to optimise costs and the performance of our supply chains. Yet to get from raw data to digital twins can be a challenging and costly modelling task.

Using actual cases from the industry, Christian Schwede will focus on how recent developments in AI and process mining are becoming a game changer allowing companies to auto-generate digital twins from the data they already have.

Bridging Compliance: How EU eFTI and UNECE e-CMR Work Together

The efficiency of freight transport and logistics is vital for the growth and competitiveness of the EU economy but the multitude of IT solutions currently being used throughout Europe for the exchange of freight transport information means that drivers continue to prefer paper documents.

Regulation (EU)2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information (eFTI), coming into effect in July 2027, provides a framework to replace paper-based documentation with electronic data, establishing a legal framework for road, rail, maritime and air transport operators to share information with competent authorities.

Rudy will provide insights on the findings of pilot projects, highlighting the importance of eFTI for both economic operators and Member State authorities, and will explain how the UNECE e-CMR and the EU eFTI can fit together.

A key take-away of this session will be a list of practical actions that can be taken by your company in 2025 to prepare for the upcoming Regulation.

Accelerating Logistics with eCMR: Inside LKW WALTER Digital Transformation

As Europe’s leading provider of full truck load transport, LKW WALTER is at the forefront of reshaping logistics through innovation and sustainability. In response to growing transport volumes, fluctuating fuel costs, and the urgent need to reduce environmental impact, the company has embraced digitalization—with the electronic CMR (eCMR) as a key driver.

Manual handling of paper-based CMRs is time-consuming, error-prone, and resource-intensive. By automating this process, LKW WALTER has significantly increased efficiency and freed up internal resources—while offering carriers the major benefit of immediate payment upon successful delivery.

In this session:

• Discover how LKW WALTER integrated eCMR into a broader digital strategy, transforming traditional workflows and unlocking operational and financial advantages.
• Learn how automated data exchange, real-time invoicing, and streamlined customs procedures enhance value for both transport partners and shippers.
• Explore real-world use cases showcasing measurable time and cost savings through eCMR implementation.

Storming the Last Bastion of Logistics Paperwork

Volkswagen Group Logistics has achieved great success in the digitalisation of automotive logistics processes, but one significant challenge remains to be overcome. While communications between different actors in the supply chain have been almost entirely digitalised, the transport industry continues to insist on paper documents to accompany the goods on their journey from supplier to customer.

The blame for this situation usually falls on the various authorities who need access to information about the load en-route but the already widely accepted eCMR and the imminent introduction of the eFTI legislation should serve to consign paper transport documents to the wastepaper bin. In theory, at least.

Andrea Sümer, specialist in the standardisation of digital data provision and Sarah Siegel, paperless transport project planner, will take you on a journey through the trials and tribulations of implementing a completely paperless transport chain.

Reducing GHG Emissions in the Automotive Supply Chain

As part of the effort to reduce their own carbon footprint, automotive customers are demanding CO2 emissions data from their suppliers and logistics service providers. The problem is that customers have historically been asking for this data to be reported in different ways.

The ECG/VDA publication the “Supply Chain Emissions Calculation and Reporting Guideline” has established a standard method of calculating and reporting emissions generated by road and rail transport of both inbound parts and outbound finished vehicles, with the reporting being made via digital messages developed by Odette.

With a focus on the inbound parts supply process, Andreea will reveal the results of pilot projects set up to test the recommended methods of calculation and reporting and will share practical advice on how to ensure that the data is accurate.

Exploiting the Untapped Potential of Transport to Achieve Sustainability

Pascal Born will close the conference with one of his usual challenging and thought-provoking interventions.

This time his topic will be transport and its currently untapped potential to become much more sustainable.

He will start by looking at what is currently possible, using concrete examples to explain the benefits that are certainly within reach.

He will then challenge transport buyers to look more closely at their current transport planning processes and how they need to collaborate much more closely with their transport partners to fully understand the many constraints, both legal and operational, that the transport industry works under.

He will also explore the real potential of alternative fuels as well as the benefits of considering a multi-modal approach.

The Making of a European Standard

Standards provide organisations with a basis for mutual understanding to facilitate business interaction and communication. Standards improve systems and processes, reduce waste, cut costs and ensure consistency between trading partners.

To ensure the adoption of a standard, collaboration is key and Carmen will explain how, in the context of the ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) Directive, the EU is working with Odette to better understand current automotive invoicing processes in order to ensure that significant previous investments are protected in the law making processes.

She will also discuss the potential for the future regulation.

ViDA: Harmonising eInvoicing Standards and Digital Reporting Requirements

Tax Authorities around the world want to obtain better invoice and tax data within a much shorter timeframe. This has led to a fragmented regulatory landscape with a multitude of different tax-reporting and e-invoicing schemes in operation. To avoid further proliferation, in Europe at least, the EU is introducing ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) to harmonise e-invoicing and tax-reporting standards.

Bianca will consider the current status of the ViDA Directive highlighting the key requirements and deadlines for adoption in B2B exchanges. She will explain the impact that ViDA will have on current national initiatives and traditional data transmission channels before exploring possible future developments of legislation in the exchange of tax related documents.

How Automotive Leaders are Tackling the EU’s Digital Tax Reporting Revolution

As regulatory pressures increase across the automotive industry, staying compliant with evolving e-invoicing and tax mandates is more critical than ever. Based on practical experience from large OEMs, this session will explore how automation can simplify compliance, reduce costs, and enhance supply chain efficiency—turning regulatory challenges into business advantages. Learn how to future-proof your operations and avoid disruptions with a scalable, global approach to tax compliance and where it is still possible to use EDI processes.

Keeping Up with a Rapidly Evolving Regulatory Framework

The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduces new requirements aimed at reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability, though the roadmap for compliance is still not completely clear for industrial companies.

This session will explore the latest regulatory updates and implications for the automotive packaging and logistics industry, focusing on compliance challenges, reporting obligations, and the transition to more eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Learn how the automotive sector can adapt to these evolving standards to achieve a more sustainable future.

Collaboration is the Key to Achieving Sustainable Automotive Packaging

Automotive companies fully support the introduction of more sustainable practices and move towards a circular economy, but the EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) aimed at minimising the negative environmental impacts of packaging and packaging waste, means that companies need to act even more quickly to ensure that they can meet the mandatory targets.

Katalin will give examples of concrete actions that Robert Bosch is taking internally to become compliant. Robert Bosch also believes that the industry needs to work together to achieve compliance throughout the supply chain. She will present the results of the work being done at the European level, under the auspices of Odette, to decipher PPWR and develop standards and recommendations to help the industry achieve the right result at minimum cost.

Rethinking Packaging Strategy as a Competitive Advantage

Packaging has historically been the neglected child of the automotive supply chain but decision makers now realise that it has the potential to be a key enabler of both efficiency and sustainability.

Packaging waste accounts for 33% of all Cummins waste globally, with an estimated 75% of packaging currently being disposable. It was clear that, to decrease operating costs and improve the sustainability footprint, transitioning to adjustable, modular reusable packaging was the way forward. An integral part of the overall strategy was a close collaboration with their logistics partner to identify the most efficient routes for movement of returnable packaging throughout their European network.

Robin will explain the steps taken to optimise packaging conception at Cummins and how they have transformed their packaging transport network.

Optimising Automotive Labelling with Cloud-Based Printing

Cloud-based label printing solutions help suppliers in the automotive sector to meet the strict packaging and transport label requirements of their customers. These requirements are often challenging for many ERPs to comply with, but cloud printing solutions are able to eliminate label inconsistencies, ensuring quicker updates and automatic compliance with customer requirements.

In this session, learn about:

• Improved Efficiency: Streamlined label printing processes with cloud integration, reducing delays and errors.
• Enhanced Compliance: Seamless alignment with customer label requirements, overcoming ERP limitations.
• Increased Operational Reliability: Faster turnaround times and consistent quality control across production lines.

Adapting to a Technological Future

Predicting advances in supply chain technology is an interesting game. You win some and you lose some. How can we learn from past successes and failures to better predict future technological advances and how they will affect the supply chain? David will reflect on how new technology could impact on automotive logistics and how other challenges could impact on technology.

For example:

• OEMs in Europe are now nearshoring to bring increased resilience to their supply chains. They globalised sourcing to be cost competitive, now the focus is back to risk management, but will this last and how could this impact on technology?

• Five years ago, the entry cost to high level technology was also high, both in terms of finance and in terms of skills. How has that changed and how will it influence the areas that advance and adopt more quickly?

• Robots require power, but they don’t require light and heating. Does automation take us closer to Net Zero, or further away?

Using APIs to Achieve Real-Time Supply Chain Visibility

Huf is digitalising its supply chain to enhance efficiency and real-time visibility using API management and integration solutions that enable seamless data exchange, automated processes, and cloud-based scalability.

By modernising operations and improving supply chain agility, Huf is overcoming the challenges of fragmented data and outdated systems and strengthening its competitive edge in the automotive industry.

Passport Please! What you need to know about DPPs

Over the next 5 years, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) will demand digital product passports (DPPs) for almost all finished products and components sold on the EU market. You need to get ready now!

Getting ready has organizational and cultural elements (dealing with data instead of documents), educational elements (empowering your supply chain partners to deliver the primary data) and technology elements (collecting ecodesign data and issuing and maintaining DPPs).

Based on lessons learned from early DPP projects, Adrian von Mühlenen will provide an overview of the challenges and opportunities arising from DPP, a checklist of how to increase your DPP readiness and the critical factors to consider during your own DPP projects.

Implementing DPP Related European Standards – Current Status and What’s next?

The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will soon introduce the mandatory requirement for a Digital Product Passport (DPP) designed to collect and share data about a product and its supply chain. However, the implementation is complex and there are overlapping and contradictory requirements between ESPR and other EU and global regulations. In the automotive industry, the areas of development, production and operation of vehicles will particularly be affected.

The DPP can also be considered as an opportunity to bring improvements to business practices, but companies need to start now. In this session, Thomas will share learning experiences from existing initiatives and how standardisation of data exchange will help implementation of the DPP within the automotive supply chain.

He will also provide practical advice of what you should do today to meet the compliance timetable, based on early experiences in the automotive industry and other sectors.