TCS, Avery Dennison explore VR, digital twin tech

Innovation for growth

US-based manufacturer and material sciences company Avery Dennison is exploring new digital strategies for growth with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for Smartrac, an RFID inlays developer. TCS has been Avery Dennison’s technology partner across businesses for over 15 years.

Avery Dennison’s Smartrac division plans to double its revenue by higher sales conversions, shorter sales cycles, and becoming a trusted partner, and is hence exploring channels for sales enablement in the B2B space. TCS hosted a three-day engagement with the Avery Dennison team at different levels, including an innovation exchange for Smartrac’s 15-member leadership team at TCS Pace Port™ Amsterdam in September 2022 to explore opportunities in innovation.

The interaction saw the client test different digital channels for sales enablement and accelerating growth, such as ecosystem orchestration, platform aggregator business, and data monetization. The teams evaluated supply chain network optimization and modeling keeping in mind the current macro-economic conditions and disruption in supply chain, and discussed the digital twin simulation of RFID product performance and improvements.

Toward immersive experiences

As a first step in the run-up to the three-day innovation-led series, both teams ideated on the concept of an immersive experience for Avery Dennison’s iLAB, demonstrating store shelf management using Smartrac products and services—such as hard and sustainable tags, sensors, and connect product cloud—for end users. As part of TCS’ Pace framework, several capabilities were considered to rapidly design a proof of concept (PoC).

To provide the best immersive and personal experience to customers, VR was selected to build the concept, and a prototype—the first in this engagement—was demonstrated. The idea was to leverage VR and the metaverse to build deeper awareness about Avery Dennison’s product line.

TCS Pace Port Amsterdam takes the conversation further

The innovation exchange saw Avery Dennison leaders experience the breadth of TCS’ innovation capabilities at TCS Pace Port Amsterdam. Pace Ports are TCS’ global innovation hubs that fuel targeted, innovation-led thinking to accelerate transformation journeys and build outcomes at speed and at scale.

TCS Pace Port Amsterdam, with its greenfield environment for innovation, allows clients to focus their efforts on purpose-driven business needs. The Dutch innovation hub offers TCS Pace™ SPRINTS—short, time-boxed periods to deliver valuable outcomes—to help clients learn faster and minimize risk on their investment.

These sprints are designed as distinct interventions across the life cycle of an initiative. They help accelerate the innovation journey and get more value from innovation and transformation investments.

The Dutch innovation hub offers TCS Pace™ SPRINTS—short, time-boxed periods to deliver valuable outcomes—to help clients learn faster and minimize risk on their investment.

Ideation paves the way for outcomes

The innovation exchange produced insights that the innovation team used to further build ideation around channels that would boost linear and non-linear growth for Avery Dennison. The teams also exchanged ways to increase transparency and predict delays, and alternative supply and warehouse management methods.

Leadership teams from both companies agreed to collaborate in Avery Dennison’s innovation and transformation journey. TCS Pace’s expertise in digital supply chain, research and development in digitization, and laboratory operations will help the client realize its growth strategy.

The collaboration will begin with TCS partnering with Smartrac and DICE—the digital innovation arm of Avery Dennison—to envision the value proposition, strategize, and build new avenues for their two-fold growth objective.