Table of contents
Building a truly “Smart Supply Chain” requires more than technology—it requires rethinking how data, partners, and processes work together end to end. Frederic Menardo, VP of Smart Supply Chain at NNIT, shares his perspective on why data quality and partner collaboration are foundational and how agentic AI is poised to change how organizations act on supply chain intelligence. He also explains how TraceLink MINT helps make the vision of Smart Supply Chains practical by simplifying integration and enabling scalable, automated processes across the partner network.
Key Moments
- 00:05 - What is a truly Smart Supply Chain today?
- 00:56 - How will agentic AI transform the life sciences and healthcare supply chain?
- 01:29 - How does TraceLink support NNIT’s vision for modern supply chains?
- 02:15 - How does TraceLink MINT improve collaboration with partners?
Watch the full interview above, or explore some selected highlights below.
What is a truly Smart Supply Chain today?
A Smart Supply Chain depends on trusted data and visibility beyond the four walls of the enterprise. Frederic Menardo explains why full transparency, security, and real-time feedback from downstream partners are essential—and why establishing high-quality, trustworthy data is the critical first step.
How does TraceLink support NNIT’s vision for modern supply chains?
Supply chain visibility and collaboration break down without the right data-sharing foundation. Frederic Menardo explains that TraceLink supports NNIT’s vision by enabling cost-effective, secure integration and data exchange with partners through TraceLink MINT.
How does TraceLink MINT improve collaboration with partners?
Collaboration breaks down when partners rely on emails, phone calls, and complex, one-off integrations. Frederic Menardo explains how TraceLink MINT changes that dynamic—making it easier and faster to link partners, reduce integration effort, and move from basic connectivity to shared, automated processes across the supply chain.
TRANSCRIPT
TRANSCRIPT
A smart supply chain is a connected supply chain. Today we need to make sure that, of course, the product can reach the patient but can reach a patient in full transparency and full security.
That's where the smart supply chain concept comes in because you need to connect all the different downstream partners to follow the product and to have real-time information fed back into the enterprise.
The first step to the smart supply chain is to review your approach to data. Make sure that the data, which is going to be shared outside of the four walls of the enterprise, is absolutely perfect, is trustworthy, and then that you do have the necessary means to have processes, have software like MINT, to exchange those data with the external partners.
AI is going to be an evolution. Agentic AI is going to be a revolution in the sense that now we can directly access the data. Not only that, but we can also act on it. We can act on it in the background, meaning that we can focus on what is important — the analysis of the data and the exceptions. Not only the exceptions to react but being able to understand the root cause of those exceptions.
At Telenet, we are a consultancy company. We focus on the strategy and delivering solutions to the customers — whatever the solution is. The partnership with TraceLink is a natural one in the sense that TraceLink is bringing forward the solutions that we somehow have been dreaming about and that we have been talking about with customers.
In this specific case with MINT, about implementing the supply chain, implementing the connection through the supply chain in a way that transcends the traditional hurdle of point-by-point connection but really by lowering the entry price of those connections, making it possible today.
MINT is a real game changer for high-connecting the different downstream partners in the supply chain in the sense that today there is really a lack of EDI readiness, if you wish, with those partners. A lot of the information is still exchanged by traditional methods — either emails or sometimes even faxes or phone calls. MINT will break this by allowing the different partners to connect together.
MINT will be able to connect all the different partners in a very cost-effective way. Also, we've had the integration time that is absolutely reduced when compared to traditional methods. The cost, but not only the cost...the time. When it takes six months to connect a partner, it is a lot of effort.
MINT is going to simplify all those processes in terms of integration. Integration is only the first part. Then it's about developing the processes and being able to automate some of those processes with the partners. This is where the game-changing approach of MINT lies.
