AIM Chapters from around the world came together on September 16 for the quarterly AIM Chapters Meeting, sharing regional updates, discussing emerging technology and regulatory priorities, and identifying new opportunities for collaboration across the global AIDC community.
The meeting brought together representatives from AIM Chapters throughout Europe, Asia, North America and other regions, with updates spanning standards development, education, industry events, Digital Product Passport initiatives, RFID, 2D barcode migration, cybersecurity and global traceability.
Manifest Europe Brings New Collaboration Opportunities
The meeting opened with a presentation from Sophie Ahmed, President of Manifest Europe, highlighting the upcoming launch of Manifest Europe in Lisbon, Portugal. The event is scheduled for October 19-21, 2027 and is expected to bring together approximately 2,500 attendees from across the supply chain, logistics, technology, startup and investment communities.
Ahmed discussed opportunities for AIM and its Chapters to participate in the event and help shape programming that reflects the needs of the European market. AIM is continuing discussions around partnership opportunities and broader involvement by the global AIDC community. More information about the event and AIM’s partnership with Manifest will be announced soon.
Strong Regional Activity Across AIM Chapters
AIM Germany, Austria and Switzerland shared an extensive update on standards, regulatory developments and upcoming events. Current priorities include Digital Product Passport initiatives, the Cyber Resilience Act, the Radio Equipment Directive, RFID frequency harmonization and cybersecurity regulations. The Chapter is also preparing for its October 2026 Autumn Meeting and planning a significant presence at LogiMAT 2027, including an AIM booth, experts forum and Tracking & Tracing Theater.
AIM Russia highlighted its longstanding work in standards development and its cooperation with GS1 Russia. The Chapter continues to support national traceability initiatives using technologies including UHF RFID and DataMatrix and is participating in international standards work through organizations including ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31, IEC/PC 132 and ISO/IEC JTC 5.
AIM India reported continued growth in education and outreach, including its first four-day AIDC workshop in August. The program focused on RFID, smart barcoding, tagging and printing technologies and emphasized hands-on demonstrations and practical learning. AIM India also surpassed 2,000 LinkedIn followers and continues to participate in government, healthcare and technology-focused industry programs.
AIM Asia shared updates from activities including the Shenzhen IOTE Show and World Robotics Conference in Beijing, while also preparing for its October annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur. The Chapter is expanding relationships throughout the region, including work involving DPP platforms, AIDC education and international event partnerships.
Additional updates from AIM Denmark and AIM Japan reinforced a common theme throughout the meeting: interoperability, international cooperation and the importance of building on existing global standards as new regulatory and technology requirements emerge.
Digital Product Passport Remains a Global Priority
Digital Product Passport discussions were among the strongest areas of common interest across the Chapters.
Representatives discussed DPP activities in Europe, China, Japan and Russia, as well as the importance of harmonizing approaches across different regulatory environments. Participants emphasized the need for interoperability and for industry to avoid creating isolated, country-specific systems wherever existing global standards can provide a common foundation.
AIM plans to continue bringing Chapters together around this issue, including an upcoming DPP work group meeting and expanded educational resources focused on global regulations and implementation. AIM Global will be hosting a DPP meeting on October 7th at 2 PM ET to discuss all of this in more detail. Contact Michael Allen if you are interested in being a part of this call.
The Global Food Supply Chain is Becoming More Visible
Members on the call shared several updates related to global food supply chain traceability. Anna from AIM Asia highlighted a major traceability event held in China in July that brought together approximately 4,000 companies and included significant discussion around Digital Product Passport standards. She also noted plans to connect the China-based traceability platform with other systems internationally to support greater global interoperability. Masaki from AIM Japan added context on GS1 China’s role in DPP standardization and related standards activity in the region. AIM North America also provided an update on its ongoing Food Supply Chain Work Group activities and broader traceability initiatives. The discussion highlighted how AIM chapters around the world are addressing common challenges around food traceability, data standards, and supply chain connectivity.
AIM North America Advances Education and Industry Work
AIM North America provided updates across several active work groups. The UDI Work Group is developing guidance on selecting 2D scanners and educational materials related to the transition to 2D barcodes and GS1 Sunrise 2027. The Food Supply Chain Work Group continues its work around FSMA 204, food traceability and reseller education, while the Cannabis Work Group has expanded its podcast programming and formed an advisory board to help guide future priorities.AIM North America is also continuing its member meet-up program at industry events and company facilities, creating additional opportunities for members to connect in person throughout the year.
AIM Global Initiatives Continue to Expand
AIM provided Chapters with an update on several global initiatives currently underway.
Advocacy remains a major priority, with AIM monitoring regulations and policy developments affecting AIDC technologies around the world, including the previously mentioned Digital Product Passport requirements and the U.S. FCC NextNav proceeding.
AIM industry groups are also advancing a broad range of technical resources. Current work includes RFID security and privacy guidance, BLE, NFC and UWB technology primers, worldwide regulatory monitoring, supply chain visibility graphics, cybersecurity labeling initiatives, healthcare 2D scanner guidance and educational material on barcode verification.
AIM also highlighted the continued development of its ISO/IEC 15459 IAC-CIN Lookup Service. The initiative is designed to connect standardized identifiers with the appropriate digital information or resolver service, helping support traceability, Digital Product Passports, authenticity information and other digital applications without requiring the full information to be stored directly in the identifier itself.
Building the Next Generation of the AIDC Community
Community development remains another area of focus.
AIM is expanding the Women of AIDC program internationally through its Chapters and has launched a new Young Professionals community called NextGen Supply Chain Tech on Discord. The community is intended to provide a more informal space for industry conversation, peer networking, education and professional development.
Preparing the Industry for the Move to 2D
AIM’s next Community Connect will focus on the global migration from traditional 1D barcodes toward next-generation 2D barcode applications.
Topics will include GS1 Sunrise 2027, coexistence of 1D and 2D barcodes, implementation strategies, printing and verification, security considerations, retail readiness and real-world adoption.
AIM Chapters are being encouraged to identify end users, retailers, manufacturers, technology experts and regional case studies that can contribute to the program.
One Global AIDC Community
The September Chapter Meeting reinforced the value of AIM’s global network and the opportunity to connect regional expertise with worldwide industry priorities.
Whether addressing Digital Product Passport requirements, RFID spectrum issues, traceability, cybersecurity, 2D migration or emerging technologies, AIM Chapters are increasingly working across borders to share expertise and promote interoperable approaches.
As AIM looks toward 2027, continued collaboration among Chapters will be critical to ensuring that the global AIDC community has a strong, coordinated voice as technologies, standards and regulations continue to evolve.