UMID (Unique Material Identifier)

What is a UMID?

UMID (Unique Material Identifier) is a UUID based identifier (UMID example: 2b66317b-6c2e-4ece-a3ee-ad52461bba8) for identifying a unique production variant.

UMIDs can be used to identify any product variant of a physical item in the value chain:

• Raw materials (single ingredient)
• Production Materials (subassemblies, food components, chemicals, packaging components, et cetera)
• Semi-finished goods (often a fully ready product awaiting packaging and shipment)
• Finished goods (consumer & professional goods typically found on shelf in store or online in webshops)
• Trade units (Case, carton, trays, typically for handling and protection products during transport and storage)
• Handling units (pallet, dolly)

The UMID is targetted at Machines, not Humans!

Why do we need UMIDs next to GTINs?

GTIN (Global Trade Identification Number) is a GS1 licenced identifier for indentifing trade items. GTINs provide trade item identification in the whole supply chain and can be assigned on multiple levels:

• Pallet (e.g pallet with 512 consumer units)
• Display (e.g. mixed Christmas floor display with 5 products)
• Case (e.g. carton, tray used as handling unit, can be unboxed in the store or can be used as a shelf ready packaging)
• Multi-pack (either mixed multi-pack like beer gift pack with 5 types of beer or single multi-pack like bundle of 6 bottles of Cola)
• Each (consumer unit)

There are two reasons tot GTINs are not suited to exchange sustainability data across the value network

• GTINs do not represent a product variant. To not disrupt logistics and commerce the GTIN stays the same in many situations where the bill of materials is adjusted for a product. Example is the bottle is made of PET en is made of 100% virgin material. The bottle is replace with a version that has 37% recycled content.
• GTINs are only available in the finished good part of the value chain. Starting with consumer units with a barcode. Globally unique identifiers are also required for more upstream time types that usually have no branded individual packaging. Items like: raw materials, packaging components, food components, subassemblies, semi-finished goods.

Why base the UMID on UUID?

UUID based identifiers have multiple advantages:

• A UUID is unique by definition, also unique over time (generated, so no risk that someone by accident re-uses 324234 or AHG010-230).
• UUID do not need a central repository, every generated UUID is unique
• UUID is not licenced, so UMIDs can be isssued at no cost
• UUID generators are available in all mayor software development platforms, so can easily be implemented in any software solution
• UUIDs can also be generated online when needed, Online UUID Generator
• Even is a UUID is entered in system with typos the UUID will be unique (but incorrect or invalid, and can not be linked to a data set)

What is de UMID allocation rule?

A new UMID should be assigned to an item every time there is ANY change in the Bill of Materials of that item.

So in the Bill of Materials looking down!