Case Study: 3M achieves counterfeit-fighting supply chain visibility with Microsoft Corporation’s Azure blockchain solution

3M explores new label-as-a-service concept with blockchain on Azure to stop counterfeit pharmaceuticals

3M, a global consumer goods company, wanted to use digital technology to improve supply chain safety and explore a new label-as-a-service business concept. Its challenge was preventing counterfeit pharmaceuticals and giving customers better visibility and accountability across complex supply chains. Microsoft Corporation provided the Azure platform, including Azure Active Directory and Azure SQL Database, to support the proof of concept.

Microsoft Corporation helped 3M build a blockchain-based solution on Azure that combined tamper-evident labels with shared supply chain data. The concept let participants scan and activate labels at each handoff, improving traceability and authentication. The result was a faster path to proof of concept and a potential new service line, with lower-cost labels, better protection against counterfeits, and measurable benefits tied to reducing losses from counterfeit products, a $200 billion global problem.

3M

Oscar Naim

Lead Software Architecture Specialist