A Real-time Digital Supply Chain Solution

Output 1.2 - Download here

At Arctic Edge project we built a real-time digital supply chain solution  for SMEs. Here's what that actually means.

A customer places an order. The manufacturer emails their supplier. The supplier replies — maybe today, maybe tomorrow. Nobody knows if stock is available, whether production has started, or if a shipment is stuck somewhere.

This is the daily reality for thousands of small businesses across Northern Europe. Spreadsheets. Phone calls. Emails. And when something goes wrong , a delayed shipment, a production stoppage, a stock shortage ,  nobody finds out until it's already too late to react.

For SMEs in remote and rural regions, the consequences are magnified. Geographic distance makes every disruption hit harder and take longer to recover from.

The Arctic Edge project built something to change that.

What we built — and how it actually works

We developed a shared skeleton digital architecture connecting supply chain partners across multiple countries in real time. Here's the technical stack, in plain language:

MQTT is the messaging backbone. A lightweight protocol — the same technology used in industrial IoT worldwide — that lets systems talk to each other instantly, without heavy infrastructure or licensing costs. When something happens anywhere in the chain, the message travels in real time.

Node-RED is the orchestration layer — the traffic controller that decides what happens when a message arrives. Order placed? Check stock. Stock low? Trigger a purchase order. Production stopped? Alert the manufacturer. No custom code required.

Cloud-based brokers sit at each tier of the supply chain — End Manufacturer, Tier 1 Supplier, Tier 2 Supplier. Each tier runs its own broker maintaining local control, while a central dashboard at the manufacturer level gives end-to-end visibility across the entire chain.

Existing ERP systems stay in place. The architecture connects on top — it doesn't replace anything.

SQL databases store historical order data, lead times, and stock levels. Combined with forecasting logic, the system doesn't just react to problems — it anticipates them.

What this looks like in practice

-Order placed → automatic stock check → purchase order sent to supplier. No email needed.

-Production line stops in Finland → manufacturer in Ireland knows immediately.

-Shipment delayed in customs → status updates to "Delayed – Customs" across the chain in real time.

-Stock running low → system proposes a replenishment order before it becomes a crisis.

Why SMEs can actually adopt this

The core stack — MQTT, Node-RED, cloud databases — runs at near-zero licensing cost for the scale most SMEs operate at. No specialist team needed. No requirement to replace existing systems. Start with visibility, expand to forecasting as confidence grows.

And because it was built collaboratively across four countries — Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Iceland — it works across borders by design.

This is Output 1.2 of the Arctic Edge project, co-funded by the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme.

Next: live pilot demonstrations across three partner sites, real-world Digital Beacon deployments, and a free SME toolkit so any business can adopt this — with or without a technical team."   Or this "Arctic Edge Output 1.2 Delivered: A Jointly Developed Digital Supply Chain Architecture for SMEs

What if SMEs could achieve real-time supply chain visibility without replacing their existing ERP systems?

That is exactly what Arctic Edge partners from Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Iceland have been working on.

Our jointly developed solution delivers a lightweight, scalable digital architecture designed to improve supply chain resilience, interoperability and decision-making across the Northern Periphery and Arctic region.

 Technical Stack

• MQTT brokers for real-time messaging and event-driven communication
• Node-RED for data orchestration and workflow automation
• ERP integration (including Odoo and other existing systems)
• SQL databases for production and logistics data
• Cloud-based broker architecture connecting multiple supply chain tiers
• Dashboarding and visualisation tools for monitoring orders, production and deliveries
• Forecasting capabilities using historical and live operational data

The architecture enables information to flow seamlessly between manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers and Tier 2 suppliers, replacing fragmented communication based on emails, spreadsheets and phone calls with real-time data exchange.

 What makes it different?

-No need for full system replacement- Low-cost and scalable for SMEs
-Real-time order, production and shipment visibility
-Early warning alerts for disruptions and delays
-Cross-border interoperability
-Foundation for future integration with AI and European Data Spaces

The solution has been jointly developed through Arctic Edge's transnational collaboration and is now being validated through pilot activities across multiple sites.

Watch the demonstration video below and see how digital technologies can help SMEs build more resilient and transparent supply chains.