Digital alternative to paper-based cleaning documentation now available for chemical logistics companies

Hürth, Germany, September 28, 2026 – The digital cleaning certificate developed within the structural transformation project VERA (Verifiable Cleaning Documents) is now available to additional companies across the chemical logistics industry. Tank cleaning stations, logistics providers, shippers and software vendors can test the solution free of charge and integrate it into their operational processes.

Instead of relying on paper-based documentation, VERA enables the secure digital issuance, storage and verification of cleaning certificates through a simple link or QR code. The solution helps reduce media discontinuities, streamline workflows and make critical information available more quickly across the supply chain.

The chemical industry places the highest demands on the cleanliness of tanks, containers and silo vehicles. Before every new loading operation, transport equipment must be professionally cleaned, with proof of cleaning still largely documented on paper. This creates additional administrative effort, limits traceability and slows down information exchange between supply chain partners.

To address these challenges, the project partners Fraunhofer FIT, TALKE Group and Spherity GmbH jointly developed a digital solution that allows cleaning certificates to be issued electronically, stored securely and shared instantly.

The digitalization of cleaning documentation supports greater transparency, traceability and efficiency throughout logistics operations while improving collaboration between tank cleaning facilities, logistics providers, shippers and other supply chain stakeholders.

Replacing paper certificates with digital verification

At the core of the solution is a digital cleaning certificate generated immediately after the completion of an internal tank cleaning process. Drivers, dispatchers, customers and loading sites can access and verify the certificate at any time.

Key benefits include:

• Drivers can retrieve and present cleaning certificates digitally immediately after the cleaning process.
• Customers can inform the next loading site in advance that the required cleaning has been completed.
• Dispatch teams can verify whether a completed cleaning process meets the requirements of the next transport order.
• Certificates can be shared via a link or QR code instead of sending PDF attachments by email.

The system also creates opportunities for future integration with electronic invoicing processes, enabling cleaning records to be accessed instantly in the event of audits, customer inquiries or complaints.

In addition to certificate users, tank cleaning stations themselves benefit from the digital approach. Paper archives and manual document management can largely be eliminated. All issued certificates remain digitally available and can be searched, retrieved and reviewed within seconds, reducing administrative effort while improving access to critical operational information.

Tamper-proof and easy to verify

The certificates are issued as digital product passports. Each issuing company receives its own digital identity, while every certificate is assigned a unique identifier and cryptographic signature.

This functions like a digital seal, making any subsequent modification immediately detectable and ensuring the authenticity of the certificate.

Verification is performed through a simple link or QR code. Unlike centralized systems, certificates are not stored in a shared database used by all market participants. Instead, each company manages its own certificates and digital identities independently, retaining full control over its data.

The solution is based on open standards for digital identities and verifiable credentials that are also expected to play an important role in the future European Digital Product Passport ecosystem.

VERA is powered by Spherity’s digital product passport platform and is already designed to support fully decentralized operations in the future, avoiding reliance on a single provider.

Easy integration into existing processes

The application was developed to integrate seamlessly into existing tank cleaning workflows. It can be used either as a standalone desktop application or embedded into established industry software solutions.

A major integration step is already underway with C-BANK, the software platform developed by Ingenieurbüro Gellweiler Fischer (IGF) and widely used by tank cleaning facilities throughout the industry.

Industry partners invited to participate

With the development phase successfully completed, the project has now entered its next stage. The project partners are actively seeking additional tank cleaning operators, logistics providers, shippers and software vendors interested in testing the solution under real-world conditions.

“From the outset, public funding for the project was intended to make the results accessible to as many companies as possible. We are therefore looking to engage additional users, gather practical experience and continue developing the solution together with industry partners,” says Lisa Klug, Project Manager for VERA at Fraunhofer FIT.

About VERA

VERA (Verifiable Cleaning Documents) develops digital and verifiable cleaning certificates for the chemical logistics industry. Funded as part of the structural transformation initiative in Germany’s Rhenish mining region, the project demonstrates how collaboration between research, software development and chemical logistics can create innovative digital solutions for the industry.

Project partners are Alfred Talke GmbH & Co. KG, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT and Spherity GmbH.