The Threat from Technology Insurgents

Two recent articles in this publication specifically caught my eye and set in progress the compilation of this article. The first, ITSA Hits Back Over Tax Stamp Criticism, appeared in the June 2020 edition followed by Blockchain and Excise Supply Chains: Hype, Conjecture and Reality, in July.

I would like to venture a complementary point of view but take a different perspective. Imagining myself as a technology insurgent, I would like to look at how I would consider entry into our industry.

At this point I should make my own perspective plain. I have a printing background but I attend a lot of emerging technology conferences. I also witnessed first-hand the effect of technology insurgency when it all but destroyed the photo printing industry.

Who are these potential insurgents?

For the purposes of this work we can consider these in two main groups.

The first group consists of the major technology companies, often known as Tech Giants. Prime examples would include Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google (parent company Alphabet). Some of these have already shown an interest in authentication from the perspective of identity and payment solutions, while others have shown interest in the retail supply chain.