Press Release: CIMdata Whitepaper Shows How AI-Powered PLM Drives Brand Integrity for Food, Cosmetics, and Chemicals Industries

Independent analyst research from CIMdata finds that purpose-built PLM platforms help process manufacturers and retailers manage regulatory compliance across 170+ countries, while an independent Total Economic Impact™ study found up to 70% ROI within three years and up to three months reduction in time-to-market — capabilities trusted by over 9,000 brands including Barilla, Ocean Spray, and Suntory Global Spirits.

Paris, France — March 19, 2026 — Every food and beverage, cosmetics, or chemicals manufacturer or retailer launching products across global markets faces the same reality: regulations change faster than internal teams can track them, formulation complexity grows with every new SKU, and a single compliance oversight can trigger a product recall that costs millions and damages consumer trust built over decades. 

These challenges are compounded by a fragmented technology landscape. Most manufacturers and retailers still rely on generic enterprise tools or disconnected spreadsheets to manage product development, regulatory compliance, and supplier quality — creating silos that slow launches, increase errors, and leave brands exposed. 

A new independent whitepaper from CIMdata, the world’s leading PLM analyst firm with more than 40 years of market research, examines how purpose-built, AI-powered PLM platforms are helping process manufacturers and retailers break through these challenges. The whitepaper, titled "Product Lifecycle Management as a Catalyst for Brand Integrity and Agility," provides an independent assessment of how integrated PLM is transforming product development, regulatory compliance, and brand protection for regulated industries. 

“Process manufacturers and retailers in food and beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals face a unique set of challenges that discrete manufacturing PLM solutions were not designed to address. This whitepaper examines how purpose-built PLM platforms like Trace One PLM are enabling these companies to manage formulation complexity, regulatory compliance, and brand integrity as integrated capabilities rather than siloed processes.”

— Peter Bilello, President & CEO, CIMdata

The Case for Purpose-Built PLM in Regulated Manufacturing 

The whitepaper addresses a critical gap in the PLM market: most PLM solutions were designed for discrete manufacturing — automotive, aerospace, electronics — and lack the formulation management, regulatory intelligence, and ingredient-level traceability that process manufacturers and retailers require. Generic PLM tools adapted for food, cosmetics, or chemicals create compliance blind spots and slow time-to-market. 

Trace One Devex PLM is a purpose-built PLM platform that combines AI-powered regulatory intelligence — built on a proprietary validated database of 37,000+ legal statutes, 134,000+ food news items, and 20,000+ restricted substances — with more than 30 years of process industry expertise. Unlike platforms that rely on third-party regulatory data providers, Trace One’s proprietary database is maintained and validated by a dedicated team of regulatory scientists, ensuring accuracy and speed of compliance updates across 170+ countries.

Measurable Results from Integrated PLM 

An independent Total Economic Impact™ study found that customers using Trace One Devex PLM achieve measurable business outcomes: up to 70% ROI within the first three years, up to 60% faster product lifecycle management, and an average 3-month reduction in time-to-market. The platform’s integrated approach connects product data management, compliance workflows, and supply chain traceability in a single solution, supported by 500+ experts worldwide.

The platform supports the full product lifecycle for food and beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals manufacturers — from formulation management and new product development through specification management, supplier quality management, and regulatory compliance. Trusted by over 9,000 brands worldwide — including Barilla, Ocean Spray, Carrefour, Moët Hennessy, Suntory Global Spirits, and 7 of the top 10 dairy producers — Trace One Devex PLM supports $500 billion in food and beverage revenue globally.

“We partnered with CIMdata on this whitepaper because manufacturers and retailers in our industries need independent, analyst-backed guidance on how PLM can address their most pressing challenges — from food labeling compliance to cosmetic formulation management to chemicals safety data management. This whitepaper provides exactly that: an objective, expert perspective on why purpose-built, AI-powered PLM for process manufacturing is a strategic necessity, not just a technology decision.” 

— Federico Fontanella, Head of Strategic Innovation and Product Partners, Trace One

Whitepaper Availability

The whitepaper "Product Lifecycle Management as a Catalyst for Brand Integrity and Agility" is available for complimentary download at https://www.traceone.com/en/resources/cimdata-whitepaper-plm-brand-integrity-agility. 

The paper provides actionable insights for VP/Directors of Brand Management, Product Development, IT, Manufacturing, and Compliance at food and beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals companies and retailers seeking to modernize their product lifecycle management capabilities.

To see how Trace One Devex PLM can accelerate product development and simplify regulatory compliance for your organization, book a demo at www.traceone.com/demo-request.

Frequently Asked Questions