# How Smart Labels Transform the Supply Chain | Reelables' David Stanton | Internet of Things Podcast

- Show: [IoT For All Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast)
- Published: 2026-02-03
- Length: 21m
- Episode: 392
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/iot-for-all/episodes/How-Smart-Labels-Transform-the-Supply-Chain--Reelables-David-Stanton--Internet-of-Things-Podcast-e3ej3fd

## Summary

David Stanton, CEO and co-founder of Reelables, explains how the company’s mass-produced, battery-powered smart labels are transforming supply chain visibility by providing real-time, item-level tracking for cargo and inventory. Stanton details the industry's reliance on manual email chains and fragmented IT systems, which lead to data quality issues like false positives and misrouted shipments. He contrasts Reelables' active, disposable labels with passive RFID and computer vision, arguing that only low-cost, always-on tracking can shift the industry from reactive to proactive logistics management.

## Chapters

- [0:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=4) Introduction and Reelables Overview
- [0:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=56) The State of Supply Chain Data and Manual Processes
- [4:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=241) Why Data Flows by Email and Integration Challenges
- [5:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=330) Limitations of RFID, API Aggregators, and Legacy Tracking
- [6:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=397) Data Quality Issues: False Positives and Misrouted Cargo
- [9:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=547) Comparing Vision, Drones, and Active vs. Passive Labels
- [13:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=813) The Future of Cargo Tracking and ROI Thresholds
- [15:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-02-03-how-smart-labels-transform-the-supply-chain-reelables-david-stanton-internet-of#t=951) Cost, Usability, and the Shift to Agentic Logistics

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Reelables (company)
- DHL (company)
- UPS (company)
- Project44 (company)
- 4Kites (company)
- Verizon (company)
- RFID (other)
- Bluetooth (other)
- Computer Vision (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Family Businesses, Moneyball, and Supply Chain Innovation with ShelfAware CEO Andrew Johnson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-10-13-family-businesses-moneyball-and-supply-chain-innovation-with-shelfaware-ceo-andr) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [154 - LIVE at LabelExpo - Geert and Esteban from CERM](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2022-09-15-154-live-at-labelexpo-geert-and-esteban-from-cerm) (People of Packaging)
- [38 - Jesse Genet CEO of Lumi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-11-23-38-jesse-genet-ceo-of-lumi) (People of Packaging)
- [17 - Jeff Bean, EVP of Packaging Manufacturing at Visible Supply Chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-05-12-17-jeff-bean-evp-of-packaging-manufacturing-at-visible-supply-chain) (People of Packaging)
- [Electronica 24: Cybord's New RTI or Real-Time Interceptor Future of Supply Chain Traceability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-25-electronica-24-cybords-new-rti-or-real-time-interceptor-future-of-supply-chain-t) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

## Citing this page

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