What is a BPN and who needs one?

When your customers mention Catena-X, they usually also ask you to join the dataspace. A Business Partner Number (BPN) is your key to entry. Learn why it’s important to get one now and how registration works.

We frequently have inquiries from companies who want to do business in the Catena-X ecosystem, but they wonder why they need a Business Partner Number (BPN). That’s like trying to enter a country without a passport or establish a business without a legal address. Simply put, you must have a BPN to operate in Catena-X. If your business is in the automotive sector, it is essential for all activities in this pioneering dataspace.

What is the BPN?

A BPN is more than just a number – it’s your unique identifier within the Catena-X ecosystem. It means other users of Catena-X will know exactly who they are dealing with. You will automatically be assigned a BPN when you register your company for the Catena-X dataspace with Cofinity-X.

To register, you will need to enter your company’s official name, physical address and an identifier, e.g. in the EU, your VAT-ID number serves as your identifier. Learn more about registering for Catena-X and the onboarding process on our website.

After you enter your details, an external clearing house validates your data. We then generate the BPN for you and notify you via e-mail when the process is complete. After this, you will receive instructions from us on how to access the portal.

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Why join the Catena-X ecosystem?

One major motivator to join Catena-X is because it helps to ensure compliance with the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Catena-X isn’t just about compliance though – it’s about staying competitive. Many major OEMs and suppliers are using the Catena-X ecosystem to streamline data exchange and improve value chain visibility, as well.

As a result, the question is no longer why join, but when to join. At Cofinity-X, we always advise our customers to join as early as possible. By joining early, the entire process is easier and you can proceed without pressure. You also have the chance to please your customers and to win lucrative orders by showing that you already meet their pending requirements.

It’s also better for you: Catena-X simplifies and standardizes data exchange across the value chain, enabling you and your customers to comply with regulations in the most efficient way.

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Support when joining the Catena-X ecosystem

Navigating Catena-X resources can be overwhelming. No worries, Cofinity-X is here to support you with this, too. We offer practical advisory services to help you plan your unique journey, according to your goals and the role that you wish to play in the Catena-X ecosystem. Plus, we offer apps and services to simplify all your future data exchange needs within the dataspace.

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How does it work?

Getting onboarded to Catena-X usually takes a couple weeks – from registering to getting your technical set up ready and then starting to exchange data. The price is based on an annual subscription, which all depends on the size of your company and the number of partners you want to exchange data with. You can adapt these parameters later as you grow, so just enter what is currently realistic for you. Use our Pricing calculator to get an idea. You will also be guided through these same steps when you register.

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Do you have questions about registering? Get in touch with our sales team.

‍Learn more about the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

Read the full text of the Catena-X standard for the BPN: CX – 0010 Business Partner Number v.2.0.0

Watch a video produced by Catena-X:

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