“Seeing how much the AAS standard is making possible today – that genuinely motivates me.”
Dr. Benedikt Seidel on the Asset Administration Shell, Digital Product Passports, and joining Nexpirit.
Dr. Benedikt Seidel has been a PLM Consultant at Nexpirit since late 2025. He brings the analytical perspective of his doctorate in Management & Digital Markets, combined with a genuine instinct for implementing complex technology projects in practice.
Since joining, he has been working intensively on the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) – the standard that makes Digital Product Passports and cross-company data exchange truly possible. We spoke with him about what makes the AAS so significant, why he chose industry over academia – and why he is convinced this standard will establish itself globally.
Benedikt, tell us a little about yourself: what do you do at Nexpirit?
“I joined Nexpirit as a PLM Consultant in December 2025. My focus is on implementing Teamcenter PLM and in particular our Teamcenter for Sustainability solution. I help clients introduce these solutions into their existing IT landscape and set them up in a way that delivers real value. The Asset Administration Shell – or Verwaltungsschale in German – is a forward-looking topic I follow closely. It creates the foundation for exchanging sustainability data such as the Product Carbon Footprint in an automated, cross-company way.”
What is the AAS - and why is it such a big topic right now?
“At its core, the Asset Administration Shell is a standardised data format. The file extension is .aasx – similar to how .pdf is a universally readable format. What makes it special is that it is vendor-independent. Whether you use Siemens Teamcenter, another PLM system, or an ERP – anyone using the standard can exchange data with others, without both sides needing the same software. And that, for example, will become the technical foundation for the Digital Product Passport.”
What does the AAS mean for companies in practice - what actually changes day to day?
“The biggest difference is time savings. We expect up to 80 percent less effort when entering data, because processes that previously ran manually now work automatically. Take the Product Carbon Footprint as an example: if a supplier provides their PCF data in AAS format, I can import it directly into my system – no manual entry, no media breaks, no room for error. Beyond that, companies that adopt the AAS today are well-positioned for future regulatory requirements – most notably the Digital Product Passport, which is becoming mandatory for an increasing number of product categories.”
Your doctorate focused on decentralised value creation patterns - before the AAS even existed as a standard. What has changed?
“My research was largely about the conditions under which decentralised value creation patterns – from product development through second-hand markets to recycling – can actually become economically viable. A central problem was always the missing infrastructure for exchanging product-related information. The idea of a continuous digital twin across company boundaries was theoretically conceivable, but practically almost impossible to implement, because every system had its own data logic. With the AAS, this shared foundation is emerging for the first time – and that will enable a great deal going forward.”
Why did you move from research into industry?
“During my doctorate I realised that the implementation questions fascinated me just as much as the theoretical ones. I published less and built more prototypes. The classical academic career path held less long-term appeal for me than the opportunity to work directly on topics I consider relevant. At Nexpirit I work precisely at this intersection: between regulation, technology, and concrete implementation in companies. That is where the most interesting insights arise for me.”
What is the most interesting open question around the AAS for you right now?
“How to reliably get product-related data from A to B – across system, company, and value chain boundaries. In practice you see it time and again: data exists, but it is not available in a form that makes it usable and exchangeable. The AAS gives us a solid foundation for the first time. The real challenge lies in implementing it in a way that works within existing IT landscapes – without adding unnecessary complexity. And in the long term, the availability of product data will help drive the circular economy forward, through better reuse, repair, or data-based services.”
Where do you see the AAS in five years - and what role does Nexpirit play?
“In five years I think the AAS will be seen as a natural part of digital infrastructure – much like APIs are today. I consider it quite likely that the standard will establish itself across the global industrial ecosystem – and that is really all it takes for systems to communicate with each other. I see Nexpirit in the role of accompanying companies through exactly this transition phase: from initial pilot projects to scalable, productive solutions. It is not just about technology – it is also about how organisations and processes adapt to these new requirements.”
And when you are not thinking about the Asset Administration Shell?
“I am happiest on the water – wingfoiling is my great passion. My two-year-old twins are currently making sure I spend more time on land than planned.”
Welcome to the team, Benedikt!
If you would like to learn more about how to implement the Asset Administration Shell and the Digital Product Passport in your Teamcenter environment, get in touch with us directly.
