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LOGISTICS & DISTRIBUTION

reliable delivery – fuelling the success of independent sellers in the US and around the world,” says Peter Larsen, Vice President of Amazon Multichannel Commerce & Fulfilment.

This year, Amazon has added 750,000 new SKUs to its MCF network. This means that same or next-day delivery now covers 30 % more items. The service has been selected by global brands such as Adidas, Dexcom and Steve Madden, representing a 40 % increase in large retailers year on year.

Carriers of the future Looking ahead, Renaud sees the relationship between warehouse technology and transport decisions becoming much more intertwined.

“ Smarter warehouses by a better integration of all the new technologies that are now mature to boost efficiency, flexibility and space optimisation,” he says.“ I see a convergence between robotics, data science, AI, computer vision and scheduling.”

For carrier selection, that convergence means better alignment between operational execution and transportation planning, as well as better enforcement of service-level agreements and more dynamic contract strategies. Kearney’ s advice is similar: to remain flexible, accountable and efficient. This means capitalising on current conditions so procurement can“ drive rate outcomes rather than react to them”.

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