LOGISTICS
“ In retail supply chain , getting the processes right should come before any large-scale investment in microfulfilment ”
PETER JONES MD AND FOUNDER , PROLOGICAL CONSULTING
It reported that retailers in the pharmacy , health and beauty spaces were the likeliest to have all their fulfilment locations automated .
Reflecting on how organisations can meet the needs of customer-driven commerce , and increase fulfilment , Blue Yonder stressed the need for agile fulfilment solutions , such as micro-fulfilment centres ( MFCs ) and pop-up distribution centres .
MFCs take the speed of localised , in-store pick-up and combines it with the efficiency of large , automated warehouses . The model is popular in the food retail industry , as an alternative to manual fulfilment , or large automated warehouses . Being small , MFCs offer competitive advantages in terms of last mile and delivery costs .
“ There ’ s a lot of buzz around microfulfilment at the moment ,” says Peter Jones , MD and founder of Australia-based supply chain specialists , Prological Consulting .
“ Organisations are exploring it as a way to increase speed to market and raise the bar on last-mile delivery .”
Pre-pandemic , micro-fulfilment was gaining traction Jones says that even before the pandemic , automated micro-fulfilment centres ( MFC ) were gaining traction around the world .
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