LOGISTICS & DISTRIBUTION
• Augmented reality – this will revolutionise the picking , packing and commissioning processes in warehouses and crossdocking areas . If the technology is not applied , handling costs won ’ t be competitive and will lead to margin decrease .
• Robotics – Robotics process automation will increase the automation level to almost 100 % in the transport planning and customer invoicing processes , leaving almost no activities to human beings in the future .
• Autonomous logistics – a driverless way of bringing goods from A to B will revolutionise the industry by eliminating dependency on the human factor . Data collected via sensors , ( radiofrequency identification RFID ), barcode and remote devices along the entire value chain will be a make-or-break capability .
• Digital platforms – these change the revenue mix by enabling both physical and virtual product offerings that do more than handle products from one point to another .
“ Over the next three to five years , a combination of new competitors , rising customer expectations , and a shift in global trade routes will force traditional intermediaries to transform – or lose relevance ”
– Accenture
By giving clients insights along the supply chain , digital platforms also enable the optimisation of other parts of the business .
• Big data analytics – with data from the entire ecosystem , this will provide a whole new set of information that enable 3PLs ( third party logistics ) to strongly drive operational efficiencies through a higher utilisation of assets .
• SaaS ( Software as a Service ) core solutions – standardised and easy to deploy and parametrise applications replace monolithic bespoke core applications that were used in freight and logistics , driving operational agility into the business .
40 January 2018