LOGISTICS
“ Today , instead of doing one delivery to a single store freight companies might be doing 10 deliveries to individuals ”
VINCENT FLETCHER CEO , CARTONCLOUD
against climate change . Looking specifically at last mile , an economic model created by Accenture and Frontier Economics , it shows that , by 2025 , local fulfilment centres could reduce last-mile emissions by up to 26 % in Chicago , London and Sydney . That ’ s because the closer inventory gets to the consumer , the more opportunity for alternative lastmile delivery modes – such as electric vehicle , bicycle , or even pedestrian . more effort into what to do when a parcel can ’ t be delivered – such as pick-up points .
Not all companies are coping , though . Some are trying to operate the same way they always have . We ’ re seeing a push from partnering businesses for more companies to bring operations online .
What impact is net zero having on last-mile operations ? SB : Overall , supply chains generate around 60 % of all carbon emissions globally – making them a key element in the fight
VF : We surveyed our customer base in Q4 2021 and many of them recognised the need to do something about emissions , but said the next step was taking action .
It ’ s not just about net zero , either . The soaring price of petrol has driven many operators to explore ways to reduce fuel consumption . When fuel goes up by as much as 50 %, companies can ’ t pass all that extra cost on to customers , so they ’ re more willing to make hard decisions to create efficiencies in their operations .
What role will drones and robots end up playing in last-mile ? SB : The extent of their usage will be dependent on other enabling mechanisms , such as regulatory approvals , customer
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