European delivery industry looks for greater efficiency from new technology 

According to a White Paper by Panasonic and Zetes; obtaining better efficiencies and commercial motivations are the main rationale for trying new supply chain technologies from first to final mile. 

Supply Chain Technology Trends in the European Delivery Industry, published on 22 June 2021, explores insights provided by senior executives from major transport and logistics organisations across Europe and identifies the technologies that will drive supply chains forward in the future.

From early March to the end of April 2021, Triangle Management Services ran an online survey investigating how the industry currently uses and is planning to adopt new technology to meet the challenges they currently face in the light of market pressures and industry realities.

 Survey highlights 

• Most respondents indicated that obtaining better efficiencies and cutting costs is the main rationale for trying new supply chain technologies (51%)
• Gaining a competitive edge is also important to many carriers (35%), and as part of this, using the latest technologies is part of the corporate strategy and image
• Respondents are primarily thinking of efficiency and productivity improvements when selecting new supply chain solutions – highest priority (4.6 out of 5.0)
• In the final mile, the majority of respondents run their own delivery operations and for three-quarters of them simply keeping up with e-commerce-fuelled demand for deliveries has been the most significant challenge in the last 12 months
• Mobile devices play a major part in increasing operator efficiency, providing real-time data collection, track & trace, and gradually replacing paper-based systems. Moreover, the capabilities of hand-held technology are constantly expanding, to incorporate, for instance, photographic, contactless ePOD, GPS and voice applications
• Newer types of supply chain management technologies have not yet been fully embraced by large sections of the delivery and distribution industry, such as network visibility platforms, autonomous delivery vehicles, and AI- and IoT-based solutions for improving transport efficiencies

Shusuke Aoki, Chief Transformation Officer, Panasonic Business Europe, commented: “The research shows that innovative technologies are a key part of the corporate strategy for many organisations.  We strongly believe that intelligent technology solutions can be a game changer in driving operational efficiency for the entire supply chain. The journey to a complete digital logistics future has started and we are ready to collaborate with and support logistics organisations utilising all our knowhow and capabilities to make this road smart and deliverable.”