Logistics innovation

New trends in operational logistics

Automation

Thanks to innovations such as AI, machine learning and deep learning, it is now possible to improve forecast quality and optimize productivity across the entire supply chain. Opening the door to process automation is the key to innovation, and technologies such as chatbots for customer relations and robots for warehouses are the perfect example.

Digitizing operations

This transformation includes the integration of new digital capabilities applied to warehousing, order picking or transport. IoT technology applied to the warehouse enables objects such as mobile terminals, RFID readers and beacons to be interconnected. These sensors collect data from the physical world and transmit it to digital databases.

Optimizing and securing truck loading

Inventory management software can optimize truck loading. Thanks to this tool, cargo preparation and vehicle loading are optimized. Goods are automatically assigned to a loading dock. The software designates a loading route and the choice of docks. It can also recommend the distribution of goods in the truck, preventing the risk of overloading. It can also facilitate the work of forklift operators by informing them of the unloading order, thus facilitating the flow of their movements and contributing to the safety of their work.

Urban logistics

The boom in e-commerce has led city centers to reconsider their logistics. Deliveries are a source of nuisance and pollution, so major cities are thinking about new delivery methods that bring goods closer to consumers and use less polluting vehicles: electric vehicles, cargo bikes and autonomous robots, which are currently being tested Furthermore, in an environment characterized by increasing urban flows, the imperatives of speed, reliability and economic balance between all players can only be guaranteed by the use of automation technologies coordinated by an OMS (Order Management System).

The most promising technological innovations

Robotics

Major developments in the field of robotization have led to the creation of intelligent robots, which enable the automation of numerous tasks and will play a key role in the logistics sector in the coming years. The use of these robots complements human work and reduces the arduousness of certain tasks. Cabots, order-picking tools, move around warehouses with ease thanks to laser navigation. There are also motorized shuttles or Pallet Shuttle, whose movements are controlled by an operator using a remote control, which are ideal for optimizing storage space, limiting handling time and guaranteeing safety.

Digital applications

Applications are now available on all digital media, providing an overview of the entire chain and making it easier to understand the interactions and correlations between each link. On site, for example, by mapping a warehouse, workshop, stores and docks, it is possible to get an overview of supply chain flows and analyze all this data more quickly. More generally, there are applications for real-time tracking, with integrated mapping, appointment systems for deliveries or pick-ups, confirmation with electronic signature, code scanners, RFID, NFC, etc.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a secure information storage and transmission technology that will radically transform commercial exchanges Unforgeable and secure from end to end, blockchain makes it possible to eliminate intermediaries and optimize processes. All players in the network are interconnected, and product traceability is controlled in real time, improving the speed and efficiency of service for the end customer.

Faced with increasingly demanding consumers, companies must now invest in logistics innovation and implement the digital transition to optimize performance and productivity, while cutting costs.