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Tag: digitisation

  • Logistics industry has some catching up to do with digitisation

    Logistics industry has some catching up to do with digitisation

    The degree of digitisation in the logistics industry is still not very high – in fact, it only came in tenth in an industry ranking, putting it dead last amongst the ten economic sectors studied. These were the findings of the “Branchenatlas Digitale Transformation” study conducted by the Digital Intelligence Institute on behalf of d.velop.

    According the study, it is at the strategic level that the logistics industry is furthest behind, with just 18 percent of logistics companies surveyed stating that the digital transformation was of fundamental strategic importance. For all of the others, it is not clear who is driving strategic development or where the responsibility lies.

    The continuing widespread reliance on paper documentation is also hindering the digital transformation. In fact, only one in five logistics companies has at least 80 percent of their business processes organised primarily digitally and free of media discontinuities.

    Furthermore, the companies displayed relatively little willingness to invest in digital business models, with just 17 percent currently planning additional funds for projects pertaining to the digital transformation.

    The industry with the highest level of digitisation is currently the information and communication technology sector, followed at some distance by banking and insurance, media and entertainment, and the electronics industry.

    Start-ups: interface to new logistics

    A number of young companies and innovative start-ups have focused on the digitisation of processes in the field of logistics, developing digital business models that they will be presenting at Hypermotion from 20 to 22 November 2017.

    One of these firms is Loadfox, a technology start-up based in Munich that offers a freight-pooling service. This makes things easier for freight forwarders and carriers, facilitating the work of transport enterprises in Germany. An intelligent algorithm combines partial loads in order to create profitable routes. As a result, the utilisation of existing truck capacities is optimised, traffic volume is reduced, emissions are cut and the profitability of participating transport companies is increased.

    Mesaic Technology GmbH, a start-up from Hamburg, has developed a solution that helps companies deal with changed consumer behaviour and increasing customer requirements for logistics such as on-demand and same-day delivery. In order to make communications between companies, service partners and customers in the delivery process as simple and efficient as possible, the company has developed its own platform that intelligently networks service providers and customers in Messenger.

    Metrilus GmbH, a young Erlangen-based firm, has developed a system for automatic freight measurement. With the help of multiple real-time 3D cameras and sensors, an app can be used to dimension packages and even entire pallets, in order to calculate their length, width and height within seconds. In addition, it can be connected to existing systems, e.g. for determining weight, without difficultly.

    Berlin-based start-up M2MGo, established in 2013, is dedicated to “fast and simple networking”, in order to process raw data in real time. The enterprise content management system allows even non-programmers to create custom and complex applications, portals and apps for the internet of things / Industry 4.0 as simply as with a modular system using drag & drop, without doing any programming. Furthermore, legacy systems, device data and APIs can be integrated with ease. That saves time and money.

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  • Global maritime shipping industry at the tipping point of digitisation

    Global maritime shipping industry at the tipping point of digitisation

    The maritime industry and broader ocean supply chain are suffering from major and costly inefficiencies due to ineffective data sharing and poor cross-industry collaboration, according to a new report and industry survey released by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network in coordination with Navis and XVELA, both part of Cargotec’s Kalmar business area.

    The study, “Competitive Gain in the Ocean Supply Chain: Innovation That’s Driving Maritime Operational Transformation”, finds huge opportunities to improve performance and customer service through better use of technology across the ocean supply chain.

    The study is based on a global survey of more than 200 executives and professionals from terminal operators, carriers, logistics providers, vessel owners, port authorities, shippers, consignees and other members of the global ocean supply chain. It was developed in partnership with maritime industry technology leaders Navis and XVELA.

    The study indicates that importers, exporters, container carriers, terminal operators, vessel owners and other stakeholders suffer from poor visibility and predictability around shipments and are losing money due to a lack of partner synchronisation and insufficient data insight.

    However, there is recognition, particularly among industry leaders interviewed, that digitisation and mindset shifts are afoot, and will be a boon to all players in the industry. “Everyone benefits from collaboration and data sharing,” says Andreas Mrozek, Global Head Marine & Terminal Operations for the Hamburg Sud Group, one of the world’s largest container shipping lines. “It starts with the customers and moves to the carriers, then the terminal operators, vendors, freight systems, truck companies, and keeps going down the line. Closer collaboration is a compelling value proposition for each supply chain partner.”

    90 percent of survey participants said real-time data access and information sharing was important to increasing the efficiency and performance of the shipping industry. Some 80 percent said the industry needs to improve supply chain visibility.

    The push for improvements will likely come from a combination of forces, according to industry executives. Shippers will push for better operational visibility; alliances will demand better ways for their carrier members to share information to improve efficiencies and customer service; and terminals and port authorities under pressure to increase utilisation and optimise existing infrastructures.

    On average, surveyed executives estimated that each of a wide range of ocean supply chain processes could be improved by as much as 66 percent and no less than 55 percent if the industry updated its IT systems and improved its ability to share data with other members of the supply chain.

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