Some Interesting Logistic Trends to Watch

The Supply chain is now a significant viable advantage for businesses. Industry giants, who set new industry ethics of innovative logistics, are a witnessing to the role supply chain plays in a company’s success.
As we ring in 2017, one thing is for sure that company majors are putting more emphasis on the supply chain. An “invent or die” climate is captivating over, placing the microscope on logistics and the impact it has on retributions, advance and customer devotion. As you begin to prepare for the coming year, the company needs to understand these 20 logistics trends that will be profitable in 2017.
Distribution Using Robotics in the Supply Chain
Automation is already engrained in many distribution centers around the world, but for most, it is partial to workflow automation accomplished by progressively advanced warehouse management systems.
While system-guided manual processes can create a substantial transformation to warehouse proficiencies though, the value of complete automation—conceivably the holy grail of circulation center operation—is classically the preserve of corporate titans able to shape purpose-designed automated warehouses, or to acclimate older real estate for “lights-out” operation.
The situation is fluctuating, however, as more and more manufacturers bring warehouse robotics to market. Robotic solutions deal the ability to lead the automation into DC processes without the need for major structural modifications.
However, the real tipping idea in the warehouse robotics trend will attain when technology vendors master the art of true robotic selection, where robots are able to choice orders from conventional besetting.
Right now, trends in robotic alternative are associated to classifications which convey goods to the picker, necessitating a considerable amount of dedicated racking and conveyance equipment.
Rise of the Virtual Logistics Team
The concept of distant working and virtual teams has become prevalent across many commercial sectors, enabling establishments to approach talent globally rather than locally and to cut down on real-estate needs and travel expenses.
As supply chain, IT continues its evolution to the cloud, in the upcoming year’s supply chain and logistics organizations will be looking closely at the profits of remote occupied for administrative and support staff.
The large companies had planners located in each supply center, have completed the shift to centralized planning. This clearly validates that in the age of information, local resources are no longer essential to plan and project thousands of deliveries each day.
The next step is to identify the online access to planning software and real-time communication, route planners really don’t need to be sitting in a central office, but could realistically perform all necessary activities from their homes.
With the capability to send load and route plans straight to WMS applications and truck drivers’ handheld devices (or even to printers located at the DC), a home-based route planners’ part could be flawlessly viable in many organizations.
The same is true about many other roles conventionally based on centralized logistics centers or regional/local DCs. Acquiring, general administration and even positive management positions could all be realistically held by employees based wholly or somewhat at home, dropping labor costs and empowering real-estate investment to target storage rather than office space.
Omni-Channel Implementation
An omni-channel term is distinctive from a multi channel that designates a unified path by which retailers bring their goods to the consumer, whether through the internet or brick-and-mortar stores. In chasing an Omni-channel strategy, companies need to retain several things in mind. One is the push component – the placing up of resources for order fulfillment. The another is the pull aspect – how the merchandise essentially carries out orders in the most effective way possible. Third is how those responsibilities are achieved successfully, as companies seek to align sales channels with their business models.
Trends will come and go. Some stick around longer than others. Some fade into insignificance and others cultivate into breakthroughs which disrupt complete industries. As we see it, any of trends outlined has the potential to put a substantial impression on your company’s supply chain and logistics operations.