Over the past few years, digital technologies have flooded into the supply chain. Driven by significant shifts in customer demands and ongoing labor shortages, these technologies have boosted productivity, resilience, and visibility.
However, the journey of supply chain digitalization is far from complete. Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, many advancements could further improve various aspects of supply chain management. According to DHL Supply Chain analysis, several trends are likely to emerge in the future of supply chain: https://www.scmr.com/article/supply_chain_digitalization_trends_for_2024_and_beyond
Analytics Takes Center Stage:
Data analytics has firmly established its presence in supply chain management, largely attributed to 3PLs who have integrated systems throughout the supply chain while employing robust business intelligence and visualization tools.For example, DHL Supply Chain is leveraging machine learning to analyze historical order patterns to improve peak demand management, including tagging external factors such as weather and economic indicators affecting customer behavior. The result is more accurate forecasts of workflows, enabling companies to better address demand fluctuations and manage extreme peaks without compromising service levels.
LoadMaster packaging software can integrate with ERP, WMS, TMS, and other systems to achieve predictability, manageability, and traceability across the entire order process, enabling standardized and visualized management and bridging the final mile of supply chain digitalization.
Cloud Creates Opportunities:
Leading WMS providers have introduced or announced plans to introduce cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) models for their systems.For organizations operating with outdated legacy systems, this shift to the cloud holds the potential to eliminate barriers to technological modernization, which fail to deliver the visibility or productivity demanded today. These organizations no longer need to invest heavily in capital to upgrade their management platforms, instead, they have the opportunity to shift system costs from capital to operational expenditure while ensuring they always operate on the latest generation systems.
Equally significant, the SaaS model will facilitate easier integration of data and processing-intensive applications into supply chain systems, such as those powered by artificial intelligence.
LoadMaster load planning software launched LoadMaster Cloud in 2018, providing SaaS services, the first of its kind globally.
(https://images.app.goo.gl/TYz1Dd7jbc8Xn9bZA)DHL Supply Chain also predicts that with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, AI will continue to expand its role in this field, potentially enabling the automation of inherent dynamic processes such as forecasting, inventory management, and route optimization.
The Chinese government strongly supports the development of โInternet +โ logistics platforms, encouraging logistics companies to digitize their operations in transportation, warehousing, distribution, and other aspects. After review and approval, many municipal governments offer subsidies of up to 20-30% for such projects (equipment, technology, and software procurement).
In the future, digitalization in the supply chain and logistics sector will be an unstoppable trend.
So why not take the first step towards digitalization with LoadMaster! Enjoy a 30-day full-featured free trial and take advantage of free demand analysis and remote demos. Donโt hesitate to try it now!
Watch how to apply for a free trial at: https://youtu.be/qqOEaHgWMD4?si=joQwc4tOnPjsPFZl