DHL Supply Chain 是美洲合同物流领域的，隶属于德国邮政 DHL 集团，分享了来年将对北美业务产生影响的三大供应链趋势。随着我们进入新的十年，过去五年中出现的技术正在成熟，以提供更大的价值并应对更多的挑战和应用。这一过程，加上劳动力中新人才的涌入和不断变化的客户期望，正在迎来供应链管理的新时代。
“我们知道供应链正变得越来越复杂，”DHL 供应链北美执行官 Scott Sureddin 说。“随着我们进入一个新的十年，我们 看到许多技术和应用的成熟和扩展，我们甚至在三年前都无法想象。在许多方面，这些技术与劳动力中的新一代人才以及品牌与消费者之间更少的分离相结合，正在促进供应链的发展。我们将能够提高生产力和效率，同时为我们的客户提供更高水平的价值。”
以下是预计 2020 年对供应链影响的三个趋势：
新兴技术成为主流。
过去十年以极快的速度带来了技术进步，从自动驾驶汽车到大数据再到机器人技术。随着 2020 年的临近，这些技术正在成熟并被更广泛地采用。曾经是利基技术的东西现在可供各行各业的各种规模的公司使用。
客户渴望在他们的设施中试用新技术，现在面临的任务是确定哪些技术不仅能带来的投资回报，而且能*有效地集成到他们现有的运营中。随着 5G 的出现以及更多数据的涌现，现在是公司确保他们拥有强大的数据管理基础的时候了，以便他们能够很好地收集数据，更重要的是，挖掘数据以获得可操作的见解。那些已经走在*前沿的公司正在运用洞察力来解决各种挑战，包括平息传统上旺季的破坏性高峰。
DHL Supply Chain近宣布与 Convoy 和 Turvo 建立合作伙伴关系展示了其交通数字化战略如何继续推进。合作伙伴关系使该公司能够加快采用货运技术，为客户提供更大的价值。
“随着我们进入 2020 年，我们将看到人工智能变得更容易获得，机器人变得更加复杂，预测建模变得更加准确，”苏雷丁说。“这种成熟将使我们能够以更多方式应用技术来提高效率并为我们的客户创造价值。过去十年向我们介绍了这些技术，而未来十年将使它们变得司空见惯。”
产品定位变得至关重要。
产品进入消费者手中的方式比以往任何时候都多。从传统的实体店到网上购买、店内取货，电子商务和传统零售之间的界限已经模糊。结合消费者对交付的高期望，公司需要有合适的库存来完成两天甚至当天的订单。为了应对这一挑战，库存定位变得至关重要。
2020 年，消费者与他们想要的产品之间的距离将继续缩小。新的十年将带来微型履行中心的增长，尤其是在杂货行业。对于需要快速有效地完成在线订单的公司来说，微型履行中心将继续发挥作用。这些通常位于城市地区的微型配送中心正在改变传统配送中心的形象。配送中心在曼哈顿的高层建筑中将很快变得与在农村地区的庞大设施中一样有可能，使消费者能够以更快的速度和更高的效率接收他们的购买。这些微型配送中心有时采用所谓的“暗店”、自动化的小型仓库或配送中心的形式，以帮助完成在线订单。黑暗商店通常看起来像真正的商店，但没有顾客。尽管暗店本身并不新鲜，但明年将更广泛地采用它们。
性别多样性在供应链中占有一席之地。
虽然劳动力挑战已成为所有头条新闻，但劳动力中正在发生更微妙的转变。进入物流行业的女性比以往任何时候都多。事实上，女性现在占 DHL Supply Chain 新员工的 32%。影响这种转变的因素有很多，包括在早期教育和校园招聘工作中更加强调 STEM。更多技术的整合也将体力在传统仓库角色中的重要性降到。
DHL Supply Chain, the Americas leader in contract logistics and part of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has shared the three supply chain trends that will have the greatest impact on operations in North America in the coming year. As we enter a new decade, the technologies that have emerged in the last five years are maturing to provide greater value and address additional challenges and applications. This process, combined with an influx of new talent in the workforce and continually evolving customer expectations are ushering in a new era of supply chain management.
“We know the supply chain is continuing to become more complex,” said Scott Sureddin, CEO, DHL Supply Chain, North America. “As we enter a new decade, we are seeing a maturation and expansion of many technologies, and applications we could not have imagined even three years ago. In many ways, these technologies, combined with a new generation of talent in the workforce and less separation between brands and consumers, are contributing to the evolution of the supply chain. We will be able to be more productive and more efficient, while providing an even higher level of value to our customers.”
Below are the three trends expected to have the most impact on the supply chain in 2020:
Emerging technologies go mainstream.
The past decade has brought technological advances at a breakneck speed, from autonomous vehicles to Big Data to robotics. As 2020 approaches, those technologies are maturing and being more widely adopted. What were once niche technologies are now becoming available to companies of all sizes across industries.
Customers are eager to pilot new technology in their facilities, and are now faced with the task of determining which technologies will not only deliver the greatest return on investment, but also integrate most effectively into their existing operations. With 5G on the horizon and the pending rush of even more data, now is the time for companies to ensure they have a strong data management foundation so they are well positioned to collect and, more importantly, mine the data to derive actionable insights. Those companies already at the forefront are applying insights to solve a variety of challenges including leveling out the traditionally disruptive spikes of peak season.
DHL Supply Chain’s recent announcement of a partnership with Convoy and Turvo shows how its transportation digitalization strategy is continuing to advance. The partnerships allow the company to accelerate its adoption of cutting-edge freight technologies to provide greater value for customers.
“As we go into 2020, we’ll see artificial intelligence getting more accessible, robots becoming more sophisticated, and predictive modeling becoming even more accurate,” said Sureddin. “This maturation will allow us to apply technologies in even more ways to drive efficiency and create value for our customers. The last decade introduced us to these technologies and the next decade will make them commonplace.”
Product positioning becomes paramount.
There are more ways than ever for products to get into consumers’ hands. From traditional brick-and-mortar to buy online, pick up in store, the lines have blurred between e-commerce and traditional retail. Combined with the high delivery expectations of consumers, companies need to have the right item in stock to fulfill a two-day or even same-day order. To tackle this challenge, inventory positioning becomes critical.
The distance between consumers and the products they want will continue to shrink in 2020. The new decade will bring growth of micro-fulfillment centers, especially in the grocery industry. Micro-fulfillment centers will continue to make sense for companies who need to quickly and efficiently fulfill online orders. These micro-fulfillment centers, often in urban areas, are changing the image of a traditional distribution center. It will soon become just as likely for a distribution center to be in a high-rise in Manhattan as it will be in a sprawling facility in a rural area, allowing consumers to receive their purchases with greater speed and efficiency. These micro-fulfillment centers sometimes take the shape of so-called ‘dark stores,’ automated, mini-warehouses or distribution centers to help fulfill online orders. Dark stores often look like actual stores, but without the customers. Although dark stores themselves aren’t new, the next year will bring more widespread adoption of them.
Gender diversity makes its mark in the supply chain.
While labor challenges have captured all the headlines, a more subtle transformation is occurring in the workforce. Women are entering the logistics industry in greater numbers than ever before. In fact, women now make up 32 percent of DHL Supply Chain’s new associates. A variety of factors are influencing this shift including a greater emphasis on STEM in both early education and campus recruiting efforts. The integration of more technology has also minimized the importance of physical strength in traditional warehouse roles.
