Continued rapid development in the logistics sector
The logistics industry is undergoing exciting developments. A lot has changed in the last 10-20 years and progress continues apace.
PostNord Portal Business has looked at some of the strongest trends affecting the logistics industry today.
1. Increased demands on sustainability
Sustainability and environmentalism are no longer a luxury, but something that more and more people take for granted. When consumers demand environmentally friendly e-commerce, it is something that has a major impact on how transport is designed.
Ecologically responsible logistics will be an important part of a sustainable supply chain. Energy savings in production and through recycling are matched with environmentally friendly transport that aims to have the lowest possible carbon emissions.
As consumers demand environmental concerns, both e-retailers and logistics companies must adapt to maintain their market share.
2. Automation of freight transport
The logistics sector will be increasingly affected by increased automation. As self-driving cars make their way into the consumer market, we can expect to see their counterparts in the transport sector. We can look forward to self-driving trucks and cargo ships.
Automation brings benefits in terms of fewer road accidents and more efficient use of the transport vehicles on the road. For example, trucks can run longer shifts which can be more easily shifted to times of the day when there is less traffic on the roads or which better suit the logistics flow.
3. Efficient warehouse management
Automation is also making a serious breakthrough in warehouse management. Warehouse robots are already common in major warehouses and this trend is expected to continue. The next step in development is that these robots will be even more efficient than before. We can expect that more elements of warehouse management will be automated, leading to faster and more efficient transport.
4. Home deliveries become more sophisticated
As e-commerce has become a natural part of consumer behaviour, transport and home deliveries have also evolved for the better. Today, many people take for granted that it should be possible to have a product delivered to their door so that they don't have to go to a service point. This has left its mark on the way home deliveries are designed. There is now much more flexibility and choice for consumers compared to just a few years ago.
The next step may be that home deliveries of larger goods become more common. This goes hand in hand with the fact that more and more people are choosing not to have a car altogether. Then it becomes more important to be able to get the goods home instead.
5. Prices being pushed down
Logistics is an increasingly competitive industry. This obviously benefits both consumers and shippers, but makes it more difficult for logistics companies to defend their margins.
Environmental considerations are seen as a hygiene factor, not as something for which an extra charge can be made. At the same time, there is hope that increased automation and innovation in the way services are designed can help create new opportunities in the logistics industry.
Portal tools help you keep up with developments
As an entrepreneur, logistics manager or e-retailer, you can benefit greatly from using PostNord Portal Business to make the most of developments in the industry. Here are several tools that make it easier to manage your company's shipping.
In Portal Business you can, among other things, keep track of all emissions by producing detailed environmental reports. These allow you to analyse the transport's carbon footprint and see how the environmental impact is distributed across different types of shipments.
With Skicka Direkt Business you can customise your home deliveries. Use automatic notifications to keep your recipients informed of what's happening with their packages.
Thanks to our API, you can integrate the PostNord transport system into your own warehouse management and take automation to the next level.
In addition to our business tools, you can also take advantage of the Delivery Guide, which provides a good overview of the logistics field. Here you will find our informative articles on logistics.
