Last week, we got to spend a few days at Multimodal 2022. The exhibition was great and we got to see a few very familiar faces while meeting folks, drinking coffee and looking out for the latest trends in logistics. Having been there all three days, we got a good look at what the logistics sector is focusing on. We also got to see one crucial gap.
What we saw
Sustainability focus still strong
You’ll probably continue to hear us and everyone else in logistics talk about this for a while. Sustainability isn’t just lofty new goals made up by strategy teams, it’s a matter of survival. In fact, regardless of how you personally respond to the climate crisis, consumers are using their buying power to show that green really does mean go.
From greener engines to carbon scrubbing ships, exhibitors were all hyped to tell you why their green solution stands out from the crowd. There were green elements to virtually every stand which drove home how critical this topic is for the logistics industry. For any businesses still not incorporating sustainable supply chains into their business strategy, now is the time to change that.
Generation logistics
Another vital topic for supply chains this year was the labour shortage. In particular, there was a lot of talk about the Generation Logistics plan from LogisticsUK and the UK government to bolster supply chains. The initiative was launched officially on day two of the event and several talks over days two and three centred around it. In addition to supporting greater sustainability and resilience in supply chains, the plan will be geared toward kickstarting logistics careers across the UK and attempting to proactively solve the labour shortages in the sector.
What we didn't see
Multimodal 2022 offered a great representation of how goods can be moved from place to place. Whether you need air, sea or road freight, businesses were vying for your attention! But as everyone clamoured for you to use their vehicles, routes and logistics solutions, no one wanted you to ask why. Why are companies moving their goods the way they do? Why are certain routes defaults? Is there another way? Can choosing which of these vehicles or routes to use be automated?
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Basically, we saw a big lack of data.
Decision intelligence and data-driven logistics were nowhere to be seen at Multimodal this year. Even though we know better data improves delivery performance while driving better resilience and sustainability. What supply chains need right now are strategies that can drive real change and keep them functioning when the next ‘unprecedented’ thing happens. And that comes from effectively leveraging data and then automating the next steps.
Without having clear visibility of all the complex moving parts that make up your supply chain, how will you be able to find better solutions? And, beyond that, why shouldn’t logistics take advantage of tools like AI to make smarter decisions and automated actions - something that doesn’t take up human time and resources? With the last two years putting all eyes on supply chains, this could be the time to make them more powerful. Not just marginally greener.
This isn’t to say no one is thinking about these things. We know that both big and smaller organisations are thinking this way now. The question is more about why data isn’t underpinning everything in freight and logistics.
Want to learn more about making your supply chain powerful, resilient and sustainable through AI? Get in touch with one of our experts.
