Manufacturing logistics and procurement – January 2021
Developments in logistics influenced by COVID-19
The Global Connectedness Index 2020 (15.2 MB) published by DHL signals a recovery of globalisation from the COVID-19 setback.
A substantial increase in returns in the US after the 2020 holiday season has created many reverse-logistics challenges that effective real estate and supply chain management can partially address. This is the key theme of a report (2.25 MB) recently released by CBRE.
BluJay Solutions has published the key findings from its annual supply chain market research. The report offers insights into how supply chains are changing for both success and survival, how supply chain organisations have coped with the global disruption caused by COVID-19 and how companies intend to make their supply chains future-proof.
Digital transformation and tech innovations
Organisations are accelerating their digital transformation efforts not only to make their operations nimbler and more efficient, but also to respond to dramatic fluctuations in demand and customer expectation, according to the 12th annual Tech Trends Report 2021 (21.1 MB) published by Deloitte. Another report (4.29 MB) from Deloitte, “Automation with Intelligence: Pursuing Organization-wide Reimagination,” reveals that the number of organisations deploying automation at scale has tripled in the space of two years.
A report (2.63 MB) recently issued by Prologis takes a deep dive into how automation has the power to revolutionise logistics operations. It highlights three trends that the firm said will lead to higher levels of automation in facilities.
Lux Research has released its annual report on the top tech innovations that will have the greatest impact over the next 10 years. You can download an executive summary after filling in your details.
Predictive maintenance
PMMI has conducted research into predictive maintenance as it relates to the packaging and processing industries. The purpose is to show how predictive maintenance can be applied to the needs of packaging and processing machinery. You can download the report after filling in your e-mail address.
Innovations regarding robotics and drones
Nature has inspired the creation of a new soft fabric robotic gripper by a team of UNSW Engineering researchers, led by Dr Thanh Nho Do. The invention, similar to an elephant’s trunk, has potential benefits for many industries where handling delicate objects is essential.
The Nordic countries are joining forces to drive the development of drone transports for both goods and passengers. The Nordic Drone Initiative (NDI) led by RISE will pave the way for new sustainable business models.
High Tech Campus Eindhoven (in Dutch) will be one of the five living labs for autonomous drones. The field lab is part of the Flying Forward 2020 consortium and ecosystem. This three-year innovation and research project is funded by the European Commission.
Reel allocation problem in corrugated board industry
UFTM recently published a paper (1.08 MB) in Pesquisa Operacional addressing a reel allocation problem in a corrugated cardboard packaging company.
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