What's New With the Logistics Sector in India?
One of the industrial sectors that were quick to regain its foothold post the onslaught of the Covide-19 pandemic was the Indian logistics sector. Thanks to India's flourishing e-commerce and retail businesses, the logistics sector has witnessed robust growth and the ability to keep pace with the latest demands.
Thanks to the industry’s adaptability, the future looks promising, and even common challenges, such as the lack of streamlining and modernisation of operations, are set to change for the better. It’s expected that with the advent of new innovative technologies, supply chain operations will be a lot easier and more efficient. Here are a few logistics and supply chain trends that will influence the sector in 2023 and beyond.
Logistics & Supply Chain Trends That Will Take the Industry By Storm
1. Cloud-based Systems
Cloud technology is in vogue. Worldwide, logistics businesses are fast migrating to the cloud because of the immense benefits like:
- Streamlining and automation of workflows
- Better storage and quicker transformation of information
- Better financial management and control.
- Lesser investment in hardware maintenance
- Better security through data encryption
- Safe and reliable pay-per-use options
- Easy access to monitoring tools
Because of its unquestionable reliability and ability to reduce costs, cloud solutions will be embraced by large, mid, and small logistics companies in India.
2. Green Logistics
‘Go Green’ is the omnipresent mantra. As one of the major contributors to carbon emissions, it is only fair that the logistics sector demonstrates its commitment to adopting eco-friendly practices. The need to ‘Go Green’ is further underlined by climate changes that impact the availability of materials and resources, potentially disrupting supply chains.
The shift is already evident, with several green logistics alternatives gaining traction. There is an increasing demand for:
- Electric trucks
- Electric two-wheelers
- Solar-powered trucks
- Light commercial vehicles
- Battery-operated 2 and 3-wheelers
Sustainable practices deliver benefits such as increased torque, reduced pollution, and reduced maintenance costs.
3. Blockchain Tools
Another major logistic component that desperately requires upgradation is Supply Chain Visibility (SCV). It is the process of tracking individual components and assemblies as they travel from the manufacturer to the consumer.
Blockchain technology has the potential to breathe new life into SCV. Businesses invest in blockchain tools because they enable transparency to minimise disruptions and improve customer service.
Apparently, blockchain technology is difficult and expensive to implement. However, these pitfalls are worth overlooking because this technology has the potential to enable smarter inventory management, data management, and safer tracking. As blockchain technology continues to grow in capabilities, its potential for the future looks extremely promising and unlimited.
4. Last Mile Delivery
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that "Last Mile Delivery" is one of the major prerequisites that drive the entire logistics industry. It is the final step of the delivery process, where the goods are moved from the distribution centre to the final destination.
Last-mile delivery is complex and costly, and the rising demand from customers for speedy delivery is pushing companies to seek technological solutions. And it looks like they are on the verge of breakthroughs. 2023 and beyond will see autonomous drones delivering packages to their destinations and other significant overhauls in the supply chain process. Sounds exciting!
5. Drone delivery & Hi-tech Vehicles
The future of the logistics industry will witness drones crisscrossing the skies and changing the logistics landscape forever. With India's Ministry for Civil Aviation expressing interest in making our country the Drone Hub of the World, we need more R&D to understand the challenges of using drones for goods distribution and delivery.
Nothing stops financially sound logistics firms from investing in autonomous delivery vehicles to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
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6. AI and ML
In this hi-tech age, there's no point in doing business without Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The former is already making inroads in warehouse management and delivering benefits like:
- Streamlined planning
- Accurate predictions
- Self-governing logistics processes
- Shorter delivery turnaround time
However, these benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. With the right AI and ML tools in place, logistics businesses can:
- Accurately evaluate productivity
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Increase delivery speed
- Identify patterns in supply chains
- Boost inventory management
- Predict purchasing demands
Also, planning and procurement become easy with AI and ML, eliminating the need for repetitive calculations.
7. Analytics and Tracking
The advent of RFID chips will enable better access to real-time analytics and tracking than ever before. Managers won't need to fumble with error-prone records to track a parcel's transit journey. Customer service representatives can provide accurate information about their products' location and delivery time.
Armed with real-time information, they can identify productivity disruptions and resolve them before they become bottlenecks.
8. Reverse Logistics
In the logistics business, handling the return of goods is as important as the delivery process. Customer satisfaction is a top priority in both aspects. More companies will take the plunge and invest in big data and blockchain technology to streamline their reverse logistics processes and improve the handling of obsolete products.
Digitisation Will Lead the Way in Logistics
The time is not far when India's logistics sector bids goodbye to mundane, error-prone, redundant processes. The industry will witness a spectacular transformation in all facets, with these key trends playing a pivotal role in changing the face of logistics and supply chain management.
As a leader in asset logistics management, Avon Solutions strives to stay on top of industry trends to serve the best to our diverse clientele across a wide range of industries. Feel free to contact us to know how we can help you.