Technology is driving improvements and optimizing the global supply chain at a rapid pace. We are seeing “additive manufacturing” affect the supply chain as companies are building customizable 3D printing facilities near the end-user. Over the next five years, this is something that could drastically impact the supply chain as we know it.
As the world shrinks and the supply chain becomes more complex, we see customer expectations at all-time highs, and the butterfly effect has a major impact. When one shipper lets their efficiency drop, it could affect customer satisfaction thousands of miles and several touch points away. Being a shipper of choice will be that much more important in 2019 and beyond. Being an agile, flexible company, with cutting-edge technology will be a prerequisite for growth.
Several technologies will make our company and our customers more efficient and effective in the coming year. As shippers and manufacturers optimize their inventory by building closer to the customer to reduce inventory costs, the ability to streamline their shipments into more targeted, efficient routes becomes paramount. Technology we are using can match carriers with freight while factoring in all the variables that would be overwhelming to the average person but can be done easily with the right technology.
We have technology to help our customers plan for supply chain disruptions and utilize our mitigation/response capabilities when disaster strikes through weather or human error. The current labor shortage will compound itself over the next year as supply cannot keep up with demand. This is our single biggest challenge as the technology at our disposal will keep us at the forefront, but it’s still our people that keep us at the top.