leap robotics could make.
DHL Supply Chain has
heavily invested in these
types of innovations to help
shippers think beyond today’s
shipment – and allow them
to strategically plan for the
future, while still solving the
challenges of today.
Good progress made
Cargolux also reports that 2017
was exceptionally strong, the
carrier witnessing unmatched
demand throughout the
year and into the fi rst half
of 2018. According to Moa
Sigurdardottir, the third quarter
of 2018 saw weakening demand
and for the peak season,
with business less substantial
compared to 2017. Ongoing
trade wars, she says, defi nitely
contributed to dampening
markets worldwide but the
carrier’s fl exible approach
helped it adapt to these trends
and end on a satisfactory note.
Sigurdardottir underlines
the fact that for Cargolux,
Europe has always proved to be
the backbone of its business.
“The European export market
remained strong at the end
of the year, particularly on
the transatlantic sector. The
Europe-China trade route has
shown signs of softening,
though, with a less dynamic
market demand in the past.”
Cargolux offers a
portfolio of eight specialised
products in order to provide
a tailored service to its
customers. “Our most
popular service solution
is the CV Classic, but we
have a steady demand
for temperature-sensitive
commodities, such as
SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES
At the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow, DHL Express announced that it had placed an
order for 14 Boeing 777 freighters, which also included options and purchase rights for seven
additional aircraft. The delivery of the fi rst four is expected to be completed in 2019. Overall,
these 14 intercontinental replacements are capacity neutral, but operation-wise will contribute
signifi cant cost, effi ciency and reliability benefi ts.
market is enabling DHL Supply
Chain to signifi cantly improve
its footprint in Colombia.
The logistics specialist offers
a unique portfolio of services
for e-commerce customers
worldwide: no other provider
offers services ranging from
international express, freight
forwarding, fulfi llment and
last-mile delivery to contract
logistics. “We are investing in
enhanced capabilities,” admits
Stoeppler, “namely expanded
transport networks, increased
automation, fl exibility,
convenience and technology, in
order to enable new standards
of service for e-commerce
merchants.”
The challenge of e-commerce
“We understand the specifi c
challenges in e-commerce
related to the supply chain,
including balancing inventory
and transportation costs,
managing dynamic growth and
unexpected surges in volume,
and the need for varied,
convenient last-mile delivery
solutions,” he adds.
In common with other
carriers, digitalisation is high
on DHL’s list. This is being
applied broadly to a host
of supply chain issues, but
the area that will benefi t
www.airlogisticsinternational.international.com
February 2019 21
Hub integration and
new aircraft acquistions
marked FedEx’s year
e-commerce sales will grow
to a staggering US$4.48trn by
2021, which means a growth
rate of 19.2% per year. DHL’s
recent investment in a number
of B777 freighters (as opposed
to leasing) is a direct answer
to the growing demand for
global express capacity. These
state-of-the-art aircraft should
reduce CO2 emissions by 18%.
“This will help us to contribute
to greater sustainability in line
with our climate protection
target, which is to reduce all
logistics-related emissions to
zero by the year 2050.”
Hubs and infrastructure
The big news in 2018 was that
of DHL Express opening its new
regional hub at Brussels airport.
The state-of-the-art hub is
equipped with the most recent
logistics technology and will
almost quadruple the capacity
of DHL Express in Brussels to
42,000 shipments per hour.
The hub, an investment of over
€140m, has seen the creation
of an additional 200 new DHL
jobs to date. DHL Express also
built several new facilities
and service points around
the world, including those in
Germany, Portugal and Mexico.
Additionally, DHL Supply
Chain has just recently
announced some signifi cant
infrastructure investments
at its North American
facilities. The business
unit plans to invest
US$300m to accelerate the
implementation of emerging
technologies, such as
robotics, augmented reality,
robotics process automation,
the Internet of Things and an
end-to-end visibility solution.
Furthermore, it has
strengthened its Latin America
presence by acquiring Suppla
Company in Colombia. This
experience in the local logistics
most directly in 2019, says
Stoeppler, is transportation.
“A number of digital solutions
are emerging to enable the
industry to make better use
of available transportation
resources and close the service
gap. Cloud-based Transportation
Management Systems are
extending the value of TMS to
smaller enterprises, providing
the insight and data to optimise
resources. In addition, increased
use of IoT in the form of fl eet
management systems allows
data from truck operations
to improve utilisation and
reduce downtime. However,
the biggest opportunity is in
the emergence of digital freight
platforms that create online
marketplaces that quickly and
effi ciently connect shippers with
carriers, streamlining processes,
optimising costs and expanding
the available options.”
In Germany, the Netherlands
and Poland, DHL has
successfully launched Internet
of Things cockpits at three smart
warehouses. Robotics are already
proving their value in select
warehouse applications, but the
technology is expected to reach
a tipping point in 2019: the
DHL Supply Chain distribution
network is an example of the
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