The latest MHI Annual Industry Report, highlighted the use of key technologies that supply chain business owners will have to understand as they will disrupt supply chains for the next decade.
According to the report, 83% of survey respondents believe that one or the other mentioned technologies could prove to be a competitive advantage or disruption for supply chains in the next 10 years. The report also highlighted that some of these technologies have already had a bigger and more rapid impact on supply chains than previously predicted. This accelerated pace of change is dramatically altering the way supply chains work, how they are managed, and how the always-on network is evolving. The details of technologies ready to disrupt your supply chain are explained further in this article.
1. Internet Of Things
Internet of things or IoT is a network of physical objects that together which collect and exchange data, allowing breakthrough access to real time information and is the most disruptive technology in the supply chain right now.
Internet of things is highly potential to transform not one but end to end entire supply chains. This can bring unprecedented visibility into operations, and influence logistics decision-making on how goods are produced, stored, monitored, routed, transported, and delivered to customers.
The use of IoT will bring huge changes in how the warehouses operate as it will the organisations to manage and track their entire inventory with just mobile devices. Improved visibility throughout the entire supply chain companies to manage their inventory much more efficiently.
2. Self-Driving Vehicles
Self Driving vehicles are already gaining momentum and emphasising the potential for passenger cars to gain mass traction. Supply chain managers and logistics professionals are already thinking on the lines that how this technology could dramatically alter their operations. Self Driving vehicles have a high potential to cut out the manual labour which in return will reduce labour costs and increase efficiency — Self-driving vehicles could also be used to transport items inside warehouses and other facilities.
“Self-driving vehicles will bring in levels of safety, efficiency, and quality within the logistics sector,”
3. Collaborative Robotics
Collaborative robotics appears to be having a breakthrough, as latest discoveries have made the adoption of agile, lightweight robots possible. The growing of use of AI and sensors, these robots will be able to work side by side with people, and even learn through experience so they do not need to be programmed in the traditional way.
In the upcoming future, companies will be able to adopt robotics to work alongside humans at operations like trucks unloading, order pickup, checking inventory, or shipping goods — all with a high degree of accuracy,”
4. The Uberization Of Delivery
New innovations and discoveries in technology is not the only way technology will affect the supply chain management process. Using of existing technologies to develop new approaches will be highly influential.
Uber — doesn’t own a car, and the largest content provider in the world — Facebook — doesn’t produce its own content, and the largest room booker in the world — Airbnb — doesn’t own any rooms.
Big players in the transportation and shipping field of supply chain management might not be reliant on this vast network of planes, trucks, and complex sorting systems,” For E.g. Using Uber to make to provide same-day service at costs competitive with traditional carriers working with online and physical retailers to provide same-day deliveries through its network of drivers
