The Logistics Industry: 5 Trends To Watch

One of the fastest-growing sectors is logistics, and part of the reason for this is the explosion of e-commerce that we have seen in the past few years. Like most things, the logistics industry is in a constant state of change, and with that in mind, here are a few trends to look.

1. Drone Deliveries

Amazon has been using drone trucks to deliver packages in numerous US states for a couple of years now. How do they work? The truck has 6 drones at the ceiling and when they are loaded up by the driver, destinations are programmed, the ceiling rolls back, and the drones fly off to deliver their goods. Of course, weight is an important aspect; nothing over 25kg could be delivered in this way, yet who knows what the future holds?

2. Third Party Logistics

Known as 3PL, this is the fastest growing sector in 2022, which services the growing number of e-commerce websites you find online. The third party logistics service Melbourne or your city uses is a type of business that provides picking, packing and delivery services, and it has a state-of-the-art warehouse facility. You won’t find a cheaper way to fulfil your online orders, plus this service delivers very fast.

3. Transparency

Thanks to GPS technology, the logistics industry has become very transparent; a customer can paste their package ID into a search window and find out exactly where the consignment is in real time. Also, when you receive an invoice from a 3PL company, they would fully itemise the bill, showing you where your money went. The digital tech we enjoy today makes many things possible; a fleet controller knows where all their vehicles are at any given time, plus they can communicate with all drivers using VoIP solutions. There should be transparency in every business and digital advancement has gone a long way towards making the business world more transparent.

4. AI Managed Systems

Artificial intelligence is impacting every industry and logistics is no exception to this. AI already manages the huge digital networks of large corporations such as Amazon, DHL and other global carriers. The Internet of Things will be the network for digital devices to communicate with each other, which will be powered by the 10x speeds of 5G. Machine learning is being developed at all times and the eventual aim is to take the human out of the loop, especially with traffic management. Take the international freight companies in Australia as an example; some – if not all of them – now use AI software to manage their fleets.

5. Driverless Delivery Vehicles

You have probably passed a few trucks that are driverless, depending on where you live and one thing is for sure, this is the future. You would receive a notification from the 3PL provider to inform you that the vehicle will be outside your home at a specific time. When you meet the truck, you simply show a QR code, a door slides open with your package and you are good to go.

If you are in need of logistics, start with a Google search and see what services are on offer. You should enjoy great service that boosts your business. We are living in a digital world and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. As we move to another level of connectivity, you can expect to see new tech emerging often.