Roundtable discussion: what are the new challenges for the logistics sector?
3min read
13/10/2017
Netherlands
The e-commerce sector has not been idle in recent years. And that is also leaving its mark on logistics. The way packaging, automation and delivery services are handled in the sector has changed a lot. Rajapack, along with some other major players in the logistics sector, sat down with OnlineRetailer magazine for a roundtable discussion. How do we face the future?
1. Welcome to the digital age!
To what do we owe the big changes in the e-commerce sector? The biggest cause is undoubtedly digitalisation. A development that is making itself felt in countless areas. The growth figures presented by e-commerce companies are often staggering. Of course, this brings a lot of challenges. For instance, there is a growing demand for logistics real estate. All the products that webshops offer obviously need to be stored somewhere and processed into packages ready for shipment. Those same warehouses must also be prepared to handle the necessary flexibility and automation.
2. Flexibility: packaging tailored to each product
Another challenge we should look for is flexibility. For instance, more flexibility is needed to serve all sales channels. Consumers prefer to pick up their parcels at any hour of the day and anywhere. Returning a parcel has also become commonplace. Logistically, though, this is not so obvious. Flexibility also translates into packaging. Boxes need to be adapted to the dimensions and weight of the products. That means there is therefore a need for a much wider range of boxes and packaging materials. Consumers will no longer accept their purchases being packed in too big a box with too much padding. This needs to be handled smartly.
According to Bart Lambrecht, marketing manager at Rajapack Benelux, in recent years packaging has become more and more tailored to the needs of the user: “The growth of e-commerce creates new items, possibilities and innovations. Think of the return box, where the end consumer uses the same box to return an item. Or that based on the parameters of a product, a customised box is made on site. An intermediate solution in this is a box with crease lines for a variable filling height. In short, the packaging industry is not sitting still either and is moving with the requirements imposed by retail. Today, you can already have a custom-made and personalised box from small volumes”.
So here at Rajapack, we also follow this trend towards greater flexibility. We are well aware that packaging should be tailored to the type of product – and not the other way around. For instance, we already have packaging and protections specially designed for:
3. The challenges of logistics automation
We have already mentioned flexibility. But automation is also an important factor in the changing logistics landscape. Martin Moermans, Logistics Manager at Rajapack explains, “One will constantly have to find the balance between speed, providing service and still being efficient. This can really only be achieved by maximising automation.”
The labour market is currently failing in many areas. There are simply not enough staff (think drivers) to offer consumers the service they want. An automation translates, among other things, into integrating the right machines and systems. Just think of systems for paper pads, wrapping machines or sealing machines. Moreover, through personalised advice, Rajapack ensures that each customer uses the system best suited to his or her business.
The full article can be found on the website of OnlineRetailer.
