It goes without saying that coronavirus has hampered nearly every industry, and forced business to change on the fly. While nearly all industries have been hurt by the pandemic, a few have used this as an opportunity to grow, and provide services that help people navigate these trying times.
Advanced logistics have played a huge role. Logistics is the process of managing resources, including acquisition, storage, and transportation. Advanced logistics are playing an incredibly influential role in international markets, led by concepts like robotics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain (blockchain, for those who don’t know, is the sharing of data through a digital ledger system, used to record or track any information of value). Through these technologies, companies – most notably and overwhelmingly led by Amazon – are delivering packages as fast as ever, at lower costs.
Advanced logistics have affected every part of product movement. It has affected the management of inventory, processing of purchases, not to mention the shipping and tracking of products. The automation of the supply chain and computer learning regarding buying patterns has revolutionized industry. Artificial intelligence is growing in influence in the supply chain, and while this may sound a bit daunting (and scary to some), at its core it is computers making informed choices and routing decisions that would take humans much longer to identify and complete.
Technology powers these advanced logistics. Self-driving platforms, and increasingly intelligent technologies like robotic arms are removing the needs for humans to conduct repetitive tasks. Drones are increasing in influence, both outside warehouses and within. Drones can be used for delivery, but also to locate and manage stock and inventory, accessing previously difficult to reach places.
There are many benefits to these new technology-powered logistics, including a safer work environment, cost-efficient operations due to increased productivity, and reduced costs to the end users.
