Supply Chain Technology 2020: What to Expect?

Author PhotoBlueGrace Logistics - January 29, 2020

Technology has become synonymous with supply chains. It’s not only creating new and innovative products to support global supply chains,  but is also rapidly changing how the industry operates. These new technologies are being leveraged by both traditional and tech-first logistics companies in the freight and logistics space to help build digital and integrated supply chains that provide end-to-end visibility to all the stakeholders.  


According to this report by Gartner, released in January 2019, the top technology trends for the year were artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, IoT, robotic process automation (RPA), autonomous things, digital supply chain twins, blockchain, and immersive experience.  


Others like artificial intelligence, autonomous things, blockchain, and robotic process automation are comparatively new and yet to be explored fully.


While all the above technologies are gaining ground in the industry and are being used to solve supply chain problems, some of them like IoT and advanced analytics have been around for a while and are familiar. Others like artificial intelligence, autonomous things, blockchain, and robotic process automation are comparatively new and yet to be explored fully. However, 2019 did see some of the newer technologies making big strides and are expected to be in trend in 2020 as well. They are:  


  1. Autonomous trucks: We’ve been hearing about autonomous trucking for a while now. In 2019 autonomous trucking gained a lot of ground with a few companies in the sector ready to roll out their self-driving trucks on the road. Some companies making news in this sector are TuSimple which got funding at the beginning of 2019 and Plus.ai, a Cupertino, California-based startup, that has already tested its autonomous truck on the road. Plus.ai’s autonomous truck has made the world’s first cross-country trip to transport butter to a town in Pennsylvania. The autonomous trucking industry is expected to keep up the momentum in 2020 also. According to an article in Supply Chain Digital, Allied Market Research has forecasted that the global market for autonomous trucks is expected to cross $1 billion this year and show a growth rate of 10.4% every year up to 2025.  
  2. Blockchain: While Blockchain technology has been around in the logistics and freight industry for a few years, there’s still a lot of scopes to explore this technology. Last year, TradeLens – a blockchain shipping platform developed by Maersk and IBM finally started picking up after a lackluster start. According to a news release on Maersk’s website, the platform will now be used by MSC, CMA-CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and ONE. The success of platforms like this will help in getting more companies in freight and logistics to explore blockchain technology. More supply chain partners on a single blockchain-enabled platform will help facilitate the timely and safe exchange of data among the various stakeholders, even competitors, and enhance traceability, reliability, and transparency in the system.  
  3. Artificial intelligence: The Gartner report had listed artificial intelligence as one of the promising supply chain trends of 2019. Since all technologies that require a certain level of responsiveness and user interaction are empowered by artificial intelligence, this is one technology that will evolve with new technologies and needs of the industry. So in 2020 also one can expect AI to be an important part of the technological revolution in multiple supply chains.  
  4. Robotic process automation: Robotic process automation (RPA) is an artificial intelligence software that helps program robots to carry out standard processes without intervention. It is also useful in programming robots to collect data while they are doing their set activities. According to a 2019 Gartner press release, in 2018, the global market for robotic process automation grew 63%. The research firm expected the revenue in 2019 to reach $1.3 billion. Similar to AI, the RPA software demand will grow along with the deployment of robotics in supply chains. 
  5. Digital supply chain twin: A digital supply chain twin has been defined as a replica of the real-world supply chain function. The digital platforms that helped integrate all organizational functions and manage and monitor the processes digitally have now given way to more sophisticated systems that present a mirror image of the on-ground supply chain functions. These digital replicas are making it easier for organizations to simulate the real-time supply chain, identify plausible issues and take preemptive actions. This kind of technological representation of the supply chain is expected to be one of the top trends in 2020.  


While technology forms a critical part of understanding where the logistics and freight industry is headed, it is not the only factor.


These are just some of the main technological trends of 2019 that are expected to continue getting focus in 2020 and probably even in the next few years as well. While technology forms a critical part of understanding where the logistics and freight industry is headed, it is not the only factor. There are other aspects like regulations, laws, economy, and freight rates that help determine the fate of the supply chain. To know how the industry fared on these counts on the year gone by and how these aspects are expected to impact the logistics and freight community in the new year, register for our webinar: State of the Logistics Industry here


In addition to connecting with industry experts and gaining insight into where the industry is headed in the new year, all registered webinar attendees will also have the option to get a free supply chain analysis and optimization study based on their current data! Get in touch with our team at 800.MY.SHIPPING or fill out the form below to find out more.  


 

If you are a hard worker that is passionate about excellence and are looking for a fun, fast-paced career in the logistics industry, apply for a job at BlueGrace today! 

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