Rethinking Metro Logistics
Store replenishment in dense urban areas is notoriously unpredictable. All it takes is one restaurant running out of eggs and store customers will find empty shelves instead of egg cartons. To prevent lost sales and potentially lost customers, large city logistics requires dynamic replenishment of ambient, refrigerated and frozen foods.
Reduce emissions while increasing replenishment.
Clearly a new approach to metro logistics is required; one that reduces emissions in last-mile store deliveries while increasing store replenishment from once a day to multiple times a day.
How can you be logistically responsive and environmentally responsible? Take a cue from the new micro fulfillment centers (MFCs) that grocers have been steadily adopting for fulfillment.
By positioning MFCs closer to customers, grocers are able to reduce emissions while offering convenience and availability. The same concept can be applied to busy city store replenishment with a micro distribution center (MDC). Located within 20 miles of the city it serves, an MDC could replenish multiple times a day and reduce emissions in last mile store deliveries.
Orchestrate, coordinate…everything.
The MDC has a modular software stack that can be implemented incrementally over time. Intelligent logistics software enables central intelligence and coordination of city-wide store replenishment. This software:
- Manages everything from goods in to goods out
- Controls all logistical functions—all the way down to machine control
- Optimizes both manual and automated processes
Manual packing of pallets combines with sophisticated packing software, which:
- Changes flexibly between optimization goals
- Groups and separates articles
- Calculates goods-to-person sequences
- Calculates the best possible stacking patterns
- Chooses the best carrier for each order
Analyze the logistics value chain.
Advanced analytics provide nonstop data compilation and presents all logistics-critical information at a glance. This holistic view of your value chain is enabled by long-term records, real-time intelligence and predictive intelligence. The software provides:
- Full transparency through standardized statistics and KPIs
- Worldwide access to all relevant information via web-based devices
- Streamlined implementation and cost-efficient operation
Metro Logistics Have a Huge Impact on the Environment
Up to 70%
of the world’s transport emissions come from road vehicles moving people and freight.
Up to 60%
of the world’s population is projected to live metro areas by 2050
Up to 30%
of carbon emissions in 100 cities will increase in last-mile deliveries by 2030
Optimize operations.
An operations control tower — the only one in the industry — drives operational excellence in the MDC. The modular system has three modules. Together, they enable holistic operational excellence with:
- Operational planning for automated generation of shift plans, forward-looking operations scheduling across personnel, machinery, goods and environment
- Optimization during operation for rescheduling available resources when the system detects bottlenecks or overcapacities
- Continuous operational improvement with active, system-guided learning during every hour of operations
The operations control tower ensures optimum performance during every hour of operation, so you can:
- Make better decisions — the system unifies data silos, identifies inefficiencies and effectively manages all available resources, taking into account changing order structures and complex system designs
- Increase performance — a unique algorithm detects issues and proposes actions to increase overall system performance
- Reduce efforts — forward-looking operations scheduling of all resources considers performance, costs and staff training
- Improve operations — machine learning automatically improves the system itself, which steadily improves operations by unlocking hidden potential.
Decode item DNA.
Intelligent software provides robotic systems with the item attributes needed to efficiently handle and rapidly process items. The software automatically collects, distributes and maintains item master data, including data such as:
- Packaging type
- Contents
- Center of gravity
- Tilting behavior
- Stackability
- And much more
This data is essential in optimizing robotic performance. This software is unique in logistics. It is also:
- Easy to use and runs on any OS and hardware
- Self-learning for continuous data quality improvement
- Able to support different recognition and vision systems
- Tilting behavior
All of these modular automation “add-ons” add up to a lot of value. The MDC can also add direct-to-customer (DTC) fulfillment at a later date and the software will flexibly accommodate it into the existing operations.
“All-In” For You
These are just a few of our many success stories. We’re ready to help you win with logistics too, with a complete offering of:
- Modular autonomous robotics for every core logistics process
- Intelligent logistics software for every level of the software hierarchy
- Sector-specific logistics expertise that has helped shape some of the world’s biggest and best supply chains
