Companies expect digitalisation and other technological developments to have the biggest impact on their operations in the longer term. Technologies in forecasting & inventory management and new warehouse management systems (WMS) rank highest on the procurement agenda.
This is according to a survey among 95 final and co-decision makers working in logistics and supply chain, conducted by Supply Chain Media, BLMC and Jaarbeurs in the run-up to trade fair ICT & Logistiek.
Besides digitalisation (70 per cent of respondents), companies see sustainability, climate change and resource scarcity as impactful in the long term (62 per cent). Less urgent is localisation: bringing production back to the sales market. Some 20 per cent of companies expect to have a focus on this in the future.
Companies expect to invest in Warehouse Management Systems (44 per cent), Forecasting & Inventory Management (42 per cent) and Sales & Operations Planning (33 per cent). In their purchasing decisions, respondents are mainly guided by discussions with suppliers (67 per cent) and by visits to trade fairs and conferences; for 47 per cent of respondents, trade events play a major role. Advice from external fellow professionals (50 per cent) and trade media (47 per cent) are also important in purchasing decisions of logistics solutions and services.
ICT & Logistics
The survey Supply Chain Strategy & Automation 2021 was conducted in the run-up to ICT & Logistiek, on 10 and 11 November in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht. With the theme 'Resilient Logistics: agility and connectivity', the common goal during the fair is: a resilient logistics sector ready for the future. Free registration and compiling your personal programme online can be done at: https: //www.ict-en-logistiek.nl
