No Industry 4.0 without Logistics 4.0 – the digitization and networking of manufacturing is not possible without a likewise linked, likewise digitized logistics system. After all, automated production comes to a standstill if the raw materials are not also delivered automatically.
The market is well on its way to implementing this technically. The first foundations have been laid: Processing is becoming increasingly paperless and thus uncomplicated, and the warehouses use appropriate sensor technology to recognize independently when supplies should be delivered and how much, or when finished goods should be picked up.
However, the more external factors have an influence on such digitization, the more complex it becomes. For this reason, Logistics 4.0 and thus the digitization of the supply chain is very difficult: the factors of traffic and weather alone, which are difficult to assess, can upset the best processes. This is where machine learning algorithms come in handy, as they can create the best possible forecasts even for unpredictable factors. In logistics, data is king. The more data that can be retrieved and processed regarding supply chains, the better and more precisely they can be optimized.
With regard to air cargo, the main issue is to make the amount of existing data available in a centralized and usable way. BlueBoxAir is not alone in this concept with its real-time tracking data. Booking platforms such as cargo.one combine a mass of booking data with a very easy-to- use user interface and a service that makes centralized air cargo booking extremely simple. This allows companies to react faster, rebook routes, centrally via one platform.
Transparency and speed are the central factors of Logistics 4.0, to which BlueBoxAir is also committed. Because international trade is growing just as much as networking. Whereas in the past you didn’t know for sure whether the goods would arrive not only on time but also in one piece after 2 months by sea, today you can monitor the current location and condition with just a few clicks. The residual risk that used to always have to be factored into logistics has therefore been reduced immensely. And it makes it possible to synchronize supply chains ever more closely and at the same time increase the production and delivery of goods accordingly.
Without solutions like BlueBoxAir, Industry 4.0 would not be possible. Logistics must fit seamlessly into digitization in order to really exploit speed potential. So don’t just digitize your production, digitize your logistics at the same time.
